Fridababy Founding Timeline

2007 — Launch 

Nosefrida USA LLC launches nosefrida.com via Yahoo Shopping. Startup capital under $5,000. First shipment approximately 2,000 units.

2007–2008 — Grassroots Marketing Begins 

Levine visits pediatricians and pharmacies in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, and pitches the top 20 boutique baby stores nationally. First accounts include the Pump Station (Santa Monica) and Bigelow's Pharmacy (New York).

2008 — Team Begins to Form 

Sarah Perilli joins as COO, initially to cover order fulfillment during Kaisa's summers in Sweden. Awarded 20% equity. Home office grows to four or five people.

2008 — First Major Retail Account 

Whole Foods regionally — approximately 10 stores in Oregon, Washington, and Northern California — driven by doctor and nurse practitioner recommendations. At this point, 100% of revenues are from direct sales.

2010 — Name Change 

Company renamed Fridababy; URL transitions to fridababy.com. At that point the company has two products, NoseFrida and Windi, a gas-relief device from the same Swedish manufacturer.

2010 — Amazon Inflection Point 

After an early consignment arrangement, Amazon buys inventory outright and actively pushes distribution. On the day the agreement changes, the company does tens of thousands of dollars in sales.

2011 — Victoria Beckham 

Victoria Beckham tweets about using the NoseFrida with her baby daughter Harper, triggering tabloid stories and providing unsolicited celebrity validation at a pivotal moment in the brand's national expansion.

2011–2013 — National Retail Rollout

Sequential expansion across major chains: Whole Foods national, Target online then in stores, Babies R Us national, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart. Walmart baby buyer contacts Levine's team unprompted — her first time ever calling a supplier — and orders for every store. 

2011–2014 — Product Expansion 

The company introduces the Fridet, a washing tool for toddlers and new mothers, and prototypes a swaddler, a toothbrush and a pacifier medicine dispenser that would become successful products under subsequent ownership.

2012 — The First Warehouse 

Babies R Us starts ordering 20,000 NoseFrida units monthly, picked up by truck. Pallet requirements exceed capacity of Levine’s home garage. Company leases first warehouse at 38 NW 24th Street in Wynwood, Miami.

2013 — The Mold Post 

A viral post on a parenting blog showing mold inside a bulb aspirator accelerates NoseFrida brand perception and sales. 

2010–2014 — Four Consecutive Years of 100% Growth 

2013 pitch book documents: Amazon 200,000 units annually; buybuy BABY 130,000 units; Whole Foods 199 locations, 55,000 units; Babies R Us 20,000 units monthly. New accounts include Nordstrom, Burlington Coat Factory, and Meijer.

2014 — Hirschhorn Hired as CEO 

The company is at full momentum with products in 300+ stores plus direct sales. Levine steps back to spend more time with her teenage children and hires Chelsea Hirschhorn as CEO.

July 2016 — Sale to Private Equity 

PE firm Garnett Station Partners acquires a majority stake in Fridababy, which has achieved annual sales of $30 million with EBITDA of $7 million, according to Levine family records of the private sale. 

2020 — Acquisition by SC Johnson

Levine sells her remaining minority interest when SC Johnson acquires the company from previous investors. Chelsea Hirschhorn remains CEO of the company, now branded as Frida.