MUMBAI: Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, on September 6 announced that it has signed a joint venture with Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt's kids and maternity-wear brand, Ed-a-Mamma for a 51 percent majority stake.

Through this tie-up, RRVL aims to take the brand on a dynamic growth trajectory by closely collaborating with founder Alia Bhatt and leveraging the management strength of its subsidiary Reliance Brands Limited to spearhead the business, the RIL arm said in a statement.

Ed-a-Mamma, founded by Alia Bhatt in 2020 as an apparel brand for 2-12-year-olds, uses natural fabrics and nature themes for children. The brand is available both online and offline stores via departmental stores.

In a significant stride last year, the brand expanded its range to include maternity wear which was thoughtfully timed to coincide with Alia Bhatt's pregnancy which was soon followed up with a line for infants and toddlers.

Taking to Twitter, Bhatt shared the JV announcement

Commenting on the JV, Isha Ambani, Director, Reliance Retail, said, "At Reliance, we have always admired brands that lead with a strong purpose and embody a unique design ethos exemplified perfectly by Ed-a-Mamma and its founder Alia Bhatt. With sustainability as its core proposition the brand has garnered acclaim for its meticulous attention to detail, using ethically sourced materials and eco-conscious production processes. This aligns seamlessly with Reliance Brands' vision of fostering a more responsible future for the fashion industry."

Meanwhile, Alia Bhatt said, "With this joint venture, we look forward to taking Ed-a-Mamma to many more kids and parents and continuing to inspire a love for nature through everything we do."

The partnership will see the brand grow into new areas like personal care and baby furniture while retaining its core values of being child-friendly, parent-friendly, and planet-friendly, the company statement added. Also on the anvil are children's storybooks and an animated series that will breathe life into the enchanting world of Ed-a-Mamma, it said.

RRVL had reported a consolidated turnover of Rs 260,364 crore ($ 31.7 billion) and a net profit of Rs 9,181 crore ($ 1.1 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2023.