Sleep Country Canada is continuing to grow its presence across the nation and into the U.S. with the acquisition of Silk & Snow, one of Canada’s fastest growing direct-to-consumer sleep brands specializing in high-quality sleep and lifestyle products that have been thoughtfully curated.
Silk & Snow began with a Kickstarter campaign in 2017, launching its e-commerce site www.silkandsnow.com with its made-in-Canada single memory foam mattress.
In 2020, Silk & Snow made Canadian Business’ Top 10 start-up list ranking of Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies and in 2021 and 2022 was ranked one of Canada’s top growing companies by the Globe & Mail. Silk & Snow has also made inroads into the U.S. market which accounts for about 25 per cent of sales in the most recent fiscal year.
It was co-founded by Albert Chow, and Kenneth Mo.
“We are delighted to welcome Silk & Snow to our growing family of powerful sleep brands as we continue to build our sleep ecosystem with investments in people, product and channel innovation to provide customers with seamless access to the world’s leading assortment of sleep essentials,” said Stewart Schaefer, President and CEO, Sleep Country Canada.
“Albert, Kenneth, and the Silk & Snow team have thoughtfully procured a full array of affordable luxury items that have helped turn their brand into a high-growth business with an impressive following in both Canada and the United States. Their purpose-driven approach to product design, manufacturing, and digital marketing aligns beautifully with our strategic road map and expansion of sustainable products, and into new markets. We look forward to supporting Silk & Snow as the brand aims to continue its incredible growth trajectory.”
Sleep Country has 289 corporate-owned stores and 20 warehouses across Canada and operates under retail banners: “Sleep Country Canada”, with omnichannel operations in Canada excluding Québec; “Dormez-vous” with omnichannel operations in Québec; “Endy”, Canada’s leading direct-to-consumer online sleep solutions retailer; and recently acquired “Hush”, one of Canada’s fastest-growing digital retailers.
Schaefer said the acquisition of Silk & Snow, which has a wholesale and e-commerce business, gives Sleep Country an affordable, luxury brand with a “nice” sustainability story.
“That’s an area and focus for us as we move forward on some of the products. They were already down that path. Also, about 25 per cent of their business is in the United States. So that was quite intriguing to us because for us we are very prominent in the Canadian market but the United States it’s interesting to be able to enter into that market under a brand, maybe not under the Sleep Country name but under a name like Silk & Snow,” he said.
“And the last part, which is the same reason we did the Endy deal and the Hush deal, was the people. Albert and his partner Kenneth are both really dynamic, really entrepreneurial thinking and between my three brands now Endy, Hush and Silk & Snow, Endy is the apple pie, the all-Canadian apple pie type of feel. Hush is a little bit edgier and Silk & Snow is a mid to higher end affordable luxury.
“My team jokes with me because years ago I named these three companies and I said if we could get it it’s the trifecta and now four years later between Endy, Hush and Silk & Snow, we’re excited. Like a little trifecta.”
Schaefer said the plan is to develop a Silk & Snow line of sleep accessories that are different than the ones being sold currently to other wholesale stores and being launched in Sleep Country stores.
Chow, CEO of Silk & Snow, said the company started with the intention of providing high-quality products that allow its customers to love their homes.
“Five years later, with quality as a top priority, we’ve delivered on our promise of building a brand that offers thoughtfully made sleep products,” he said.
Mo, COO of Silk & Snow, said it’s important for the company to find a partner with Canadian roots.
“We’re looking forward to partnering with Sleep Country, Canada’s leading sleep retailer, as it allows us to lean on their incredible expertise. This will help us to continue to expand our well-loved range of mattresses, bedding, furniture and bath products, while bringing even more value to our customers,” he said.
Silk & Snow will operate as an independent entity within Sleep Country, led by Chow as CEO and Mo as COO who both will join the Sleep Country’s senior leadership team.
Silk & Snow offers high-quality sleep and lifestyle products crafted from traceable raw materials and sustainable manufacturing practices. Their curated line includes bed sheets, mattresses, bed frames, weighted blankets, and other home essentials alongside its bath line-up of bath towels and robes.
Sleep Country acquired Endy in December 2018.
Sleep Country acquired the direct-to-consumer brand Hush in October 2021, and opened its first-ever pop-up store this holiday shopping season at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
“It’s been a huge success,” said Schaefer. “We’re very excited about that. It is not only a test for Hush but it’s a question of will we now do it for Endy and Silk & Snow and I’ll tell you I definitely want to try something because of the reaction that we had.”
Hush is a Canadian-based sleep improvement brand that was started in 2018 by Aaron Spivak and Lior Ohayon. Hush started with a product now considered to be Canada’s Most Popular (and Reviewed) weighted blanket – designed to help those with sleep, anxiety, insomnia, ADHD, and more. Within its first 24 months, Hush has grown to an eight-figure brand. The company launched a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $1.5 million plus in 30 days – making it the Top 10 most raised Canadian Campaign ever. In 2019, Hush also appeared on Canadian hit TV show Dragons’ Den and earned “Most Epic Pitch” of the season securing a bidding war between all six dragons. The company has since expanded their product line to include mattresses and sleep accessories.
Hush sells on the wholesale and e-commerce levels and also has a presence in the U.S.
Schaefer said Sleep Country is expected to open six new stores in 2023 with the possibility of another four stores as well.
