Peg Perego

Peg Perego is the Italian stroller brand that is one of the few stroller makers worldwide that does not produce its strollers in China.

Lucio Perego in one of the first Peg Perego strollers created by Guiseppe Perego.

The company was founded in 1949 by Giuseppe Pérego, who designed a baby carriage for his son. Unlike other strollers that used wicker and sheet metal, Perego used "rubberized fabric" as the seat base. The strollers proved to be popular and the Peg Perego company was launched.

The company expanded into different juvenile categories in the 1970's and 1980's, including car seats, high chairs and toys (ride-on vehicles).

Peg Perego was among the first European stroller brands to expand sales to the US, landing in the US in the 1960's. The company set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1968.

Why Fort Wayne? Nick Perego, grandson of Giuseppe Pérego, explained in an interview with the Fort Wayne Business Weekly in 2019:

"Having operations in Toronto, Indiana looked like a perfect fit because of the logistical aspects of being in center of the country. Also we had a need to be close to Chicago where Sears was headquartered. Sears was pretty much the Amazon of the time.”

Unlike other stroller brands that off-shored production to China, Peg Perego strollers are still made in the company's factories outside Milan, Italy (textiles for its strollers are made in a company-owned facility in Romania). The only exception to European production was a brief time during the 2000's when Perego made in one model, the Aria, in China.

Peg Perego's heyday sales-wise was in the 1980's and 90's, when its strollers dominated the premium stroller category. In the 2000's, increased competition in that segment from Bugaboo and UPPAbaby dimmed the company's fortunes to some degree. The company was also slow to innovate, only joining the modular (single-to-double) and ultra-compact stroller segments long after the competition came to market.

Peg Perego strollers can be divided into four categories: single-to-double strollers, full-size, compact and double strollers.

Flagship Model: Booklet 50

The Booklet 50 (20 lbs., see latest price on Amazon) is a classic Perego stroller—lightweight with a compact, one-hand, self-standing fold. It works natively with the Peg Perego line of infant car seats.

The Peg Perego Booklet 50 is 20 inches wide, providing mobility through narrow store aisles or crowded sidewalks. The extendable hood of the stroller is UPF 50 + and has a protective visor. The wheels have ball bearings and a suspension system, for a smoother ride over rough terrain. The basket is expandable, although it is hard to access when the seat is reclined.

The plastic wheels on the Booklet 50 are somewhat unusual in this price range, as are the lack of convenience items like a cup holder or rain cover (both available as extra accessories.

Factory Sale

Peg Perego holds twice-a-year factory sales at their Fort Wayne, Indiana warehouse. In previous years, the sale was in April and November.