Special Feature - Hunter Price

On trend, on price and on point

Hunter Price International has seen a major transformation over the last few years. The company has more than doubled in size and has been developing in-house brands.

The consumer products developer has seen staff numbers increase to 75, from about 30 in 2019. This year, Hunter Price has grown its global presence too, pushing into the Australian market and promoting its products at the London Toy Fair, Spielwarenmesse, Spring Fair and Distoy in London. The team also attended the Las Vegas Licensing Expo.

Jeremy Winburn, CEO and co-founder at Hunter Price, says: “We are unrecognisable as a business from where we were before Covid – we have changed a lot since then. We’ve doubled in size in terms of output. We’ve been very lucky to have incredible talent within the company and we’ve departmentalised the business as a result.”

The three divisions within the business are Toys and Activity, run by Richard Belford; Home and Lifestyle, run by Allana Holmes and Stationery, Arts and Craft run by Ben Cornwell. Each pillar, which works with its own brands and licences, has its own team of designers, buyers, sales and marketing support.

“We’ve developed, in our toy team, specific buyers who keep their ears very close to the ground – in the US, Japan and South Korea specifically,” explains Jeremy. “All their ideas are discussed, then new product concepts are designed, developed and sent to our retail customers all around the UK. We put new ideas together on a weekly basis to keep refreshing our pocket money collection.” This is just one way that Hunter Price keeps one step ahead of the competition. Jeremy adds: “We find ourselves in the very fortunate position where we are a major player in the sensory and pocket money space.”

Hunter Price supplies fidget, sensory and pocket money toys to some of the largest stores across the UK such as Smyths, The Range, B&M, WHSmith and The Works, while new licensing partnerships introduced this year include Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and Crayola.

“What’s most exciting is that when you become an expert in your field, you become trusted to category manage that area, and we are trusted,” explains Jeremy. “I’d trust us, and I’d back us - and that’s saying a lot because I’m very critical. We make sure that we’re always on trend, on price and on point with packaging and product, as well as quick off the mark and quick to evolve and change. This keeps our ranges fresh and interesting, both for retail buyers and the end product users.”

Toy Mania is Hunter Price’s leading pocket money brand, includes its hero sensory range, Sensory Toy Box. “Toy Mania is doing incredibly well,” enthuses Jeremy. “It’s sold millions of pieces. It all began with Fidget Poppers, which I believe we were the first to market with in the UK, and we developed from there into a wider collection of sensory, pocket money and impulse buys.”

Hunter Price has been developing its use of influencer marketing, recently working with celebrity mum, Billie Faiers to launch home & lifestyle brand, Chapter B and Chapter B Kids Club, which is sold in Tesco and online at Next, Very & WHSmith and has been performing well. There are more high-profile announcements to come this year, as the company forges further partnerships with both big personalities and top tier licences.

The company has also rebranded its accessories brand: Love the Look. To help young people glam up for any occasion, the range includes make-your-own and design your own items across Hunter Price’s different product categories. The collection is trend-led and also allows friends to “share, swap and collect”. Allana Holmes, sales director for the Home & Lifestyle division, says: “We’re really excited about Love The Look and its potential in this sector, and developing our own brands further. We’re investing a lot on the marketing side and offering retailers enhanced social media and creative collateral and marketing campaigns to support our ranges, giving them confidence that we are backing our brands – we’re not just relying on them selling for us.”

In-house brand Little Timbers is an innovative wooden role-play brand, blending premium design with great value. It launched this year and aims to encourage pre-school children to create, explore and play. The Little Timbers debut collection includes shape sorters and stackers, pound & tap, shaped puzzles, wooden trucks and trains, a car tower and marble tree drop. Little Timbers also aligns perfectly with the business’ sustainability goals. Using responsible and sustainable materials for both product and packaging, the products are being created with FSC sustainable wood and plastic free, recyclable packaging across the range. “It’s been really well received,” says Jeremy. “The colours are absolutely beautiful, in pastel tones, it’s FSC and good value too. Little Timbers is bringing quality and a premium look at an affordable price. That is something the business is very conscious of; we want to bring relatable products to market that make people smile, and we’ve got the contacts and the talent to do that.”

To celebrate Jeremy’s and his fellow founding partners, Josh Eden and Jonathan Alexander’s 40th birthdays this year, Hunter Price is undergoing a brand refresh. The company, which was created in 2009, is launching a new website, its logo is being updated and the company message is being restructured in line with its evolution. A new showroom will also be launched later this summer to bring to life the business’ three divisions.

Jeremy concludes: “The transformation has been incredible. The investment in the showroom shows our investment in our retailers, giving them an immersive, interactive experience where they are free to imagine and get inspired.”