Special Feature - Xplore Brands

Xplore Brands a fresh approach

Toy World caught up with Xplore Brands Distribution’s Pritesh Dave to hear how the company’s first year in business has been going, and what the company is excited about in the run-up to the festive season.

How has the past year been for Xplore? What have been your major successes and your biggest challenges?

They say time flies when you’re having fun - and this past year has sped by! From many conversations that we’ve had with those in the industry, it seems that the toy retail market has been challenging so far this year. However, momentum has built as the year has unfolded, and we are excited to see where we end the year. We have secured strong selections and there will be many exciting and innovative products available for consumers this autumn winter.

So overall, it’s been a successful year to date – we’re particularly pleased that some new brands which we onboarded towards the end of year will now be seen in the market, some for the first time in UK, as well as opening further doors across EMEA.

Since we re-branded to Xplore Brands and adopted a fresh approach in the way we represent brands, it has certainly accelerated our growth and broadened business opportunities with various retail channels. We are no longer just a traditional distributor: we now operate as the face of the brand, offering product to retailers who can purchase directly from the manufacturer.

What new launches are you most excited about in the run-up to Christmas?

There are multiple products we could highlight here, however the key brands that we excited for are Bitty Boomers, My Arcade, OTL, Comansi, Reig, Red Toolbox - and not forgetting the record breaking Tubbz range.

You’re about to move into a new office – what led you to make that decision?

We will be based in North Leicester, which is a great accessible location for our partners from anywhere in the UK, and even those heading in from abroad.

The new building will also give us a state-of-the-art showroom, far bigger than before. This will enable us to showcase our full product range to retail partners, while giving us the space to expand our extensive portfolio and welcome even more brands to the business.

To date, we have been using a third-party logistics company and now, given the growth and traffic, we have decided to bring all operations in-house, and build a team which has the expertise and track record to achieve further growth.

You’re also heading to LA in September – what are you hoping to get out of the trip?

To see some amazing newness! We are excited to meet with our existing brand partners and to see the latest innovations that are being launched – this is something we’re eager to walk our retail partners through.

In line with our business and team growing, we will also be in LA to look at further opportunities where we can support brands to grow their business in the UK and across EMEA.

As a distributor of a wide number of ranges, what are the benefits for retailers in working with you?

As we have now diversified the way we operate, we can truly offer suppliers a 360-degree solution. Given the breadth of our portfolio, which covers so many categories, we find ourselves in the fortunate position of working and building a rapport with multiple teams within one buying organisation.

Looking ahead to 2025, what should we look out for from Xplore as we head into next year?

We have several new ranges to really shout about heading into the new year. One brand to look out for is USA-based Quest, for which we are now the exclusive launch partner for EMEA. We believe that the company’s catalogue of licensed Audio, Mobile & Tech accessories can open new doors and further diversify our retail partner portfolio.

In addition, there is the newness and invention from our existing manufacturing partners, a revamped licensed stationery range with some key licences and exciting news on the youth electronics side of our business on which we can share further announcements post LA and pre-London Toy Fair…watch this space.