5 minute read
Special Feature - Explore
More to Xplore
Just weeks into its official launch, Xplore Distribution has secured top retail partners and signed exclusive distribution deals with international toy companies for the various markets that include the UK and Ireland
Formed this year, Xplore already has a broad selection of brands in its portfolio, with the capacity to provide international manufacturers with full sales and distribution support in all channels within the UK retail market.
The company was set up by experienced industry stalwart Ravi Mashru, and his team Pritesh Davé and Katrina Daley. Ravi, who is CEO, has 15 years of industry experience, while Sales directors Pritesh and Katrina each have 10 years’ experience under their belts. Most recently, Ravi and Katrina were managing international sales for US-based toy company eKids (KidDesigns), while Ravi and Pritesh handled EMEA distribution for another major US company specialising in toys and consumer electronics.
Xplore is working on introducing a number of international brands to the UK market where the team has signed multiple exclusive deals, including with Eolo Toys to launch its Battle Cubes brand in spring/summer 2024. The company will also be representing Kids Licensing – a Stationery, Tech, Pocket Money and Back-to-School business based in Spain. Xplore will distribute the company’s products across UK, Europe, the Middle East and South Africa. Other partners which have given exclusivity to Xplore include Ciao, which manufactures licensed fancy dress, headquartered in Italy; Reig, which manufactures licensed musical instruments and Banbo Toys, which manufactures officially licensed football figurines. These are joined by My Arcade, a business based in Southern California which supplies a range of licensed retro handheld arcade games carrying licences such as Pac-Man, Street Fighter, Tetris and Space Invaders. In the UK, OTL, a licensed headphones company, has also joined forces with Xplore, while The Noble Collection has given the business a list of key retailers to distribute to. A full list of products within Xplore’s portfolio is available to view on the company’s new website.
With a focus on bringing new and interesting brands to market, Ravi explained: “We want to offer our services to manufacturers looking to go into UK distribution. We also have our Xpand EU and Xplode USA divisions, offering distribution over those two continents as well as in the Middle East and South Africa. We’ve got the reach in each of these key markets – we already have people on the ground, working on multiple brands. These territories include Germany, France, Spain, Nordics, Italy, Middle East and USA. We also have an established e-commerce division – some of our partners have given us exclusivity to manage their entire e-commerce business for them. Thanks to our warehouse network, we can ship direct to retailers or despatch directly to the customer.”
The Xplore team and warehouse is based in Leicester, but the company also utilises third-party warehouses across Europe.
“We’ve already secured placement for autumn/winter 2023 with a tremendous reaction from buyers,” commented Ravi. “We have some great manufacturing partners from around the world who have been very supportive through this process which has allowed us to ensure the availability of stock for our retail partners, which is of paramount importance.”
Retailers and manufacturers can meet the Xplore team, which will be visiting upcoming toy exhibitions including London, New York and Nuremberg, while its broad portfolio is also on permanent display in the company’s Leicester showroom.
The business currently has in excess of 10 employees within sales, operations, e-commerce and warehousing, a figure which is set to grow in the near future. Xplore has a team of dedicated brand managers, who are experts in the individual brands they manage, which will help them to develop partnerships with multiple key retailers.
Pritesh added: “We have built strong relationships with our manufacturing partners who have the capabilities to secure licences and products to meet retailer requirements. When we speak to our retail partners, we ask them if they have any gaps in their range that we could help them with; we have strength and depth when it comes to sourcing – whether that’s a product at a certain price or a particular licence.”
Further to this, the Xplore team believes that there should be a strong focus towards sustainability and has made a conscious decision to become more eco-friendly. From 2024, some products will be supplied in eco-friendly packaging, and the team is working with its manufacturers in implementing this strategy right across the range.
Ravi concluded: “We’re always on the lookout for new brands. If anyone needs any assistance or wants to find out more about working with Xplore, then do get in contact and we can even meet in person at New York Toy Fair.”
For further details please email Pritesh on pritesh@xploredistribution.com
