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New Year, New Games!
You know how hard it is to keep kids to play the same game again and again. Yes, that’s why we need new games. But, where to find new games – fun and cool enough to let kids just stay there to play with?
No worries! Goliath, a leading global toy and games company, announced its acquisition of the Vivid Toy Group from Privet Capital for an undisclosed sum.
Vivid is one of Europe’s leading independent branded toy and games companies, distributing, licensing, designing, manufacturing and selling a combination of in-house developed toy and games IP and third-party licenses. The Company has distributed critical partner brands in over 60 markets worldwide to leading retailers such as Amazon, Argos, Auchan, Carrefour, Mueller, Smyths, Target, Tesco, The Entertainer, and Walmart. The Company is headquartered in the UK (Guildford), and has additional sales and marketing operations in France (Paris) and Germany (Frankfurt), as well as operations in China (Hong Kong). Vivid’s core product lines are toys, games, and arts & crafts.
Vivid is best known in the industry for EMEA distribution of the iconic Crayola brand and association with blockbuster brands over the years such as AniMagic, Moshi Monsters, Thunderbirds, Bratz Dolls, Nella The Princess Knight and many others. The company recently announced a major partnership with Corus Nelvana as part of its exciting innovation pipeline into 2019 and beyond.
Founded in 1980, Goliath is a world leading, privately-owned, international games specialist. In 2017, NPD recognized Goliath as the #1 preschool games manufacturer and #3 children’s games manufacturer in the USA as well as the #2 overall games manufacturer in France. Using the combined scale of the Pressman, Goliath and Crown & Andrews game portfolios, Vivid will launch brand new games for 2019. Being well-known for its major investments in digital marketing, social media and TV advertising, Vivid will get the full benefit of Goliath’s global marketing team.
“The acquisition of Vivid by Goliath represents a bold new chapter in our company’s story,” said Tony Hicks, Chief Executive of Vivid Toy Group. “With Goliath’s backing, we are well supported to build a world-leading portfolio that will continue to strengthen the company’s excellent long-standing customer relationships with the world’s leading retailers.”
“We are extremely pleased to have acquired Vivid, which we believe has significant growth potential. With a long history of working together, we know the Vivid team well,” said Adi Golad, Chairman and Founder of Goliath. “They are a highly professional, world class business spanning toys, arts & crafts, and games with an impressive track record of ‘end-to-end’ excellence in each of its core functions, from procurement and product design to marketing and sales by its unrivaled distribution network and retail relationships in the UK and broad network worldwide. We welcome our new colleagues to the Goliath family and look forward to building a great business together.”
About Goliath
Goliath was founded in 1980 and is one of the few remaining family-owned global toy and game companies. Goliath is an international manufacturer and distributor of a broad range of products. Examples include Wahu®, Sequence®, Rummikub®, Rubik’s Cube®, Phlat Ball®, Tri-Ominos®, Wordsearch™, Pop the Pig®, Doggie Doo™, Gooey Looey™ and Catch the Fox™.
The company has continued to see substantial growth with the acquisitions of Pressman Toy®, JAX®, Tucker Toys® in the US, Crown & Andrews® and Britz ‘n Pieces/Wahu in Australia, Modelco® in France, and Elephanta® in New Zealand. Today Goliath is the 2nd largest game company in France and 3rd largest in the USA.
Goliath is a market leader in TV-promoted games and strong in many other toy categories, such as puzzles, arts & crafts, outdoor, activity, and novelties.
Goliath products now sell in more than 75 countries worldwide and the company has offices in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada. For more information, please visit www.goliathgames.com
About Vivid Toy Group
Based in Guildford UK with offices in Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong and China, the Vivid Group is an independent, privately owned toy, games and arts & crafts company that sells in over 60 countries worldwide. Key lines include the iconic Crayola across EMEA and properties such as Nella the Princess Knight, Thunderbirds, Animagic, Fungus Amungus, Genie Girls, Disney Emoji, Phlat Ball and Squeezamals. For more information, please visitwww.vividtoysandgames.co.uk
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FROM JAPAN WITH LOVE: TOYS MADE WITH RICE AS EVERYTHING LANDS IN BABY’S MOUTH ANYWAY!
Say Hello To Mochi Music Makers, Teethers, Blocks And More!
Developmental Toys Made With Rice That’s 100% Green And 100% Fun
Babies and rice have always had a healthy relationship since the first spoonful of rice cereal passed their lips. And let’s face it; everything a baby touches eventually meets their mouth!
Thanks to an ingenious Japanese technology, babies can now teeth and drool over marvelous Mochi Teething Ring ($19.99) or Mochi Maraca ($24.99) from People Toy Company (www. peopletoy.co).
The Mochi toy seriesis created with rice harvested from Japan! Mochi, the Japanese word for rice cake, is a rice-plastic technology that’s 51% rice. This first toy given to baby — such as the Mochi Teething Plate ($14.99) — allows parents piece of mind as it is 100% green with no toxic paints or adhesives. In fact, open the package and smell the rice! “This developmental toy collection prides itself on earth-to-home craftsmanship,” proudly explains Rudy Valenta, President of the U.S. branch of Japan’s People Toy Company, makers of Mochi.
“In fact, you can even smell the aromatic notes of fresh rice grains as soon as you open up the packaging!”
Toot toot for the Mochi Trumpet ($24.99). At age 3 months, this is the perfect toy to nurture baby’s cognitive reasoning skills through play. The two-way trumpet uses an infant’s natural sucking and teething motions to create sound when they breathe in or out. Created for play from newborn to 2-years-old, the 28-piece Mochi Blocks Premium Set ($79.99) is wonderfully safe and hand-assembled to exact specifications in Japan.
This ultimate baby shower gift will be cherished as baby crosses each milestone from grasping the blocks to stacking, sorting and solving puzzles through play! American mom bloggers who have gotten their hands on these yummy toys gush at their design features.
“A safe, great option for teething babies,” writes ttmp.com, “the ring doubles as a fun, easy-to-hold toy and promote hand dexterity as well as helping the baby’s first set of teeth come in with less hassle. The teething plate on the other hand sports a unique design that allows infants to hold the plate while chomping on its ridges and bumps to help soothe cutting gums.”
As their website, www.PeopleToy.co, describes, all toys are created with rice that’s harvested in Japan and then transported to People’s state-of-the-art facilities. Next, the rice is mixed with a unique blend of special ingredients to create 100% safe and sustainable Mochi rice-plastic.
People’s engineers hand-assemble each piece to precise specifications, free of any harmful adhesives and paints. The pieces are then packed with love and care, before they make their trip to the U.S. and ultimately baby’s home!
Look for these developmental toys at your local baby boutiques and toy stores.
Mochi Teething Necklace • Newborns+ • $24.99
For Babies who lick, chew and explore with their mouth – we created the Mochi Teething Jewelry for both Mom and Dad. This stylish teething necklace comes in two styles – The Double Pendant and the Handy Charm. The Mochi Double Pendant teething necklace is the statement necklace that your friends and baby will love with its neutral tones and interchangeable pieces, so you can style it to fit your style. The Mochi Handy Charm teething necklace has built-in jingling beads and comes in a stylish millennial pink colorway. Both have all the bumps and ridges for teething babies to sooth their sore gums. Wear it every day so you always have a safe and clean toy within arm’s reach for you baby to chew on.
Mochi Maraca • Ages 3 months+ • $24.99
This toy is made in Japan but the sounds heard will be pure Caribbean! The rattle is ideal for teething infants and the pinky-sized handle fits perfectly in tiny hands. Listen for the “Light Caribbean drizzle” sounds that are sure to soothe a fussy infant awaiting their first teeth. Teething ridges soothe those endearing yet sore gums.
Mochi Teething Plate – Natural Series • Ages 3 months+ • $14.99
What looks like a painter’s palette is an ingenious design for baby’s tender gums and little thumbs. Ideal for teething infants, the plate fits in baby’s hands with a light thin shape complete with a thumb hold for superior grip! Once again those bumps and ridges provide much-needed teething relief.
Mochi Teething Ring • Ages 3 months+ • $19.99
The ring’s bumps and ridges are welcomed day and night as they soothe a baby’s teething gums. Baby’s little hands get a nice work out, too, as the easy-to-hold ring stimulates and promotes hand dexterity. Environmentally conscious parents appreciate that no harmful adhesives or paints are ever used on Mochi toys.
Mochi Trumpet • Ages 3 months+ • $24.99
Measuring 3.9 inches from tip to horn, this tiny trumpet plays “peace of mind” every time as it always lands in a child’s mouth. The amusing whistle sound soothes and delights baby as those teething ridges soothe sore gums.
Mochi Blocks Premium Set • Ages newborn+ • $79.99
These pretty pastel colored blocks offer serious fun while encouraging developmental milestones. From welcome-home-baby to about 5 months old, use these blocks for guided parent play. The soothing rattles make different percussion sounds to compliment baby’s mood of the moment. Then from 6 months to the first birthday these sized-just-right blocks allow baby to start building all by himself! Between the 1st and 2nd birthday, tiny tots can have fun stacking, sorting and solving puzzles. Lucky parents and grandparents can watch as the tot’s concentration begins to develop. As a preschooler, toddlers will begin to develop simple structures by mimicking familiar objects they observe in life. Through play, creativity will begin to take shape as they create their own masterpieces.
Follow People Toy Company on your favorite social media outlet — Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. When ready to shop, visit their handy store locator at www.peopletoy.co. Or shop instantly from the Amazon button conveniently placed on the right-hand corner of their home page. While browsing online, sign up for their newsletter to be the first to know the next-best-thing for baby.
Mochi Music Makers, Teethers and Blocks, these Mochi toys are definitely the best gift choice for Baby Shower, New mom’s Birthday, or Baby’s Birthday. Sending your love to all the babies around you. The toys are made of rice, you can totally feel that when you open the toys’ box. No doubt, babies love it and will no-stop play with it.
ABOUT PEOPLE TOY COMPANY
This beloved Japanese company, People Co., Ltd started in 1977 and has finally arrived in the U.S. and set People Toy Company with a pedigree product line. Primarily known for their manufacturing of Magna-Tiles for Valtech. The company’s three core offerings are Brain Builders, Mochi and People Blocks series. People Toy Company proudly creates fun and educational baby products for the discerning parent. The Mochi series is the winner of the prestigious 2015 Kids Design Award. Another point of pride is their almost-entirely female staff including our CEO Kogure.
