Bandai UK will be marking four decades in the market on 29 April 2022.
Having successfully set up as a UK arm in 1982 for its Japanese parent company, Bandai UK launched with its foundations steeped firmly in the boys’ action figure market.
It enjoyed significant success with major properties such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers. Over recent years however, the business has undertaken a period of realignment to establish itself as a top multi-category player within the toy industry.
40 years on, and the company boasts a healthy portfolio of brands and ranges within its key divisions – Toy, Collector, Own IP and Third Party Distribution.
Primary IPs include the bestselling Tamagotchi, Pac-Man and hit anime series Dragon Ball, while distribution lines such as CoComelon, Miraculous, McFarlane and National Geographic are proving to be successful within their associated categories and the overall toy market.
“It’s a massively exciting time to be at Bandai UK,” commented Nic Aldridge, md of Bandai UK. “Our approach is to continually challenge and evolve to remain relevant, and innovative, especially as the market becomes increasingly competitive.
“We are now well-established as a multi-category toy company and our recent positioning as the number 15 toy company (February 2022 NPD) assures us that this is the right approach for growth and driving forward the business. We’re looking forward to celebrating with our partners, retailers and consumers, and planning ahead to thrive for years to come.”
