The partnership will see DKB service over 2,000 UK customers for Melissa & Doug, which says demand for its product is going from strength to strength.
Following significant investment in its first ever global and UK television and digital advertising campaign earlier this year, Melissa & Doug is looking to expand in the UK by appointing DKB Toys & Distribution as its distributor for the territory.
Melissa & Doug will continue to service its key customers directly but DKB will pick up the extended customer base of over 2,000 UK customers from this summer onwards.
DKB will have full domestic stock of all Melissa & Doug SKUs which will be fully integrated onto the new DKB Toys & Distribution website, which launches soon. DKB will also support the partnership by expanding its field sales team which focuses primarily on independents, and the team will also represent Melissa & Doug at future trade shows.
Coupled with this new distribution partnership, the toy brand looks set to continue momentum and growth via its cross-channel POS during the rest of 2021 and beyond.
Chris Lohmeyer, MD of DKB Toys & Distribution, said he was “absolutely delighted” to be working with Melissa & Doug, adding: “Our partnership will be mainly focused on independent customers, giving them the best service and good stock levels of key products all year round via our website and Khaos system.”
Grant Gie, international sales director at Melissa & Doug, said: “The decision to execute a hybrid model was simply based on serviceability – DKB’s set up offers Melissa & Doug’s customers full flexibility when ordering across our 18 toy categories – 24 hours a day 365 days a year. I was very impressed with DKB’s commitment to delivering our brand and products wider and deeper than ever before in the UK.”
He added: “DKB’s ambition matched ours, as demand for our product continues to go from strength to strength. We’re now one united team across two companies, with one strategy and growth goal for the UK business and we’re very much looking forward to a successful year ahead.”
