Schleich USA says that 2020 was its strongest year of growth.
Following the overall 16% increase in U.S. toy sales, according to The NPD Group, Schleich reported double-digit growth in the U.S. as global sales spiked 5% during the company’s 85th anniversary year.
“2020 tested our organization and caused us to pivot everything from sales and marketing to operations,” says David Albert, managing director, Schleich USA. “That pivot allowed us to create a stronger and broader business. We were able to get our products into the right brick and mortar and online retailers, grow our e-commerce business, strengthen our partner relationships, and shift our communication efforts toward digital. And all of this was done while continuing to grow our team.”
A year ago, Schleich kicked off its anniversary celebration with the launch of its Power of Imagination campaign at Toy Fair New York. The promotion, which featured original photography from noted toy photographer and occasional Toy Book collaborator Mitchel Wu, culminated with a Times Square billboard following months of digital engagement and photo submissions from kids across the country.
“Our work before the pandemic set a solid foundation for growth,” Albert says. “We accomplished everything we hoped to achieve in 2020, just in different ways. And we were able to get more products than ever into the hands of families in the US, inspiring imagination for kids of all ages.”
Schleich says that all of its product categories experienced growth last year, with Horse Club and Farm World charting as the highest-grossing franchises. The Eldrador and bayala franchises experienced the largest growth.
Despite a lack of Toy Fair New York this year, Schleich is continuing momentum into 2021 with new product launches across all six of its core franchise brands.
