25 for 2025: “Real growth will come from creating truly unique products”

Five high profile execs from across the toy business – Phil Cassidy, md, Casdon; Mike Lynch, senior brand manager, VTech; Zara Grindrod, sales and brand director, Rainbow Designs; Emma Weber, senior director, marketing and licensing (UK), Vivid Goliath; and Becky Matthews, UK sales and marketing director, Golden Bear Toys – share their views as part of Progressive Preschool’s 25 for 2025 initiative.

25 industry executives from across the baby, nursery, preschool, retail, publishing, childrenswear and toy categories shared their views in the latest edition of Progressive Preschool on what they are most looking forward to as we move through 2025, what they think the key challenges will be and where they see growth coming from.

Today’s top five are:

PhilCassidy500x500Phil Cassidy, md, Casdon

“While this year has come with its challenges, the market remains resilient and our role-play toys continue to stand out, making up a huge part of our success. We’re proud to hold six out of 10 of the bestselling toys in this category, reflecting our values of creativity and hands-on learning.

While our bestselling role-play lines remain at the heart of what we do, 2025 will be a year of growth and innovation. We will launch three new licences and enter new territories outside our traditional preschool role-play space.

Adding to our existing portfolio of global brands, we’re thrilled to reveal the new Build-a-Bear range, with a collection of six SKUs including a miniature Stuffing Station. This year will also see the introduction of the iconic brand Heinz into the Casdon family. Another collection of six SKUs brings together our much-loved tagline to always ‘live playfully’ with a range of role-play food toys including an American Diner Set, as well as a British classic – Fish & Chips Takeaway Set.

We expect to see continued popularity of toys that mimic real-world activities and tasks.”

 

MikeLynch500x500Mike Lynch, senior brand manager, VTech

“In 2025, we are excited to build on our position as the number one infant/toddler/ preschool toy manufacturer (Circana, YTD Nov ’24, Value) by launching innovative toys that deliver the educational and developmental benefits parents love about VTech.

Key challenges include staying competitive in a dynamic market and meeting evolving consumer expectations. Growth will come from expanding our use of licences, a key part of our business, to create engaging products that combine beloved characters with VTech’s signature educational and developmental value. These partnerships will help us continue delivering impactful toys that resonate with both parents and children.”

 

ZaraGrindrod500x500Zara Grindrod, sales and brand director, Rainbow Designs

“We are very excited for 2025 and there is a lot to look forward to, with the arrival of some exciting new licences, as well as a number of fantastic new line additions to many of our bestselling ranges.

We are thrilled to be welcoming Bing, Mr. Men Little Miss and the Tikiri brands to the Rainbow family, further strengthening our position within the nursery, toy and gift sectors, within the preschool category, and complementing our core evergreen collections of Paddington, Peter Rabbit, Harry Potter Wizarding World, Disney Winnie the Pooh and The Lion King.

The environment continues to challenge retailers, footfall and consumer confidence, but with strength and depth in our classic ranges, and the incredible support our sales, marketing and logistics teams provide, our retailers are in safe hands for 2025 and we are feeling really positive for the year ahead.”

 

EmmaWeber500x500Emma Weber, senior director, marketing and licensing (UK), Vivid Goliath

“As we move into 2025, we are excited to expand on last seasons’ launch of our new preschool toy range Jelly Blox – a colourful, jelly-like building system that offers stacks of squishy, sensory play. Already a recipient of the Good Housekeeping 2024 Best Toy Award and a finalist in the prestigious US Toy of the Year Award, the range was a global sell-out success meaning we have the building blocks in place to open up broader distribution in spring 2025 and activate some really exciting marketing plans.

Our key challenge for this year, as with the broader toy and games portfolio, is reaching a more fragmented market through creative, standout campaigns across social platforms and sampling Jelly Blox as we know they are addictive to play with. We plan to build out a broader range of products and price points through the year.”

 

BeckyMatthews500x500Becky Matthews, UK sales and marketing director, Golden Bear Toys

“As we step into 2025, I’m genuinely excited to see how the nursery and preschool sector continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of families. It’s such a competitive space, and we’re all striving to strike that delicate balance between delivering quality and managing costs. Families are feeling the pinch, and for us as manufacturers, rising operational expenses add another layer of complexity. The past few years have been nothing short of a rollercoaster, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s to expect the unexpected and stay ready for the next curveball.

I believe real growth will come from creating truly unique products and building honest, meaningful connections with parent communities. People want to feel heard and understood, and we need to communicate the value of what we offer in a way that resonates with them. To thrive in today’s fragmented market, you need an agile, passionate team that truly gets your audience. That human touch makes all the difference.”

This feature originally appeared in the January/February 2025 edition of Progressive Preschool. To read the full publication, click on this link.

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