We got a look at some of the new KidKraft products during Toy Fair 08 in New York. There area some dynamite new products that you’re going to love. Toy Fair is exciting and exhausting at the same time. All the worries about the economy and problems around the world disappear when you’re in a giant space with thousands of toys! We stopped by the KidKraft booth and asked a few questions about the new products they are debuting this year.
New Products: Barnyard Learning Dry Erase Peel & Stick Decal
Deluxe Toy Box In Chenille Dots & Beige Micro Fiber
SE: We see a lot of new products in your booth. What can our customers expect this year?
KK: Toy Fair has been a huge success for us at KidKraft. It’s our goal to come to every market with a fresh slate of products. This year we’re showing new play kitchens, new dollhouses, new activity tables, and we’ve introduced a new line of sand toys. Our entire staff felt like it was one of the most refreshing shows in a couple years.
SE: Do you think the issues with China and the economy will cause a slow down in consumer purchasing?
KK: The buzz in the booth was awseome. Customers were placing orders and erased any thoughts of a slow year due to the sluggish economy. You can always judge the industry by the actions of the specialty market. We had one of our most succesfull shows in recent years.
SE: Your kitchens and table sets are always a big hit with our customers. How does KidKraft come up with new ideas?
KK: All the credit goes to our Creative and design teams. They spend long hours not only designing but researching the products they design.
SE: Are you doing anything different this year?
KK: We debuted two brand new product lines, PlayKraft and DollKraft, and both are receiving very positive feedback. PlayKraft is an exciting new line of doll and train set accessories. DollKraft, our other new line, is made up of precious baby dolls and baby doll accessories that young girls are sure to love. We also showed off all of our newest KidKraft toys and room accessories, including animal-themed furniture sets.
SE: How is KidKraft handling the backlash from the lead issues out of China?
KK: Great question, KidKraft has always taken extra measures to ensure our products safety. We actually do quite a lot of business in Europe. The testing standards in Europe are a bit more stringent than the US testing standards, so when this lead issue arose in the US, we felt pretty comfortable with the steps we were taking to esure our products safety. The bottom line here is that unlike a lot of toy manufactures we actually run the factories that our items are produced in. If you walked through our office in Dallas and then went to one of our factories you will see the same type work ethic and the same commitment to the end product. At the end of the day it’s all about the children and making sure that we supply them not only with something great to play with, but also something that does not harm them in any way.
SE: When can we offer the new items to our customers?
KK: Most of the new items should be ready to ship by the end of June.
SE: Thank you so much for your time, we can’t wait to add these products to SensoryEdge. We think our customers will really love them.
KK: Thanks for being a great customer. See you again next year!
