Ravensburger: Disney Lorcana should become a sales booster

Ravensburger has published its business figures for 2022. Accordingly, sales fell by around six percent. The high of the Corona years is thus followed by a consolidation. 

Every high is followed by a low and vice versa. This also applies to the business figures of the Ravensburger Group. According to its own statements, the company generated around six percent less sales in the past 2022 financial year. In numbers, that's 598 million euros. The reasons lie in a consolidation of the market after the games boom during the Corona period and in the changed market environment overall: “Declining purchasing power and economic uncertainty among consumers led to declining sales in the toy industry in Germany and other European markets,” one explains Ravensburger. Ravensburger's sales were still 2019 percent higher than in 14, the year before the pandemic-related boom. 

Ravensburger focuses on “internationalization and innovation”

For the current financial year, Ravensburger has a hot iron in the fire as a potential sales driver: the combination of the Disney license with a trading card approach. According to Ravensburger, "Disney Lorcana", which will be launched in the summer, has "high expectations". The entry into the trading card business should therefore be reflected as a noticeable factor in the sales figures. 

Sales of Ravensburger puzzles fell by 2022 percent in 13 after extreme increases in the previous pandemic years, but were still 27 percent higher than before the pandemic. The enthusiasm for puzzles continued noticeably even after the lockdowns. At the same time, Ravensburger gained market shares in the puzzle business in its most important markets, especially in the USA and Canada. The BRIO brand, known for its wooden railways, increased significantly with a plus of eight percent. The Ravensburger Spieleland also achieved strong sales growth. The number of visitors to the amusement park rose to 440.000 last season, surpassing the number of guests before the pandemic.

"2022 was a turbulent year with drastically changed market conditions," emphasized Ravensburger CFO Hanspeter Mürle on the eve of the Nuremberg Toy Fair. Rising inflation, extremely high logistics costs and more expensive producer prices in the energy-intensive paper and cardboard sector have led to considerable pressure on costs and margins. "We are therefore focusing on efficient cost management, while at the same time we are well positioned to continue investing in Ravensburger's future."

With regard to the 2023 financial year, CEO Clemens Maier is relying on proven Ravensburger strengths: “As a company with a long-term focus, we are continuing our strategy of internationalization and innovation and are becoming active in new markets and product areas. Last but not least, we offer products that are in demand even in difficult times and that convey the essentials: joy and togetherness.”

Ravensburger has been investing more and more in the internationalization of the group of companies for several years and is continuing on this course. The company is now represented with its own sales company in China. In South Korea, on the other hand, Ravensburger successfully placed one of its most important product brands, the "GraviTrax" ball track system, with a local sales partner. The company is also active in Mexico and is currently setting up its own sales company.

Entry into the global trading card business

"Disney Lorcana" is Ravensburger's first appearance in this toy segment: the company is launching the trading card game "Disney Lorcana" in cooperation with Disney. The completely newly developed game presents a special game mechanic and is based on the popular Disney characters, who act in a magical game world both in the original and in a modified and redesigned way.

"Disney Lorcana" is suitable for newcomers, experienced trading card players, Disney fans and collectors alike. Disney fans can rejoice because the trading card game, developed over years, contains more original Disney illustrations than any other product before it. The worldwide release will take place in late summer 2023.

Ravensburger is also focusing on the further development of its most important product brands and expanding their target groups in the current financial year. The bestseller "tiptoi" was completely revised last year and equipped with a new pen and corresponding products. Children as young as two can play with the new tiptoi generation.

The GraviTrax ball track system, which has sold millions of times, has grown and can be played from the age of eight. Ravensburger is also celebrating two anniversaries, which are accompanied by retail promotions and events throughout the year. Both the Ravensburger Spieleland amusement park and the most successful German-language children’s non-fiction series with a market share of over 20 percent, “Why? Why? Why?” will be 25 years old.

Last year, Ravensburger took over the wood processing company “Designwood” in Slovakia. The company has been producing wooden elements and wooden rails for Ravensburger for several years. The company now operates as a new subsidiary "Ravensburger Wood Slovakia". With this step, Ravensburger increases its high proportion of in-house production. In the future, the manufacturing capacities and production techniques of the Slovakian plant are to be expanded, thereby increasing independence from external suppliers.

Last updated on 7.03.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX / Affiliate Links / Images from the Amazon Product Advertising API. * = Affiliate links. Images from Amazon PA API