Hasbro

Texas-based I’m The Chef Too! is cooking up some tempting subscription baking kits for kids based on Hasbro brands. As part of a new multi-year deal, the Hasbro range will sell through the manufacturer’s e-commerce site as individual kits and bundles starting in September. Options include Transformers: EarthSpark treat pops, My Little Pony parfaits, Candy Land candy bars and Peppa Pig cookie pies. Each kit comes bundled with a STEAM activity that kids can complete to extend the experience. 

Fauna Entertainment

Turkish prodco Fauna’s flagship singing monkey Kukuli (pictured) is expanding its licensing and merchandising reach in the MENA market. Dubai’s Markettcom has come aboard as the brand’s newest licensing agent, and will roll out Kukuli’s existing CP program across the region. The range includes more than 150 products spanning categories such as toys, publishing, apparel and stationery. CG-animated Kukuli (52 x seven minutes) airs in MENA via Dubai-based Spacetoon’s linear channel and VOD platforms. 

KIDZ BOP

Chuck E. Cheese (CEC) has named KIDZ BOP as its official music partner. The two companies first collaborated in 2020 to create an at-home Halloween party during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they’re now expanding their partnership significantly. KIDZ BOP music videos will be featured on more than 5,000 screens at Chuck E. Cheese locations, which will also host nightly KIDZ BOP-branded dance parties until the end of September where families can hear new tracks from the music group. And the KIDZ BOP crew will perform live in Mexico for the first time ever at select CEC locations this year to celebrate Dia de los Niños (Children’s Day) in November. 

Panda Mony

The California-based toyco has entered into a partnership with Japanese anime studio ENGI to develop Tankdrome, a new graphic novel series for kids. Pandy Mony’s founder Ryan Magnon will take the lead on story development for the vehicle-centric project, alongside ENGI president Hiroki Yoshioka. Tankdrome’s story is set 100 years in the future, at a time when countries have banned armies and war altogether. To settle geo-political disputes, they compete in televised one-on-one tank battles in the International TANKDROME League instead. The first graphic novel and an initial range of merchandise (school supplies and accessories) will launch in North America next spring.