What Moomin does

Moomin Characters Oy Ltd is a privately held Finnish intellectual-property management company founded in the 1950s by author-illustrator Tove Jansson and her brother Lars Jansson to own and commercialize the Moomin characters and stories. The company remains family-owned and is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, with wholly-owned sales subsidiaries in the United Kingdom (Funkis Ltd) and Germany (Nordic Brand Retail GmbH). The business generates revenue across four primary streams: licensing royalties from 800+ global licensees producing merchandise, fashion, ceramics, and confectionery (headlined by long-standing partnerships with Moomin Arabia for mugs and Fazer for candy); direct-to-consumer e-commerce and physical retail through the global shop.moomin.com platform and six regional online stores plus physical Moomin Shops worldwide; content licensing and co-production of the Moominvalley 3D animated television series with partners including Sky, Yle, Viaplay, and Gutsy Animations; and location-based entertainment through Moominworld (Naantali, Finland, 1994), Moominvalley Park (Hanno City, Japan, 2019), the Moomin Ice Cave (Leppavirta, Finland), Moomin Museums and Cafes, and global touring exhibitions.

The core technology is a proprietary 3D CGI animation pipeline with painterly effects, produced by Finnish studio Anima Vitae in Helsinki and Kuala Lumpur, that brought the Moomin characters into 3D space for the first time in the award-winning Moominvalley series (premiered 2019, four seasons). Underlying the franchise are nine original Moomin novels, three picture books, and ten comic books by Tove Jansson (with Lars Jansson), translated into over 60 languages. The company also develops digital products including the upcoming point-and-click game Moomin: Midsummer Madness (Steam and Nintendo Switch, 2026) and is expanding into digital art distribution via a 2026 Samsung Art Store collaboration featuring 60 Tove Jansson artworks.

Go-to-market combines a product-led licensing model (royalty income from external manufacturers), direct e-commerce with country-specific SKU strategies (Japan-exclusive and Sweden-exclusive mug releases), and a content-driven demand engine via streaming, broadcasting, theatrical releases (Comet in Moominland, 2023), and theme parks. The franchise targets dual consumer segments — families with children and adult enthusiasts and collectors — and a business-to-business licensing partner segment including global brands such as Samsung, Comme des Garcons, Acne Studios, Polarn O. Pyret, and Fazer.

Name

Moomin

Legal name

Moomin Characters Ltd Oy

Website

https://moomin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Moomin Characters Oy Ltd is a privately held, family-owned Finnish IP management company that licenses and commercializes the 80-year-old Moomin franchise across consumer products, animated content, e-commerce, theme parks, and digital gaming for global audiences of families, adult fans, and 800+ brand licensees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Character licensing and family entertainment IP

NAICS

Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers (449)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Anime Production (MPADACAF)

Keywords

• Character licensing
• Family entertainment
• Animated TV series
• Branded merchandise
• Theme parks

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Licensing and Merchandise: Moomin Characters Oy Ltd generates revenue primarily through licensing the Moomin brand to global licensees (800+ worldwide) for merchandise including mugs (via Moomin Arabia), apparel, accessories, home goods, and collectibles. The company also operates direct-to-consumer e-commerce through shop.moomin.com and regional online stores.
2. Direct Product Sales: The company sells Moomin merchandise directly through official Moomin Shops (both online and physical locations worldwide), including mugs, books, apparel, collectibles, and home decor. Products are priced in euros with shipping to most EU countries and worldwide.
3. Content Licensing and Production: Revenue is generated from licensing the Moomin stories for TV series production (Moominvalley produced by Gutsy Animations with Yle, Sky, and Viaplay) and other adaptations including theatre, ballet, and film.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Moomin Characters Oy Ltd owns and supervises the Moomin intellectual property, licensing the brand to 800+ global partners for merchandise, fashion, food, home goods, and digital products, while also operating direct-to-consumer channels (shop.moomin.com and regional online stores), producing original content such as the 3D-animated Moominvalley TV series, and running location-based experiences including Moominworld in Finland and Moominvalley Park in Japan.

Product overview

Moomin is a Finnish entertainment and lifestyle brand centered on Tove Jansson's Moomin characters and stories. The company operates as a licensing and brand management enterprise (Moomin Characters Oy Ltd) overseeing a diverse portfolio spanning animated television (Moominvalley 3D series), consumer products (Moomin Mugs by Arabia with 180+ designs), e-commerce (global Moomin Shop with regional variants), digital experiences (apps and games including Snufkin - Melody of Moominvalley and upcoming Moomin: Midsummer Madness), and location-based entertainment (Moominworld in Finland, Moominvalley Park in Japan, Moomin Ice Cave, and Moomin Cafés globally). The brand maintains a strong licensing network with 800 licensees worldwide and continues to expand through collaborations such as Samsung Art Store digital content and BonBon candy partnerships. Core IP includes nine original Moomin novels, three picture books, ten comic books, and ongoing animated adaptations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Moominvalley TV Series A 3D CGI animated television series based on Tove Jansson's Moomin stories, targeting family audiences globally and distributed via Sky, Apple TV, Prime Video, Yle Areena, and Viaplay
• Moomin Mugs by Arabia Decorative ceramic mug collection produced by Moomin Arabia since the 1990s, featuring artwork by Tove Jansson, Lars Jansson, and Tove Slotte, with over 180 different designs including limited editions and ongoing production pieces
• Moomin Shop (Global E-commerce) The official global e-commerce platform for Moomin merchandise, shipping to most countries worldwide and offering mugs, apparel, accessories, books, games, and collectibles
• Moominworld (Naantali, Finland) Original Moomin theme park in Naantali, Finland offering immersive Moomin-themed experiences based on Tove Jansson's stories
• Moominvalley Park (Hanno City, Japan) Moomin-themed theme park in Hanno City, Japan offering themed attractions, the KOKEMUS exhibition facility, and authentic Moominvalley experiences
• Moomin Ice Cave Permanent ice sculpture exhibition located 35 meters underground at Sport and Spa Hotel Vesileppis in Leppävirta, Finland, featuring Moomin character ice sculptures with annually changing themes, maintained at -3 degrees Celsius year-round
• Moomin Books Original Moomin literary works by Tove Jansson including nine novels, three picture books, and ten comic books created with her brother Lars Jansson, translated into over 60 languages
• Moomin: Midsummer Madness (Video Game) Point-and-click adventure video game in the Moomin series releasing on Steam and Nintendo Switch in 2026
• Moomin Café

Quantifiable outcome

• Moominvalley became the most watched TV series in 2019 in Finland and the most watched show ever on Yle Areena
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Samsung ElectronicsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2026Global collaboration between Samsung Art Store and Moomin Characters Oy Ltd to bring an exclusive digital art collection featuring 60 artworks by Finnish artist Tove Jansson to Samsung Art TVs worldwide. The collection spans decades of Moomin illustrations from the 1940s to contemporary works and is available globally on Samsung Art Store from May 2026.
• BonBon Swedish Candy Co.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Global collaboration between BonBon Swedish Candy Co. and Moomin Characters Oy Ltd launching two new candy products - Moomin Sour Gummies and Strawberry & Blueberry Foam Clouds. Products are produced by Finnish confectioner Fazer, made without artificial colors or flavors, and wrapped in packaging featuring original Moomin illustrations.
• Gutsy AnimationsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish production company that produced the Moominvalley 3D animated TV series in collaboration with Yle and Sky. The series premiered in 2019 and has received multiple awards and nominations internationally.
• YleflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish public broadcaster and co-producer of the Moominvalley TV series (Seasons 1-3). Moominvalley became the most watched show ever on Yle's VOD platform, Yle Areena.
• SkyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational broadcaster and co-producer of the Moominvalley TV series (Seasons 1-3).
• ViaplaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStreaming platform that co-produced Moominvalley Season 4.
• Moomin ArabiaflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFinnish ceramics and homeware brand that has been making popular Moomin mugs since the 1990s. The company produces collectible mugs featuring Tove Jansson's original artwork and designs by Tove Slotte.
• FazercoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFinnish confectioner producing Moomin-branded candy products including Moomin Sour Gummies and Strawberry & Blueberry Foam Clouds under the BonBon collaboration.
• Anima VitaecoreTechnology or IntegrationFinnish animation studio located in Helsinki and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, responsible for the 3D animation production of the Moominvalley TV series.
• Comme des GarçonscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFashion house that partnered with Moomin for anniversary capsule collections as part of the brand's 80-year history of fashion collaborations.
• Acne StudioscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFashion brand that partnered with Moomin for anniversary capsule collections as part of the brand's 80-year history of fashion collaborations.
• Polarn O. PyretcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFashion brand that partnered with Moomin for anniversary capsule collections as part of the brand's 80-year history of fashion collaborations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rovio Entertainment: Rovio (creator of Angry Birds, acquired by Sega) is a Nordic-headquartered IP company that built a character franchise through gaming before expanding into animation, licensed merchandise, and theme parks. Its trajectory from mobile game to multi-format IP parallels Moomin's expansion into digital gaming.
• San-X: San-X owns Rilakkuma and other Japanese character IPs and is a similarly-sized privately-held character licensing business, monetizing through plush toys, stationery, and lifestyle goods. It is highly comparable to Moomin's character merchandise business in scope and audience.
• The Pokémon Company: Pokémon operates a global character licensing, animated series, theatrical films, mobile gaming (Pokémon GO), and merchandise empire closely analogous to Moomin's multi-format IP monetization strategy. Both leverage nostalgia-driven adult fan bases and children's content pipelines.
• Sanrio: Sanrio owns the Hello Kitty and Friends character portfolio and operates the closest comparable business model to Moomin: character IP licensing, retail stores, theme parks (Sanrio Puroland), animation, and consumer products globally. Both monetize a multigenerational character franchise through licensing royalties and direct-to-consumer channels.

Broad incumbents

• Disney Consumer Products: Disney's Consumer Products division is the largest global character licensing operation, covering Mickey Mouse, Marvel, Star Wars, and princess franchises. It competes with Moomin for the same retail shelf space and licensing partners but operates at vastly greater scale.
• Hasbro: Hasbro owns My Little Pony, Transformers, and other major character IP, with entertainment production and consumer products arms. It competes with Moomin for family audience licensing deals and toy/merchandise retail presence.
• DreamWorks Animation: DreamWorks Animation produces theatrical and streaming animated franchises (Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Trolls) and licenses extensive consumer products. It competes for premium family animation partnerships similar to those Moomin has secured with Sky and Apple TV.
• Toei Animation: Toei Animation produces globally distributed animated series (Dragon Ball, One Piece) and licenses merchandise at massive scale. It is a comparable content production and licensing partner for Moomin's animation ambitions, although it operates primarily as a studio rather than an IP owner.
• Mattel: Mattel owns Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, and American Girl IP, and is a global toy and consumer products incumbent with its own content production arm. It competes with Moomin for licensing partnerships and retail presence, though at much larger scale.

Regional players

• Aardman Animations: Aardman (Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep) is a UK-based stop-motion animation studio with associated character licensing and theme park attractions (Shaun the Sheep Experience). It is comparable to Moomin as a heritage-driven character IP business with a distinctive artistic style, though primarily operating in UK/European markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MoominOfficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/Moomin
• Instagraminstagram.com/moominofficial
• TikToktiktok.com/@moominofficial
• Pinterestpinterest.com/moominofficial
• Xx.com/MoominOfficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/all-things-commerce-helsinki-ltd-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Moomin