Elite Brands
Elite Brands Inc. is a privately held, New York-based consumer electronics manufacturer founded in 1979, operating seven main brands (Rokinon, iHome, Minolta, Coleman, Bell+Howell, VGear, Home Zone) and selling exclusively B2B to distributors, retailers, and exporters worldwide via owned and licensed brand names.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Elite Brands does
Elite Brands Inc. is a privately held, New York-headquartered consumer electronics manufacturer founded in 1979, operating a portfolio of seven main brands and several sub-brands. The company wholly owns Rokinon — covering DSLR, mirrorless, and professional cinema lenses (Xeen) — and Home Zone (portable scanners, iPad keyboards, chargers), while running VGear for video accessories. It also markets consumer electronics in the United States under license from the trademark owners of Bell+Howell (cameras, camcorders, instaprint mobile photo printers), Minolta (digital cameras, camcorders, dash cameras, instapix instant-print cameras), Coleman (outdoor waterproof cameras, speakers, binoculars), and iHome (alarm clocks, speakers, headphones, smart home products). iHome products integrate with Apple HomeKit, Google, Nest, Wink, Samsung SmartThings, and Amazon Alexa, and iHome was the #1 selling brand in digital player speakers per NPD data through March 2017.
The company sells exclusively through B2B channels — distributors, retailers, exporters, and resellers — with no direct-to-consumer sales. Products are manufactured in company-owned facilities under strict quality control standards with pre-shipment testing, and are marketed in the United States and worldwide under own and private label brand names. Elite Brands holds a list of licensed US and foreign patents and patent applications (last updated February 23, 2021) underpinning its multi-brand offering. The firm operates from 40 Wall Street, 61st Floor, New York, NY 10005, with 501–1,000 employees. Revenue is generated through consumer electronics hardware sales and brand licensing royalties; specific revenue figures, leadership team, funding history, and M&A activity are not disclosed in the available data.
The company has no identified AI/ML capabilities, no native mobile app, no published API, and no disclosed M&A activity, leadership changes, or funding rounds. Its growth posture is best characterized as ongoing portfolio management within mature consumer electronics categories — optics, audio, smart home, and outdoor imaging — leveraging licensed brand heritage (Bell+Howell since 1907, Coleman since 1900) alongside owned brand Rokinon, with an exclusive marketing agent role for Rokinon, Xeen, and Samyang across the Americas.
Elite Brands firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Elite Brands
- Legal name
- Elite Brands Inc.
- Website
- https://elitebrands.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Elite Brands Inc. is a privately held, New York-based consumer electronics manufacturer founded in 1979, operating seven main brands (Rokinon, iHome, Minolta, Coleman, Bell+Howell, VGear, Home Zone) and selling exclusively B2B to distributors, retailers, and exporters worldwide via owned and licensed brand names.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Elite Brands industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Electronics
- NAICS
- Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers (42346)
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Luxury Licensing & Brand Management (CRAKAFAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Binoculars, Scopes & Sport Optics Retail (CRACAHAI)
Keywords
Where Elite Brands is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Elite Brands business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel
Revenue model
- Consumer Electronics Hardware Sales: Sale of consumer electronics products including cameras, camcorders, lenses, audio equipment, scanners, chargers and smart home devices under licensed and proprietary brands
- Brand Licensing Royalties: Revenue generated through licensing arrangements where Elite Brands uses trademarks of other companies (Bell+Howell, Coleman, Minolta, iHome) for consumer electronics products in the US market
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
Elite Brands product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Elite Brands Inc. is a B2B manufacturer of consumer electronics, producing branded camera lenses, audio equipment, smart home devices, and outdoor recreation electronics. The company operates seven main brands (Rokinon, iHome, Minolta, Coleman, Bell+Howell, VGear, Home Zone), selling exclusively through distributors, retailers, exporters, and resellers worldwide under its owned and licensed brand names.
Product overview
Elite Brands is a premier manufacturer of consumer electronics operating as a multi-brand portfolio company with seven main brands and several sub-brands. The portfolio includes owned brands (Rokinon for camera lenses, iHome for audio/smart home, Home Zone for portable electronics, VGear for video accessories) and licensed brands (Minolta for digital cameras, Coleman for outdoor electronics, Bell+Howell for imaging products). The company manufactures in its own facilities under strict quality control and markets products under its own and private label brand names worldwide. Products range from professional cinema lenses and smart home systems to outdoor recreation electronics and portable consumer devices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Xeen by Rokinon: Professional cinema lenses
- instaprint
- instapix
Products and services
- Rokinon Lenses
Companies that use Elite Brands
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Elite Brands technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature4 records
Elite Brands partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- BHH LLC (Bell+Howell)coreBHH LLC is the trademark owner of Bell+Howell. Elite Brands Inc. uses the Bell+Howell trademark in the United States under license to market consumer electronics including cameras, camcorders, and accessories. Bell+Howell has a heritage dating back to 1907 and was awarded an Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1951 for technical achievement.
- The Coleman Company, Inc.coreThe Coleman Company, Inc. is the trademark owner of Coleman. Elite Brands Inc. offers Coleman electronics and optics products in the United States under license. Coleman has been producing outdoor recreation products since 1900, specializing in equipment for hiking, camping, hunting, boating, swimming and tailgating.
- JMM Lee Properties, LLC (Minolta)coreJMM Lee Properties, LLC is the trademark owner of Minolta. Elite Brands Inc. uses the Minolta trademark in the United States under license to market digital cameras, camcorders, dash cameras and other consumer electronics products.
- SDI Technologies Inc. (iHome)coreSDI Technologies Inc. is the trademark owner of iHome. Elite Brands Inc. uses the iHome trademark in the United States under license. iHome was established in 2005 and is the #1 selling brand in digital player speakers. iHome offers alarm clocks, portable speakers, home audio systems, headphones, and smart home products compatible with Apple, Google, Nest, Wink, Samsung and Amazon platforms.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Elite Brands competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Anker Innovations: Anker operates a multi-brand consumer electronics portfolio (Anker, Soundcore, Eufy, Nebula) covering charging, audio, and smart home — the modern, better-capitalized analogue of Elite Brands' portfolio approach. Same business model of category-specialist brands under one operating company.
- Tamron: Tamron is a third-party lens manufacturer directly competing with Rokinon in DSLR and mirrorless mount categories. Closest optical-engineering peer with similar global distribution through photo retail channels.
- Sakar International: Sakar International operates a similar licensed-brand consumer electronics model — sourcing and distributing cameras, audio, and accessories under well-known third-party brand names. Most comparable peer to Elite Brands in business model, brand-portfolio structure, and B2B retail distribution.
- SDI Technologies: SDI Technologies is the trademark owner of iHome and the upstream licensor to Elite Brands — making it the closest single-brand counterparty peer. Operates iPod/iPhone docking, audio, and smart home products under the same brand Elite Brands distributes in the US.
- Mizco International: Mizco distributes consumer electronics, mobile accessories, and audio products under multiple brand names (Cellet, Tough Tested, iSound) through similar B2B retail channels. Comparable GTM model and customer base to Elite Brands.
- Vivitar Corporation: Vivitar licenses its heritage imaging brand for consumer electronics and optics sold through mass-market retail — directly mirroring Elite Brands' Bell+Howell and Coleman licensing approach. Operates in adjacent categories including cameras, audio, and mobile accessories.
- Sigma Corporation: Sigma is a third-party camera lens manufacturer competing directly with Rokinon in DSLR, mirrorless, and cinema lens categories. Closest peer on the optics side of Elite Brands' portfolio with similar price-positioning strategy.
Broad incumbents
- Logitech International: Logitech operates multi-brand consumer electronics peripherals (Logitech, Logitech G, Astro, Ultimate Ears, Blue) covering audio, video, and smart home — a larger, more diversified version of Elite Brands' portfolio strategy with stronger DTC and global retail penetration.
- Canon Inc. Canon is a primary camera and lens OEM whose lens mount ecosystems (RF, EF) Rokinon must serve. The dominant incumbent in the imaging categories where Rokinon competes as a third-party alternative.
- Sony Corporation: Sony operates across the same consumer electronics categories Elite Brands addresses — cameras, lenses, audio, smart home — but as a major first-party OEM with proprietary sensor and platform technology. Provides the upper bound of competition in every category Elite Brands serves.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Elite Brands social profiles
Digital presenceElite Brands financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Elite Brands leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Elite Brands subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Elite Brands funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Elite Brands M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Elite Brands
What does Elite Brands do?
Elite Brands Inc. is a B2B manufacturer of consumer electronics, producing branded camera lenses, audio equipment, smart home devices, and outdoor recreation electronics. The company operates seven main brands (Rokinon, iHome, Minolta, Coleman, Bell+Howell, VGear, Home Zone), selling exclusively through distributors, retailers, exporters, and resellers worldwide under its owned and licensed brand names.
Is Elite Brands a public or private company?
Elite Brands is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Elite Brands founded?
Elite Brands was founded in 1979. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Elite Brands based?
Elite Brands is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Elite Brands make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Consumer Electronics Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are brand Licensing Royalties.
Who are Elite Brands's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Anker Innovations, Tamron, Sakar International, SDI Technologies, Mizco International, Vivitar Corporation and Sigma Corporation. Broad incumbents are Logitech International, Canon Inc. and Sony Corporation.
Does Elite Brands have an API?
No public API is recorded for Elite Brands.
What industry is Elite Brands in?
Elite Brands's product category is Consumer Electronics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAKAFAL, Luxury Licensing & Brand Management, with a secondary code of CRACAHAI, Binoculars, Scopes & Sport Optics Retail. Its NAICS code is 42346 and its SIC code is 3827.