What Kess Co does

Kess Co is a Los Angeles-based toy, puzzle, and gaming company founded in 2016 that designs, manufactures, and sells a diversified portfolio of consumer play products spanning active impulse toys, adult puzzles, and tabletop games. The company's core offering is the Kess Hoop Collection, anchored by the Ice Hoop — which Kess claims is the #1 best-selling hoop in the world — built around a patented V-Grip technology designed to make hooping easier and more controllable. Beyond hoops, the product portfolio includes jump ropes (Ice, Drop Dot, Designer, Squishy Cuties), Ice Hoppers (ankle spinners), the Ice Ribbon Twirler, Bang-O-Rang, Candy Bouncy balls, Drop Dots Balls and dice variants, Ice Balls, and a dance accessories line. The company operates three distinct sub-brands: de.bored (adult jigsaw puzzles featuring licensed and influencer artwork), Kess Entertainment (tabletop gaming with licensed titles such as Contra and Mega Man), and the umbrella active-toy brands.

The business operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer and wholesale model, selling through kess.co, an Amazon Store, and an unusually broad retail footprint in the United States that includes Target, Walmart, Meijer, Dick's Sporting Goods, BJ's Wholesale Club, Walgreens, Albertsons, JOANN, Academy Sports + Outdoors, H-E-B, and Party City. Sourcing and product development are supported by a Hong Kong office and showroom, while a Youngstown, Ohio distribution center handles U.S. fulfillment. Kess monetizes exclusively through physical hardware sales at price points consistent with impulse-toy and specialty-puzzle categories (specific public pricing was not disclosed), and the company has not disclosed revenue, funding, or valuation. Key differentiators are its patent-protected V-Grip hoop technology, U.S. Patent D829,287 S covering Drop Dots, and a content-driven strategy in its newer divisions that includes licensing partnerships with Sony Music's The Thread Shop, Konami (Contra), and Capcom (Mega Man), alongside collaborations with independent artists.

Name

Kess Co

Legal name

Kess Co

Website

https://kess.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kess Co is a Los Angeles-based toy, puzzle, and gaming company that designs and sells active play toys, adult puzzles, and tabletop games through its own e-commerce site, Amazon, and broad mass-market retail distribution across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Toys and Games

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Board Game & Puzzle Specialty Retailers (CRALALAA)

Keywords

• Active play toys
• Hula hoops
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Tabletop games
• Bouncy balls

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Physical Product Sales: Kess generates revenue through the sale of physical toy products including hula hoops, jump ropes, bouncy balls, puzzles, and tabletop games. Products are sold through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, Amazon Store, and retail distribution channels.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels13 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kess Co designs, manufactures, and distributes a portfolio of physical toys, puzzles, and tabletop games. Its flagship offerings include the Ice Hoop line (which the company identifies as the #1 selling hoop in the world) plus jump ropes, bouncy balls, ribbon twirlers, ice hoppers, and other impulse/active play toys. The company has expanded into adult jigsaw puzzles via the de.bored sub-brand and into tabletop games via the Kess Entertainment division, including licensed titles such as Contra and Mega Man.

Product overview

Kess Co is a toy, puzzle, and gaming company based in Los Angeles offering a diversified portfolio of active play toys and entertainment products. The core offering centers around the Ice Hoop collection (including Ice Hoop, Duo Tone Hoop, and Sunrise Cool Designer Hoop) which Kess claims is the world's #1 best-selling hoop line, featuring patented V-Grip technology. The product line spans multiple categories: impulse/active toys (hoops, jump ropes, ice hoppers, ribbon twirlers, Bang-O-Rang, Candy Bouncy, Drop Dots Balls and variants, Ice Balls); dance accessories (pom poms, batons, twirlers); de.bored puzzles (adult jigsaw puzzles featuring artist designs); Anime Puzzles (licensed anime-themed games); and Kess Entertainment (tabletop gaming including adult party games and licensed video game adaptations like Contra and Mega Man). The company operates primarily through retail distribution channels including Target, Amazon, Walmart, and other major retailers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kess Hoops: Hula hoop collection including Ice Hoop, Duo Tone Hoop, and Sunrise Cool Designer Hoop
• de.bored Puzzles
• Kess Entertainment
• Ice Collection
• Drop Dots Collection

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sony Music The Thread ShopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKess partners with Sony Music The Thread Shop for album covers featured on de.bored puzzles. This licensing partnership enables Kess to use recognizable music artwork on their puzzle products.
• Contra (Konami)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerKess Entertainment operates a tabletop gaming division that includes licensed games from the iconic video game series Contra. Games are distributed under licensing agreements with the IP holder.
• Mega Man (Capcom)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerKess Entertainment includes licensed games from the iconic video game series Mega Man. The company operates Kess Entertainment as a tabletop gaming division featuring these licensed properties.
• Kii Arens (Artist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLos Angeles-based artist Kii Arens creates artwork for de.bored puzzles including Triple Hearts and Rainbow Popsicle designs. Artist collaborations feature social media links and credit.
• EJ Chong (Artist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDallas-based artist EJ Chong created the Retro Home puzzle design featured in the de.bored puzzle collection. Artist collaborations include credit and social media attribution.
• Charly Clements (Artist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist Charly Clements created the Quiet Night In puzzle design featured in the de.bored puzzle collection. Design includes artist quote and Instagram credit.
• Sally Meier (Artist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist Sally Meier created the Poolside puzzle design featured in the de.bored puzzle collection. Design includes artist quote and Instagram attribution.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Mattel: Mattel is a broad incumbent toy conglomerate selling dolls, games, and active toys through the same mass retailers that carry Kess products. Mattel is a benchmark competitor for shelf space, licensing, and consumer mindshare.
• Hasbro: Hasbro is a broad incumbent toy and games conglomerate whose product lines (board games, action brands, licensed entertainment IP) directly overlap with Kess's Kess Entertainment tabletop and de.bored puzzles businesses.
• Ravensburger: Ravensburger is a broad incumbent in puzzles and games, including licensed entertainment IP (Disney, Marvel). Kess's de.bored puzzles and licensed tabletop games compete with Ravensburger in the same specialty and mass-retail puzzle aisles.
• Moose Toys: Moose Toys is a broad incumbent toy company with active-play, collectible, and licensed toy brands sold through mass retail. Kess's active-toy portfolio (hoops, jump ropes, bouncy balls) competes for the same retail shelf space and consumer spend.
• Spin Master: Spin Master is a broad incumbent toy company with a large, diversified portfolio across active toys, games, and puzzles sold through mass retail. Kess operates in the same end-markets and retail channels but at a fraction of Spin Master's scale and category breadth.

Direct peers

• Buffalo Games: Buffalo Games is a leading US puzzle and tabletop games company that distributes licensed and original puzzles and games through mass retailers. Kess's de.bored puzzles and Kess Entertainment tabletop games directly overlap Buffalo Games' product mix, distribution model, and target retailers.
• Basic Fun!: Basic Fun! is a peer toy company that licenses and distributes multiple toy brands (Lite-Brite, Tinker Toys, Care Bears) through mass-market retail. Kess's multi-brand, multi-SKU approach through similar retail channels is closely comparable in business model.
• The Op (USAopoly): The Op / USAopoly is a direct peer in licensed puzzles and tabletop games, including licensed board games, card games, and jigsaw puzzles featuring entertainment IP. Kess's licensed Kess Entertainment tabletop games and de.bored puzzles compete head-to-head in the same licensed-puzzle retail category.
• Wham-O: Wham-O is a closely comparable direct peer: it owns the original Hula Hoop and a portfolio of active/impulse toys (Frisbee, Slip 'N Slide, Boogie Board). Kess directly competes in hula hoops and active play with Wham-O, with similar distribution through mass-market retail and a Hong Kong-era manufacturing footprint.
• Toysmith: Toysmith is a direct peer in impulse/active toys, selling low-priced novelties, active-play items, and licensed products through mass and specialty retail. Kess's Jump Rope, Ice Hopper, Drop Dots, and Candy Bouncy SKUs are directly comparable to Toysmith's portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KessPlay
• Facebookfacebook.com/KessToys
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kessco

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Kess Co