What Menkind does

Menkind is a UK direct-to-consumer gifting and gadgets retailer operating since 2001 under Gift Universe Limited (company number 06861802), itself owned by Gift Universe Group Limited (06862887) alongside sister brands including Prezzybox and Hawkin's Bazaar. The company sells a broad product catalogue spanning 20+ categories - including gadgets and tech, licensed merchandise ('Menkind Multiverse' covering Funko Pop!, Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Harry Potter, Disney, anime, and gaming franchises), personalised gifts, drinking and food gifts, experience days, home and garden, sports memorabilia, and toys - organised by recipient (men, women, kids), occasion (birthday, Valentine's, Mother's/Father's Day, Christmas, anniversaries, weddings, retirement), and price tier (under £15 to premium).

The business runs a hybrid distribution model: a BigCommerce-powered e-commerce storefront at menkind.co.uk paired with a multi-location UK physical retail estate, supported by free same-day click-and-collect fulfilment. Customer acquisition relies on a multi-channel marketing mix covering Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, an affiliate programme, student and Blue Light Card discount programmes, and seasonal promotional campaigns with discounts up to 50% off. Payment options include Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amex, One4all gift cards, and BNPL providers Klarna and Clearpay.

Menkind monetises through unit-pricing one-time retail transactions across both consumer (B2C) and corporate gifting (B2B bulk) channels. The wider Gift Universe Group has executed a roll-up strategy including the 2015 acquisition of RED5 and the June 2022 acquisitions of Prezzybox and Hawkin's Bazaar, leveraging cross-portfolio buying, marketing, and finance synergies while preserving the individual brand identities.

Name

Menkind

Legal name

Gift Universe Limited

Website

https://menkind.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Menkind is a UK multi-channel gifting and gadgets retailer operating since 2001 under Gift Universe Group, selling gadgets, licensed merchandise, personalised gifts, and experience days to consumers and corporate clients via e-commerce, physical stores, and same-day click-and-collect.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Gift Retail

NAICS

Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (45942), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Fragrance, Candles & Small Giftables Retail (CRALAJAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Greeting Cards, Wrap & Party Supplies Retail (CRALAJAE), Toy Rentals & Subscription Boxes (CRALAFAK)

Keywords

• Gift retail
• Novelty gadgets
• Licensed merchandise
• Experience day vouchers
• Personalised gifts

Headquarters

HQ city

Dorking

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Retail: Direct-to-consumer online sales of gifts, gadgets, and licensed merchandise through menkind.co.uk with various price points ranging from under £15 to premium items.
2. Physical Retail Stores: Bricks-and-mortar retail stores selling the same product range, including new store openings such as Gloucester Quays.
3. Corporate Gifting: Bulk corporate gift orders for businesses, mentioned on the corporate gifts page.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Menkind is a UK specialty gift retailer selling gadgets, novelty items, licensed merchandise (Funko Pop!, Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, Harry Potter), personalised gifts, food and drink gifts, and experience day vouchers through its menkind.co.uk e-commerce site and physical retail stores. The product range is organised by recipient (him, her, kids), interest, and occasion (birthdays, Valentine's, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas). It is a trading name of Gift Universe Limited (company number 06861802), owned by Gift Universe Group Limited.

Product overview

Menkind is an online and physical retail gifting business operated by Gift Universe Group, offering a multi-category e-commerce platform featuring gadgets, licensed merchandise, personalised items, and experience gifts. The product portfolio spans 20+ distinct categories organized by recipient (men, women, kids), occasion (birthdays, Valentine's, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas), and interest (gaming, sports, anime, horror, drinking). Key brands under the Menkind Multiverse umbrella include Funko Pop! Vinyl, Star Wars merchandise, gaming collectibles, and anime/manga products. The business integrates payment solutions (Klarna, Clearpay), offers personalised customisation services, and provides both direct delivery and click-and-collect fulfillment options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gadgets & Tech Gifts Curated selection of cool gadgets, novelty technology items, and tech accessories including drones, smart watches, cameras, speakers, and novelty gadgets, targeted at men and general gift buyers.
• Movie, TV & Gaming Merchandise (Menkind Multiverse) Licensed merchandise collection spanning multiple entertainment franchises including Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, Harry Potter, Disney, anime, PlayStation, Xbox, Minecraft, Zelda, and horror collectibles.
• Funko Pop! Vinyl Figures Extensive range of Funko Pop! vinyl figures across multiple franchises including Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, Harry Potter, Pokémon, Stranger Things, anime, and music-themed Pop! Vinyls.
• Personalised Gifts Customisable gift items including engraved keepsakes, photo gifts, personalised jewellery, mugs, water bottles, socks, football gifts, golf gifts, and home/kitchen items with custom text or imagery.
• Gifts for Him Male-targeted gift selection including gadgets, drinking gifts, sports memorabilia, gaming merchandise, keepsakes, novelty items, and accessories, organised by recipient (boyfriend, husband, dad) and occasion.
• Gifts for Her Female-targeted gift selection including jewellery, spa/massage items, cosy gifts, fashion accessories, and experience vouchers organised by recipient and occasion.
• Gifts for Kids Child-targeted gifts including toys, plush toys, construction kits, electronic toys, remote control vehicles, puzzles, and novelty items organised by age and gender.
• Drinking Gifts Alcohol-themed gifts and accessories including beer gifts, whisky gifts, cocktail items, gin gifts, wine gifts, home bar accessories, beer-making kits, and personalised drinking items.
• Food & Drink Gifts Edible gift items including chocolate gifts, sweet gifts, hampers, BBQ gifts, tea and coffee gifts, cooking gifts, and letterbox food items.
• Experience Days Gift experience vouchers including driving experiences, adventure days, spa treatments, dining experiences, brewery tours, wine tasting, helicopter tours, and short break getaways.
• Home & Garden Gifts Home décor and garden items including novelty lights, quirky home accessories, bathroom gifts, water bottles, outdoor/garden gifts, kitchen gadgets, working from home gifts, and drones.
• Toys & Remote Control Children's toys and remote-controlled vehicles including remote control cars, helicopters, drones, construction kits, LEGO, fidget toys, robots, tabletop games, board games, and soft toys.
• Sports Gifts Sports-themed merchandise and memorabilia including football gifts, golf gifts, darts gifts, Formula 1 items, fishing gifts, and sports team merchandise for Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham.
• Novelty & Unusual Gifts Unconventional and humorous gift items including funny gifts, rude gifts, unusual presents, novelty gadgets, and keepsakes for recipients who have everything.
• Corporate Gifting Service Bulk and corporate gifting service for business clients, offered through the Menkind corporate gifts program for employee appreciation, client gifting, and corporate events.
• Same-Day Click & Collect Service Service allowing customers to order online and pick up in-store at a UK Menkind location the same day at no additional cost.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and major.

• Gloucester QuaysminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 October 2025Menkind signed a lease for a retail store at Gloucester Quays shopping centre, opening in October 2025 as part of the 95% let or under offer development.
• PrezzyboxmajorOthers · 23 June 2022Gift Universe (parent company of Menkind) completed the acquisition of Prezzybox, a well-established gifting brand founded in 2000. The deal aims to leverage synergies in buying, marketing, and finance while maintaining Prezzybox's existing brand identity.
• Hawkin's BazaarmajorOthers · 20 June 2022Gift Universe (parent company of Menkind) completed the purchase of Hawkin's Bazaar as part of its strategy to expand its presence in the gifting market and further targeted offerings within the industry.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Amazon UK: Dominant UK general online retailer carrying toys, gadgets, licensed merchandise, gifts, and greeting cards across virtually every Menkind category. Serves as the structural pricing and selection benchmark against which all UK online gift retailers compete.
• Moonpig: UK-listed leader in greeting cards and personalized gifts with growing adjacent categories (flowers, gifts, experiences). Comparable on the UK gifting-occasion thesis and personalized/customized product capabilities, but at much larger scale and with a card-centric anchor.
• Etsy: Global online marketplace for unique, handmade, and personalized goods including gifts and collectibles. Competes with Menkind for UK consumers searching for unique and personalized gift purchases, especially during peak gifting seasons.
• Hamleys: Iconic UK toy and gift retailer with flagship stores and online. Overlaps Menkind on toys, plush, licensed merchandise, and kids-gift categories, though Hamleys is store-led and toy-anchored rather than a broader gift retailer.

Direct peers

• Find Me a Gift: UK-based e-commerce gift retailer offering unusual gadgets, personalized presents, and experience gifts. Directly comparable on assortment, pricing tiers, occasion-based merchandising, and target buyer (UK adults buying novelty gifts).
• The Works: UK multi-category value retailer selling books, toys, games, and gifts across hundreds of stores and online. Overlaps Menkind in toys, games, kids gifts, and licensed merchandise categories, with a similar discount-led, broad-assortment value proposition.
• Hawkin's Bazaar: UK retailer specializing in toys, gadgets, gifts, and novelties for kids and adults. Acquired by Gift Universe Group (Menkind's parent), creating the closest in-group comparable on assortment breadth and licensed/toy mix.
• Prezzybox: UK online gift retailer founded in 2000 selling unusual gifts, gadgets, and personalized items across multiple price points. Now a sister brand under Menkind's parent Gift Universe Group following the June 2022 acquisition, making it the most directly comparable peer in assortment, target customer, and channel mix.
• Not On The High Street: UK curated marketplace of unique gifts and personalized products from small businesses. Comparable on the buyer occasion (UK gifting), curated-merchandising model, and personalized-gift emphasis, though it operates as a multi-seller marketplace rather than a single retailer.

Emerging players

• Funko: Pop-culture collectibles company (Funko Pop! Vinyls and related product lines) that supplies a major share of Menkind's licensed assortment. Comparable on the collectibles/IP licensing thesis, though Funko is a brand/manufacturer rather than a multi-category gift retailer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/menkindstores
• Facebookfacebook.com/Menkind
• Instagraminstagram.com/menkind
• TikToktiktok.com/@menkind
• Xx.com/Menkind

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A2 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Menkind