Aurora World, Inc. – A Global Leader in Plush Toys

Business View Magazine interviews Jessica Chitrabhiboolya, Marketing Manager at Aurora World, Inc. as part of our series on the toy industry.

Aurora World, established in Korea, in 1981, by its current chairman, H.Y. Noh, is a global leader in plush toys and high-quality gift products. The company offers an extensive range of branded and licensed products which are sold through a wide variety of vendors, including big box retailers, souvenir and gift stores, airports, florists, hospital gift shops, candy stores, and gift/stationery stores. In fact, from its design and development center in Seoul, its manufacturing facilities in Indonesia and China, and its sales networks in Hong Kong, the U.S., the United Kingdom, and Germany, Aurora World supplies over 25,000 retail outlets, worldwide.

“We tailor our business to the needs of our customers,” says Marketing Supervisor, Jessica Chitrabhiboolya, who works out of the company’s Pico Rivera, California office, where it houses designers, product developers, and marketers. “And because we own our own factories, we have control over the quality, the materials, and the whole process from start to finish. So, what sets us apart from our competitors is the quality of our products. Everything is hand stitched and hand sewn. A lot of our competitors skip the steps we take pride in.”

All of Aurora’s products are designed for safety and durability, and made with safe, non-toxic materials that conform to ASTM 963 and EN 71 standardas. Most Aurora products are cotton filled; if beans are used, they are double bagged for additional safety and security. All plastic eyes and noses are double lock washer secured. The company’s toys have been honored with several awards, including the Creative Child Award, the iParenting Media Award, and the National Parenting Publications Award. Accolades have also come from Parents Magazine and Family Fun Magazine.

The company markets its products both to businesses and direct to consumers via a variety of channels, including: industry trade shows, licensing shows, retailer magazines, social media platforms, and company blogs and press releases. Aurora World is also a proud member of the Toy Industry Association. This year, the company is celebrating one of its most well-known brands, YooHoo and Friends, which is particularly popular in Korea and South America. The adventurous Bush Baby and its animal companions even have their own T.V. series, which recently debuted on Netflix.

In addition to its many celebrated brands, Aurora World also supplies a lot of custom-made products for many different clients, including theme parks, studios, companies, colleges, zoos, aquariums, etc. Aurora is also a company that is socially conscious, and actively participates in many charity programs, including MyStuffBags.org, CASA of Los Angeles, In Defense of Animals, William Shatner’s “Ahead With Horses” and Hollywood Charity Horse Show. They have also released a new line of eco-friendly plush toys – the first of its kind – that is made of renewable soy and kapok fibers.

Already one of the most well-regarded and recognized toy manufacturers around, Chitrabhiboolya says that Aurora World still has one important objective to attain: “Our goal is to continue to grow and become the number one plush company in the world,” she declares.

AT A GLANCE

WHO: Aurora World, Inc.
WHAT: A global leader in plush toys and high-quality gift products
WHERE: Pico Rivera, California
WEBSITE: www.auroragift.com

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