iP2 Group, an international leader in transforming world-class intellectual properties (IPs) into immersive, high-value urban destinations, has shared how its partner, Brand2Merchandise B.V. (B2M), a specialist in merchandise concepts for the global leisure, attractions and cultural industries, turns attraction retail into a core strategic asset.
An attraction visit doesn't end at the exit gate, the company says; it extends onto the retail floor. Yet across family entertainment centre (FEC), theme park, and cultural attraction projects, merchandise is often overlooked until later.
When operators consider retail in the final stages of a project, they may be forced to settle for generic catalogue items with a printed logo, uninspired souvenirs that may mean they miss out on valuable revenue.
For FECs, this challenge is even greater.
Often located within major shopping destinations, retail spaces in modern FECs must hold their own alongside established high-street fashion and lifestyle brands. To stand out in that environment, a distinctive retail assortment must be planned from the very beginning of the attraction’s development.
To meet this need, B2M manages the entire process through a fully integrated, concept-to-shelf approach, coordinating its dedicated design agency, network of specialised manufacturing partners, and IP licensors, while collaborating closely with the operator throughout.
Julian Loomans, managing director at B2M, says: "In traditional project development, retail is all too often an afterthought left to the final weeks before opening.
"We start our process right at the beginning of an attraction’s design phase. By involving the operator closely at every step and managing the end-to-end process alongside our partners, we make sure the retail collection is built directly into the story and the commercial plan of the venue."
Flawless execution across multiple disciplines
B2M’s integrated approach is powered by a strategic collaboration with Plantation of Dreams (POD), a global creative agency focused on human-centred design and storytelling.
POD creates the project's visual identity, characters, and bespoke style guides, while B2M leads technical development, quality assurance, and final delivery.
Jared Nickerson, co-founder and creative director at POD, says: "Great attraction retail relies on genuine storytelling, but brilliant designs only succeed commercially if they can be manufactured to uncompromising standards.
"Our close collaboration with B2M ensures that the creative vision, character integrity, and aesthetic depth are preserved completely as products move from the drawing board to global production."
For standalone theme parks, FECs, and cultural destinations without an external license, B2M helps operators to turn their own distinctive atmosphere, stories, or signature attractions into high-performing commercial collections.
In collaboration with POD, B2M translates a venue's organic feel into proprietary lifestyle merchandise or develops a custom, overarching IP designed to build long-term brand value for the destination.
Additionally, when working with existing intellectual properties, B2M manages the rigorous compliance, creative approvals, and style guidelines demanded by world-class licensors.
The ZAFAR lifestyle and accessory line includes thoughtfully curated brand essentialsImage courtesy of iP2
For example, when working with the ZAFARI brand, B2M worked directly with the licensor to establish a new style guide, then developed and delivered a full turnkey merchandise collection for ZAFARI Adventure FECs.
David Dozoretz, creator and creative director of ZAFARI, says: "Protecting the narrative core and character aesthetics is vital when translating an entertainment IP into consumer products.
"B2M demonstrated a deep respect for our brand world. Their ability to translate our storytelling into a cohesive, high-quality merchandise range gave us complete confidence in how ZAFARI is represented on the retail floor."
Responsible, versatile manufacturing
To craft merchandise lines that can rival high-street brands while remaining true to the attraction, B2M develops every collection around four core principles: venue-specific design, premium quality, market-aligned pricing, and emotional connection.
Every product is developed specifically for the attraction and differs markedly from standard catalogue goods, with materials and finishes chosen to elevate the product beyond typical souvenir ranges, with a focus on longevity and desirability.
These retail ranges meet competitive, accessible price points that appeal to everyday customers while capturing the attraction's atmosphere and storytelling, enabling guests to take home a meaningful memento of the experience.
"Competing with established high-street brands requires a completely different mindset," says Loomans.
"Because most FECs operate inside major shopping destinations, our development focuses on creating truly unique items with premium craftsmanship, balanced with realistic pricing and a deep emotional connection to the venue’s storyline."
These four principles require a practical, versatile supply chain. Often, the high minimum order quantities involved in conventional overseas production tie up working capital in untested stock and leave operators with unsold inventory.
In response, B2M uses dual-sourcing capabilities across best-in-class production partners to smoothly switch between manufacturing in Europe and Asia.
This agile approach enables operators to test new concepts or seasonal collections in smaller production runs with short lead times in Europe, then cost-effectively scale up volume manufacturing in Asia.
B2M works exclusively with ethical, audited facilities and uses sustainable materials as standard. Products prioritise FSC-certified paper and wood, organic cotton, and rPET recycled fabrics for plushtoys and apparel, while systematically phasing out single-use plastics across packaging and logistics.
In the Quincy line, the favourite on-screen sidekick transitions into high-end merchandisingImage courtesy of iP2
Over the coming years, B2M is looking to actively expand its client base.
While FECs and theme parks remain core markets, the company is set to bring its concept-to-shelf services to attractions including zoos, museums, heritage sites, and holiday resorts, which share a growing demand for well-designed, narrative-led retail that enhances the visitor experience.
"As we diversify our portfolio across the broader leisure and cultural sectors, our core mission remains unchanged," says Loomans.
"We want to help operators elevate merchandise from a secondary consideration into a core commercial driver."
Recently, iP2 Group continued its strategic collaboration with Walltopia to create a compact, high-performance full-turnkey product based on the ZAFARI IP.
