Flat River Group Acquires Luma Imports and Synapses Games

Flat River Group Acquires Luma Imports and Synapses Games
From gallery of W Eric Martin
In December 2021, distributor, consolidator, and retail partner Flat River Group acquired U.S. publisher Greater Than Games.

On March 14, 2022, on the first day of GAMA Expo 2022, Flat River Group has announced the acquisition of distributor (and one-time publisher) Luma Imports and Canadian publisher Synapses Games. Here's most of the press release announcing this deal:
Quote:
Founded in 2018 and based in Delaware, Luma Imports represents the English-language catalogues for a roster of European publishers such as Horrible Guild, Bombyx Studios, Sit Down!, Holy Grail Games, and many others. They also distribute Synapses Games, which was founded in 2018 and is based in Montréal, Canada. They publish the award-winning Cóatl, as well as the upcoming Betta and Draw the Line, and are distributed in more than 40 countries.

"My relationships with Matt and Carl go back through many organizations and many years," said Jules Vautour, president and founder of Luma Imports. "FRG has been a key partner in Luma's success. The synergy that already exists between the Luma, FRG, and Synapses teams promises a smooth transition and ensures the continuation of growth between our teams and the publishers we represent."

"My team and I are thrilled to join the Flat River Group and continue working with the Luma Imports team," said Carl Brière, publisher and founder of Synapses Games. "The board game industry has been expanding rapidly over the past few years and this marriage of companies will allow us to achieve even greater heights thanks to our complementary strengths."

Jules and Carl have worked together previously at both Asmodee USA and CMON and have collaborated extensively with their existing companies. Both are very excited to bring their respective companies into Flat River Group and resume their long-standing working relationship.

"We've worked with Jules and Carl for almost a decade, and we place a great value on their skills and relationships in the industry," said Matt Stahlin, president of Flat River Group. "We are excited about what this means for our ability to find great games earlier in their life cycle and get them into the hands of consumers through both hobby and mass retail channels. This fits in well with our recent acquisition of Greater than Games."
Here's a short description of Flat River Group, the nature of which will continue to be difficult to summarize in the future:
Quote:
Established in 2011, Flat River Group has over a decade of experience as a leading 1st party ecommerce partner. They take their vendors' businesses to the next level by owning their inventory and accelerating rapid sales growth, all while maintaining vendors' brand integrity and elevating reputation. Flat River Group buys inventory, warehouses it, sells it to 15+ major ecommerce retailers, manages product listings and inventory, and fulfills dropship and distribution center orders. They are truly a unique partner, with 1st Party Seller (1P) status and best-in-class dropship capability. They specialize in partnering with consumer goods manufacturers including toys & games, pets, baby, outdoor sporting goods and more. The company is based in Belding, Michigan, U.S. and has three other locations in Michigan, Illinois, and Missouri. Flat River Group has earned the honor of being listed as one of Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000 fastest growing private companies in America three times, in 2016, 2017 and 2021.

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