▲As a Disney licensee, Taiwan’s leading U.S.-style collectible toy brand Beast Kingdom has long expanded its cross-border business, selling products worldwide. (Photo / Business Weekly)
Sep 20, 2023
By Tsai-Wei Hsu | Photos by Peng-Kai Hsiao
Business Weekly | Issue 1396
Before watching a movie, Taiwanese audiences often find themselves stepping into a world filled with character merchandise—a world called “Beast Kingdom,” where fans can find products of their favorite movie and anime characters.
Founded in 2010, Beast Kingdom has become a key licensee for Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Universal, and Warner Bros., holding global toy licensing rights. Beyond sales, the company handles design and development, exporting to more than 20 countries. In recent years, its annual revenue has averaged NT$1 billion.
The company’s founder, 46-year-old Allen Yang, has built a kingdom of both playfulness and business opportunities—but it all started by chance.
After graduating from a renowned U.S. graduate school, Yang worked as an accountant while casually trading figures on eBay. A turning point came when he experienced racial discrimination at work. Without a green card, he returned to Taiwan and decided to turn his passion for figures into a business. With just NT$200–300K, he started as a simple distributor.
“A month before quitting, I already knew I wanted to grow the business across distribution, products, and exhibitions,” Yang recalls.
Breaking Into the U.S. IP Market
While most competitors focused on Japanese products, Yang chose U.S. IPs and high-end collectibles for adult collectors. “I only do what I understand, and I only make toys for grown-ups,” he says.
The strategy paid off as Beast Kingdom gained recognition by distributing products like Iron Man figures from Hot Toys and Lord of the Rings statues. But as more players entered the U.S. market, price wars intensified.
Yang differentiated the brand through after-sales service, adding laser security labels and offering warranties—something grey-market goods couldn’t match.
With a solid financial base, Beast Kingdom began designing custom products, like notebooks and luggage tags for hotels, helping employees hone 2D and 3D design skills while reducing reliance on overseas contractors and minimizing design leaks.
Disney Partnership Opened Global Doors
Beast Kingdom’s first Disney license was for Pirates of the Caribbean—simply because Yang liked Johnny Depp. The company’s reputation from an earlier SpongeBob license helped gain Disney’s trust despite its strict review process.
Today, Beast Kingdom has over 3,000 Disney-licensed products, its biggest revenue source. A standout success was the 2014 levitating Iron Man figure, priced at NT$4,000, selling over 50,000–60,000 units and generating more than NT$200 million.
As product quality improved, Disney’s endorsement helped the company expand overseas. “Early on, when people heard ‘Beast Kingdom,’ they thought it was a scam. Having Disney vouch for us changed everything,” Yang says.
Currently, over 70% of revenue comes from Taiwan, but Yang aims to replicate this success abroad, seeking similar retail channels like CVS in the U.S.
Exhibitions as the Final Piece
Beast Kingdom also curates exhibitions, licensing them internationally. Its 2015 Frozen exhibition at Taipei’s Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall drew over 360,000 visitors—a record still unbeaten by any IP exhibition in Taiwan.
From its first basement shop in 2010 to 12 physical stores and over 200 employees today, Beast Kingdom has grown into Taiwan’s leading collectible brand.
Looking ahead, Yang plans to open more department store counters to reach casual shoppers while preparing for OTC listing and further global expansion.
What started as chance has become a journey Yang has no intention of stopping.