Asmodee Canada has acquired Ontario-based Lion Rampant Imports, one of the largest distributors of best-selling hobby adventure games in Canada. The coming together of these two leaders in tabletop gaming will allow for better service to Canadian retailers and increase access to popular titles, reinforcing Asmodee’s commitment to provide the best in games and stories to homes across the country.
“I have a great deal of respect for Ross Fleming and his company, Lion Rampant and we are thrilled to bring them into the Asmodee family”, said Asmodee CEO, Jayson Pickford. “There is a lot of synergy between the two companies, with Asmodee being particularly strong in Quebec and among major retailers, and Lion Rampant having a solid reputation with the core and hobby segment in Western Canada. Bringing them together will allow us to leverage these assets, strengths and best practices and improve service to retailers from coast to coast.”
The acquisition took effect on August 8, and the integration of the two companies will happen over the next several months. Pickford will continue to lead the company and Ross Fleming, using his expertise and understanding of the core and hobby segment, will stay on as director of Lion Rampant. Rose Kriedemann, COO at Lion Rampant, will pursue new opportunities and projects. Within the new structure, Pickford and Flemming will work closely to ensure a seamless transition and to allow Asmodee Canada to continue its growth momentum.
the acquisition allows the companies to leverage their assets, strengths and best practices of each, improving service to retailers across the country. Lion Rampant’s ecommerce platform, for one, will enable Asmodee Canada to update its customer service experience. Likewise, it will increase accessibility to products for clients due to the location of each facility and a larger salesforce.
“I’m very happy that Lion Rampant will join Asmodee. We had previously worked together for 10 years through FFG and are excited to take our partnership to the next level”, said Fleming. “The two companies complement each other, both in terms of product offering and geographical location, and this deal will allow for better access to Lion Rampant’s favourite games, specifically within the Quebec market.”
As part of the restructuring process, Asmodee Canada has made two significant appointments. Patricia Mainville, who has been with Asmodee Canada for the past three years as director of finance, has taken on the role of vice-president of finance. Gabrielle Smits, formerly with FedEx Supply Chain, joins the team as human resources director to support the integration of the new business structure.
Asmodee Canada represents a portfolio of board games including such favorite titles as Catan, Dixit, Spot It!, Splendor, Pandemic, Dead of Winter, Ticket to Ride, X-Wing,
and many more.
Lion Rampant Imports was founded in 1992 and had since grown into one of Canada's largest distributors of Hobby Adventure games. The company also holds a significant portfolio of family board games, educational games, strategy games, dice, paints, collectible games, and miniature games, the most notable of which are Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, Codenames, Ghost Blitz, Saboteur, Unstable Unicorns, and more.