Europe central to growth strategy of international toy sourcing platform ON TOP

ON TOP strengthens European position through strategic partnership with Beehub and investment in physical sourcing infrastructure

Shantou (CN) / Sleeuwijk (NL), 24 January 2026 – International sourcing platform ON TOP is placing a strong strategic focus on further growth in Europe. Active in the global toy industry, ON TOP works globally in close partnership with Beehub, which acts as the responsible business and service partner outside China. Together, ON TOP and Beehub form an integrated sourcing and service concept for international toy buyers like retailers and distributors. With the Netherlands as its operational hub, ON TOP is strengthening its presence to better align with the needs and expectations of European toy buyers.

ON TOP considers Europe one of the most important and promising consumer markets for toys worldwide, says Tom Chen, Global VP at ON TOP. “The European market represents annual retail sales worth tens of billions of euros and is characterised by a broad consumer base: in Western Europe, around 40 percent of households have children under the age of 15, while the adult toy market is also growing. This scale and diversity call for a sourcing model that combines flexibility with control.”

Europe is widely regarded as one of the world’s key toy markets, featuring a highly fragmented retail landscape, strict quality standards and increasing demand for transparency and compliance. According to ON TOP, this requires a different approach to international sourcing than in other regions. “European toy buyers don’t just want access to production – they are looking for visibility, control and compliance,” Tom adds.

New sourcing hub
The European focus aligns with ON TOP’s broader investment strategy, which includes the expansion of its physical sourcing hub in Shantou to 80,000 m². This hub forms the heart of the ON TOP ecosystem, giving European buyers, and buyers worldwide, direct access to the centre of global toy production. While ON TOP focuses on sourcing infrastructure and direct access to manufacturing in China, all commercial and service-related activities outside China are handled by its strategic partner Beehub. Tom: “Together, ON TOP and Beehub form a complete and integrated business concept.”

Europe requires local presence and service
ON TOP connects buyers directly with manufacturers in the world’s largest toy production regions, with Shantou (China) as its central hub. At the same time, the company sees European buyers becoming increasingly critical of how their supply chains are organised. Fast delivery, consistent quality and compliance with European regulations remain key priorities. For this reason, ON TOP works closely with Beehub.

From the Netherlands, ON TOP is building a European support network in collaboration with Beehub, assisting buyers with sourcing coordination, quality control and after-sales services. This local embedding makes it easier for buyers to combine international production with European service standards.

About ON TOP
ON TOP is an international B2B sourcing platform for the toy industry. The platform connects buyers directly with manufacturers in Shantou, the city where an estimated six out of ten plastic toy products worldwide are produced. Through its physical sourcing hub in Shantou, ON TOP provides access to an extensive network of thousands of manufacturers and product categories, brought together in one central location.

The sourcing hub currently covers 40,000 m² and is being expanded to 80,000 m², making ON TOP one of the world’s largest B2B toy sourcing infrastructures. ON TOP combines direct access to production with European quality control, compliance and local presence, enabling buyers to manage international sourcing in a controlled and strategic way. From the Netherlands, ON TOP provides services for the European market, among others.

More information: www.ontoptoys.eu