The Pokémon Company Acquires Excell Brands, Major U.S. TCG Distributor

The Pokémon Company International has officially announced it is acquiring Excell Brands, one of its longest-standing distribution partners in the United States.

Excell Brands is best known for handling distribution and retail category management for trading cards and collectibles, including the Pokémon Trading Card Game. The two companies have worked together for decades, and notably both are celebrating their 30th anniversaries this year.

What Excell Brands Actually Does

While most fans only see products on store shelves, companies like Excell Brands are a key part of how Pokémon cards reach retailers.

Excell specializes in:

• distributing trading card products to major retail stores
• managing store displays and restocking
• coordinating collectible product placement
• retail logistics for hobby and mass-market chains

In simple terms, they help make sure Pokémon cards actually appear in stores — and stay stocked.

Because of this, Excell has effectively been one of the most important behind-the-scenes partners for the Pokémon TCG in the United States.

Why The Pokémon Company Is Buying Them

According to the official press release, this move is about long-term support for the trading card ecosystem and improving supply, fulfillment, and customer experience as demand for Pokémon cards continues to grow worldwide.

Kenji Okubo, President of The Pokémon Company International, said:

“Excell Brands has built a strong reputation as a trusted distributor and category management partner with deep insight into the needs of Pokémon fans. This reflects our long-term commitment to supporting the Pokémon community and the broader trading card ecosystem.”

The company also stated it plans to continue investing in Excell’s systems and operations while still allowing it to operate independently with retail partners.

What Excell Brands Says

Stan Seidler, Founder & Chairman of Excell Brands, explained the acquisition as a continuation rather than a takeover:

“This next chapter allows us to preserve those values while positioning the business for the future.”

Terry Rosendahl, CEO & President of Excell Brands, added:

“This partnership is an exciting milestone for our team. It allows us to keep doing what we do best for our retail and brand partners, while continuing to invest in our team, systems, and service.”

What This Means for Fans

This won’t immediately change the cards you can buy — but it could affect availability over time.

Pokémon cards have seen massive demand spikes in recent years, often leading to:

• empty shelves
• limited stock
• delayed restocks

By bringing its largest U.S. distributor closer in-house, The Pokémon Company is likely trying to improve supply consistency and retail coordination.

For collectors, the long-term goal appears clear:
more reliable stocking and better product distribution rather than new types of products.

No changes to release schedules or upcoming sets have been announced as part of the acquisition.