Ryan Hamilton is CEO of Plus-Plus USA, a toy corporation in Greenville County with ties to Denmark. Hamilton joined Plus-Plus USA in 2016 and has more than two decades of experience in the toys and games industry. He was named CEO in 2023.
“The company manufactures almost all of its toys in Europe, while every toy in the U.S. passes through its factory at 1801 Rutherford Road just north of the Greenville city limits. The business is focused on sustainability, with its Danish factory powered by wind energy. The toys are made from low-density polyethylene plastic and are 100% recyclable.
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Q&A with Plus-Plus USA CEO
Q. In 2020, we reported that Plus-Plus USA had grown more than 400% since 2016. Has that growth continued?
We continued to grow through 2022 and were proud to be in South Carolina’s top 50 fastest growing companies for five years in a row. Since 2022, the market for toys has been a little more soft as retail inventory leveled out from post-COVID highs. This year, though, we’re back in double-digit growth and are seeing sales increases across all our channels — specialty stores, e-commerce, and national accounts. Our business this year has grown with partners like Whole Foods, and with Target, where we just rolled out a new program to over 1,800 stores across the country.
Q. Has the market for toys changed in the past five years?
Yes. Through COVID there was an increased interest in toys that met a need for “cocooning” — puzzles, games and other collaborative products — so that was certainly to our benefit. More recently, particularly because of tariffs, consumers have an increased awareness of where their toys are made.
Q. How do you keep up with the changes?
We focus on innovating within the markets we serve, and don’t worry too much about the trends and what’s changing around us. We know that parents are looking for quality products that encourage creativity, and thankfully that will never go out of style.
Q. Has there been a rise in demand for kidult toys?
Absolutely. The best example of this is LEGO’s series of dried flowers and other botanicals, which topped the bestsellers chart last year in the toy industry. We see this in our products as well — our Van Gogh Sunflowers tube is one of our bestsellers, particularly at MoMA in New York.
Q. Did you ever move to Denmark as you planned to in 2020?
Yes, my family and I moved to Denmark right in the middle of COVID in June 2020. We had a fantastic two years there, with all four of our kids attending international schools, and our oldest daughter graduating from high school there. It was our last two years living under one roof as a family of six, and we count that as a sweet blessing for that season of our lives. We brought back a container full of Danish mid-century furniture that we use in our house in Greenville, so we’re surrounded with memories of Denmark every day. … I still travel there often, and my family comes along whenever they can. My wife and I were just there two weeks ago. It’s always great to go back, and my work in product development for the global Plus-Plus brand keeps me busy there.
Q. What items have been affected by tariffs and where are those products made? How are you adapting?
All of our products are made in Denmark, and so now we have an added 15% import tariff, like all products from the (European Union). We have been able to hold prices on some items but have had to raise prices on many of our toys. We’re also working on ways we can shift some of the packaging and final assembly to Greenville to save paying tariffs on those elements of our products. We just launched a new sports-themed line called Hometown Huddle that’s assembled completely in our Greenville warehouse.
Q. How do you see toys changing for kids and adults in the future?
We hope that as the cost of all goods rises, including toys, consumers will see the worth in purchasing quality products with a high lifetime value. We also see that young parents today care more about quality and where their kids’ toys are made, and Denmark has a great reputation for some of the best working conditions in the world and being one of the most sustainable countries on the planet.
Q. What benefits does Plus-Plus toys bring to its clientele?
Stress relief is certainly an appeal, and may be one of the reasons we won a Toy of the Year Award for our fidget toy Hexel. This was my first patented invention and was created right here in Greenville. Parents and teachers are increasingly looking for open-ended toys that encourage imagination, which is one reason we see Plus-Plus being used in classrooms around the country.
