Caskata introduced its beloved marine themes to melamine and these platters and trays.
R Squared, the parent company of Zrike Brands, has acquired tabletop company Caskata and created the Tabletop Group, which will house Caskata alongside a new digital direct-to-consumer arm of Zrike Brands. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The acquisition combines Caskata’s established consumer brand and direct-to-consumer following with Zrike’s manufacturing, sourcing, licensing and retail distribution capabilities.
Caskata will continue operating under its established brand identity while benefiting from Zrike’s operational support. It will be led by company founder, Shawn Laughlin, and a team of six people, three of whom will be new hires.
Through the Tabletop Group, Zrike will pair its manufacturing and licensing expertise with a direct relationship with consumers, creating new opportunities to build the Caskata brand, the companies said. Caskata’s business is 80% direct-to-consumer, according to Laughlin. Zrike currently does not have a DTC business but will develop one using Laughlin’s expertise.
“I’ve always been a fan of what [Laughlin] does,” David Zrike said in an interview with HFN. “She’s an amazing talent in terms of design and marketing. She brings a lot to our company in both those arenas.
“She’s built something genuinely rare — a brand with a real point of view and a community that feels personal,” he noted in the release. “Building a direct-to-consumer digital arm for Zrike Brands has been a long-held ambition, and there’s no better partner to do it with. What excites me most is the opportunity to hear from customers directly, learn from them, and create products that truly resonate.”
Laughlin and Zrike have known one another for about 10 years and had showrooms across the hall from one another at Atlanta Market. Laughlin said she had recently started looking for a partner, investor or buyer for her Massachusetts-based business. The company had grown, she said, but it was growing faster than she could stock inventory. “I knew we needed a partner or an investor. I wasn’t looking [to be acquired], but I was thinking about it,” she said.
Last October, over drinks and discussions about tariffs, the two companies saw synergies.
Zrike Brands serves major retailers including TJX, Costco, Target and Hobby Lobby and is known for its large portfolio of licensed lines. Caskata, in addition to its DTC business, sells to specialty retailers. The acquisition will benefit both brands in terms of retail distribution, the executives said.
“I think there will be a fair amount of cross-over, and we will both benefit from our current retail relationships,” Zrike said.
“We’re excited to help with creating a digital presence for Zrike, and equally excited to expand our wholesale business,” said Laughlin. “We were wholesale only until COVID. Then our business completely shifted. So, we’re excited to revisit what the possibilities might be for wholesale growth that we hadn’t been able to target because of our size.”
The acquisition will increase inventory levels for Caskata and shorten lead times, said Zrike.
Zrike and Laughlin said they are exploring new retail collaborations, new product categories for Caskata, such as bakeware, and expanding licensing possibilities for Caskata. “We’re looking at stovetop cookware and many other categories,” said Zrike.
Cakata previously held license agreements with Cuisinart for small electrics, cookware and cutlery, and with Caspari and IHR for paper products. It also produced licensed product for Colonial Williamsburg.
Caskata, currently headquartered in Wellesley, Mass., plans to relocate to Framingham, Mass. The new office space, which will be situated close to the companies’ clients in the Boston area, will include showrooms for both brands.
“I’m really excited,” said Laughlin. “I feel so lucky that I’ve found people who share the vision that I had for Caskata, and where we can go in the future. And I’m really excited about bringing Zrike Brands, which I think are unique and special, directly to their customers. I think it will be a fun learning curve, and a great way to expand what Zrike is doing in terms of products that are really special, using the incredible licenses they already work with.
“I can hardly wait to get started.”
