New collaboration with Sanrio sees the launch of Strawberry Shortcake x Hello Kitty and Friends® products this Fall

Hugely successful Strawberry Shortcake x Care Bears™ collaboration with Cloudco Entertainment rolling out more products

Toronto, ON – May 13, 2025 – WildBrain, a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, is celebrating the World of Strawberry Shortcake with the launch of a special year-long campaign that puts Strawberry Shortcake’s unique circle of friends—the “Berry Besties”—in the spotlight.

Launching in July 2025 and running through June 2026, Strawberry Shortcake’s “Berry Besties” campaign celebrates friendship, fun and adventure. Exciting brand moments and collaborations will highlight the uniqueness of Strawberry’s adorable circle of friends, including Blueberry Muffin, Lemon Meringue, Lime Chiffon, Orange Blossom, Raspberry Tart and Apple Dumplin’, and the importance of sharing life’s sweetest moments with your best friends by your side.

The “Berry Besties” campaign will see the launch of brand-new artwork in Strawberry Shortcake’s classic, vintage ’80s style, as well as multiple seasonal style guides offering a wealth of exciting new opportunities for both existing and new partners.

Erin Morris, VP, Global Franchise Strategy & Retail, WildBrain, said: “What a sweet year we have planned for Strawberry Shortcake with the launch of our ‘Berry Besties’ campaign centered around friendship and fun. Celebrating her classic roots that fans love, Strawberry’s nostalgic brand mashup with the iconic Care Bears has been a huge success, and we’re truly excited to now also be working with Sanrio to bring Strawberry Shortcake and Hello Kitty and Friends together with lots of adorable products. We’re seeing tremendous engagement from fans for Strawberry Shortcake in the U.S. and Canada, and we’re excited to expand the licensing program across Latin America, the UK, Europe and APAC.”

To learn more about licensing opportunities for Strawberry Shortcake, please visit WildBrain’s dedicated licensing agency, WildBrain CPLG, during Vegas Licensing Expo at Booth J206.

Brand-new collaboration with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty and Friends®  

In its latest exciting collaboration, WildBrain is partnering with Sanrio, the global lifestyle brand, to bring Strawberry Shortcake and Hello Kitty and Friends® co-branded products to fans of all ages across toys, fashion, stationery and more beginning September 2025. This exciting brand mash-up of two timeless icons will see co-branded capsule collections launch across specialty retailers engaging fans with fun and unique product ranges. The new Strawberry Shortcake x Hello Kitty and Friends products will launch in the U.S. and Canada, with licensing partners already onboard including Jazwares, Jacmel, Bioworld, Loungefly, Pipsticks, Surreal Entertainment and Sonix.

The Sanrio partnership also saw the unveiling of exclusive Strawberry Shortcake x My Melody® products which rolled out in March 2025 from licensees Jazwares, Surreal Entertainment, Bioworld and Sonix with retailers including BoxLunch, FYE, Hot Topic, Michael’s, Tilly’s and Torrid.

Serving up more Care Bears x Strawberry Shortcake products

WildBrain’s previously announced partnership with Cloudco Entertainment that brings together Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears continues to delight fans with new products hitting specialty retail shelves as well as mass distribution in the U.S. and Canada including an apparel and loungewear capsule collection at Walmart.

New consumer product launches include a colorful capsule collection from fashion label Samii Ryan across cozy loungewear and accessories, which also hit the shelves in BoxLunch and PacSun stores in January. FYE has launched a collection of candies and sodas, with the retailer hosting an exclusive in-store event at launch featuring a DJ, nail artists, giveaways and the first public meet and greet with Strawberry Shortcake and Cheer Bear together. Claire’s has also supported the collaboration with a new range of playful cosmetics and accessories from Taste Beauty and Neon Tuesday, now available across the U.S., U.K., and Europe, bringing a wave of cheerful accessories and gifts to stores globally.

In more fashion collaborations, Cakeworthy and Dolls Kill have launched Strawberry Shortcake x Care Bears apparel and accessories lines, PSD Underwear unveiled intimate apparel, Sweet Peas Co. launched Mommy & Me sleepwear, while the Blank Tag Co. released stickers, and Silver Buffalo unveiled homewares. Looking ahead, a colorful collection with Cotton On is set to debut this summer, further expanding both brands’ global fashion footprint.

Additional new and expanded licensing and retail collaborations for Strawberry Shortcake

In further licensing partnerships, Strawberry Shortcake is bringing a nostalgic burst to bedtime with the launch of a new sleepwear and accessories collection from Brand Alliance at Primark in the U.K., Europe and the U.S. landing in stores this May. A playful fusion of retro charm and cozy comfort featuring the iconic motifs and timeless aesthetic of Strawberry Shortcake’s whimsical world, the collection includes pajamas, tote bags and wash bags. The exciting retail launch will be supported by an extensive marketing and PR campaign.

WildBrain’s global partnership with MINISO sees expansion into the U.S., with Strawberry Shortcake products across accessories, homewares, gift and novelties, and health and beauty in stores. Meanwhile, specialty retailer Five Below is expanding its range of merchandise into new categories as part of a direct-to-retail partnership in the U.S. and Canada. SkinnyDip has launched new products within its global line of apparel and accessories which has extended retail distribution at Off-Price and Target in the U.S. A Strawberry Shortcake Garden Kit is also available at Target through a licensing partnership with Garden Republic.

In further collaborations, Kung Fu Tea, America’s largest bubble tea brand, has launched delicious bobo and modern strawberry-inspired flavors this year. Poppy & Pout has debuted an adorable beauty range in the U.S. featuring a lip scrub and balm. Goose Creek is expanding its collection of home fragrances with all new Strawberry Shortcake scents, bringing the collectability factor to the world of candles, while long-term strategic partner The Loyal Subjects has expanded its hit collectibles range to include all-new character plush.

In MENA, RIVA has unveiled its first Strawberry Shortcake collaboration featuring apparel for teens, while in APAC, Strawberry Shortcake’s presence grows with a new apparel and accessories collection launched at fashion retailer Bao Bao Bao.

For more information, please contact:

Aimée Norman at Liberi Consulting, external PR for WildBrain

aimee@libericonsulting.com

+44 (0) 7957 564 050 

About Strawberry Shortcake  

WildBrain’s Strawberry Shortcake is one of the world’s most adored characters. Since her 1970s debut on a simple greeting card, Strawberry Shortcake has evolved into a “berry” beloved brand for generations of fans. She has starred in multiple animated series and specials with her “berry best friends” over four generations and continues to deliciously delight audiences across television, streaming and digital platforms globally. Since the launch of her iconic 1980s scented dolls, Strawberry Shortcake and friends have captured the hearts of millions through a diverse array of sweet products and yummy experiences. Strawberry Shortcake is owned by WildBrain, a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment.   

About WildBrain

At WildBrain we inspire imaginations through the wonder of storytelling. As a leader in 360° franchise management, we are experts in content creation, audience engagement and global licensing, cultivating and growing love for our own and partner brands around the world. With approximately 14,000 half-hours of kids’ and family content in our library—one of the world’s most extensive—we are home to such treasured franchises as Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Inspector Gadget and Degrassi. WildBrain’s mission is to create exceptional entertainment experiences that captivate and delight fans both young and young at heart.

Our studios produce such award-winning series as The Snoopy Show; Snoopy in Space; Camp Snoopy; Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City; Sonic Prime; Chip and Potato; Teletubbies Let’s Go! and many more. Enjoyed in more than 150 countries on over 500 platforms, our content is everywhere kids and families view entertainment, including YouTube, where our network has garnered approximately 1.5 trillion minutes of watch time. Our television group owns and operates some of Canada’s most loved family entertainment channels. WildBrain CPLG, our leading consumer-products and location-based entertainment agency, represents our owned and partner properties in every major territory worldwide. 

WildBrain is headquartered in Canada with offices worldwide and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: WILD). Visit us at wildbrain.com.

About Sanrio® 

Sanrio® is the global lifestyle brand best known for Hello Kitty® who was created in 1974, and home to many other beloved character brands such as My Melody™, Kuromi™, LittleTwinStars™, Cinnamoroll™, Pompompurin™, gudetama™, Aggretsuko™, Chococat™, Badtz-Maru™ and Keroppi™. Sanrio was founded on the philosophy that a small gift can bring happiness and friendship to people of all ages. Since 1960, this philosophy has served as the inspiration to offer quality products, services and activities that promote communication and inspire unique consumer experiences across the world. Today, Sanrio’s business extends into the entertainment industry with several content series, gaming offerings and theme parks. Sanrio boasts an extensive product lineup which is available in over 130 countries. Sanrio hopes to bring smiles to everyone’s faces with their vision of “One World, Connecting Smiles.” To learn more about Sanrio, please visit www.sanrio.com and follow @sanrio and @hellokitty on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest and subscribe to the Hello Kitty and Friends YouTube Channel.