Record sales expected for new Moomin mug

Mug to be released for one day only to celebrate 15th annual Moomin Day.

Record sales are being anticipated when a new Moomin mug launches tomorrow (August 9), available for one day only to celebrate the 15th annual Moomin Day, held on creator Tove Jansson’s birthday.

The Moomin mugs are something of a licensing success story, having sold millions of copies worldwide. They are produced by Fiskars under the Arabia brand. The first mug was produced in the 1950s, with the first pieces made in collaboration with Tove herself.

The mugs are highly collectable and have become a staple in Scandinavian homes, as well as being popular around the world.

According to a 2015 survey, half of all Finns between the ages 18-75 own at least one Moomin mug, as well as one out of five Swedes. Almost all of Finns are familiar with the Arabia Moomin Mugs.

“The Arabia Moomin mug is one of the world’s most successful licensed homeware products, so we anticipate huge demand for this beautiful addition to the range,” said Gustav Melin, global licensing director at Bulls Licensing, which has the worldwide rights for the Moomin brand.

“Participating retailers are expecting queues out of the door and we predict an unprecedentedly busy day for Moomin.com as fans around the globe race to get their hands on this must-have design.”

Nearly 90 different designs have been created to date, each featuring a character or telling a story and costing between €20-30 depending on the design.

Gustav continued: “The mug has become a collector’s item. Last year, a limited-edition mug from the coveted Fazer series sold on Tradera.se for a breath-taking 7,640 euros. The most expensive Moomin mug ever sold, as far as we are aware.”

The new mug will be available to purchase from Moomin.com, Moomin shops in Finland and Sweden, as well as selected Iittala stores.

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