Set up just over a year ago to fill a gap in the coin-op market, Valiant Leisure, based in the UK, has had its fair share of ups and downs, but at this year's ATEI it received the greatest birthday present of all when it sold its first trailer concept within the first five minutes of the show. Helen Fletcher spoke to managing director Bradly Carter to talk achievements, challenges and future expectations...

Valiant Leisure may still be finding its feet as a manufacturer, but its Strike-A-Prize vend machine has already attracted the attention of a number of distributors and operators at international level.

"We have had a great response from Europe, but companies in the UK, although showing interest, are very cautious and aware that we are a new company," said Carter.

"They don’t know who we are or what we do so don’t have as much confidence in our product compared to the big players like Namco and Harry Levy, something which I am hoping to change over the next few years by making as many new contacts as possible."

The company is currently looking for operators and distributors in the US, northern European countries and Russia in particular, as Carter is realising it is the distribution deals that will ultimately make the product successful.

"We have had a lot of interest in the product from countries in southern Europe and at ATEI a Spanish operator was ready to take on a number of machines but wanted to know who our Spanish distributor, is. As we are yet to find a suitable distributor the situation proved slightly embarrassing," said Carter.

As for the UK market, having had a number of machines on test during 2007, there will be around 30 Strikers in total in the UK market by the end of 2008, with some machines still on test and some sold to operators.

The Strike-A-Prize vend machine aims to offer both the operator and customer something different as well as value for money by vending a prize every time. It comes in three designs - circus, farmyard and jungle, which were carefully researched to appeal to young children from a visual, sound and interactive game perspective.

"The UK industry in particular is struggling to offer value for money and for years operators have wanted a machine that takes a lot of money every week but gives the customer a small amount back, but times are changing and customers aren’t happy with this any more," said Carter.

"They want good quality products and they want to feel like they have won something so why not give the customer the respect they deserve and what they actually want. This will ensure repeat visits and keep them spending."

With this in mind Valiant Leisure has teamed up with UK-based Whitehouse Leisure, manufacturer of plush toys, which has agreed to develop high quality licensed plush products specifically for the Strike-A-Prize machine.

"The licensed products will boost cash box takings as they catch the eye of a young child as they are instantly recognisable, so they are an ideal product for the Strike-A-Prize machine," said Carter.

The versatility of the machine means that an operator doesn’t have to stop at plush toys, like a normal vending machine, all sorts of products can be mixed in with the plush such as watches, redemption tickets and vouchers, to name a few.

There have even been discussions with US operators that could see the product operating in restaurants, with prizes including money off vouchers and return visit vouchers as well as branded plush toys.

"There really are no limits to this product, something which we proved at ATEI with the sale of our trailer concept to James Day of Daytime Leisure," said Carter.

There is no doubt that Carter has ambitious plans for Valiant Leisure and his enthusiasm and determination to provide the coin-op industry with innovative products is clearly the driving force behind the company and he no doubt has other product ideas in development.

The company must however learn to walk before it can run, something which Carter seems well aware of when he said: "There are other developments in the pipeline but nothing is going to be released until Valiant Leisure and the Strike-A-Prize product is firmly established.

"Over the next few years I would like to believe that the industry starts to recognise us as a professional company that releases products into the market that are different and increase cash box income."