Mellow Miltia: A Santa Barbara Startup
Santa Barbara, CA- As many people know, being a startup company is a very risky business, with the majority of companies struggling to make it. Mellow Militia, a local Santa Barbara company, took a chance when they moved the production of their game Tiki Toss from their garage into a full time business in late 2011. In less than 3 years, Mellow Militia has been met with unprecedented growth that has made the risky nature of startups completely worth it. Mellow Militia has since released two new versions of Tiki Toss and has many exciting things to come within the next few months.
Mellow Militia is the creator of an addicting game called Tiki Toss. Tiki Toss is inspired by the traditional Caribbean hook-and-ring game, with the overall objective of the game to swing the ring onto the hook; a simple idea that is challenging to master. Tiki Toss recreates the island feel of the traditional Caribbean game by captivating its’ audience through the surfboard shape and solid bamboo design.
Additionally, part of the success of Tiki Toss is due to the wide array of people, places, and occasions that get captivated by the game. Tiki Toss is a great family game; it is played and enjoyed by small children, along their siblings, parents, and grandparents. Also, the game takes less than five minutes to set up and can quickly turn any event into a memorable gathering. Tiki Toss is popular at family gatherings, barbeques, tailgating, and in the bars, just to name a few. A customer from Long Beach California, Elisa Swan, stated, “we can’t believe how addicting this game is! You’ll be the hit of the party when you introduce Tiki Toss to your guests at your next gathering! This is an all age game! You won’t want to stop playing. Love this game!!!” Tiki toss has also caught the attention of retailers all over the United States. Tiki Toss was featured as the second most retailer recommended product in the September/October 2013 edition of Edplay Magazine.
Due to the popularity with Tiki Toss, Mellow Militia recently released two new versions of the game. One new edition, Tiki Toss Hawaiian Island Edition, keeps the traditional Tiki Toss shape and feel but is also branded with the Hawaiian Islands to allow customers to feel even more immersed in the tropical island feel. The other new edition of Tiki Toss is Tiki Toss Paddle Edition, which keeps the same addicting fun of the original Tiki Toss but offers a new paddle shape. This edition was created at the requests of kayak, canoe, and SUP enthusiasts, allowing a wider range of people to feel connected to the water as they play Tiki Toss. These new editions offer the same benefits of playing Tiki Toss but in a new and exciting way.
About Mellow Militia: Mellow Militia first created Tiki Toss as a 3-D app inspired by the traditional Caribbean hook and ring game. However, Mellow Militia’s focus abruptly shifted when they created a physical version of the app in 2011 that quickly took on a life of its own following its’ immediate popularity. Since 2011, Mellow Militia has been met with unprecedented levels of growth. Tiki Toss is now sold in more than 25 types of retail stores including surf shops, toy stores, sporting good stores, and even 7/11, with a 90 percent reorder rate. Mellow Militia recently moved into a new office to meet their rising demands and the growth of the company.
