Grow Jogos e Brinquedos

Grow Jogos e Brinquedos is a Brazilian games and toy company headquartered in São Paulo. The company manufactures and markets board games, card games, puzzles, dolls and other children's products, and became particularly well known in Brazil for combining locally produced game concepts with licensed international properties. Its portfolio has included strategy games, family and party games, educational and children's products, puzzles, playing-card formats and licensed character merchandise. Grow was established in August 1972 by four engineering graduates from the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo: Gerald Reiss, Roberto Schussel, Oded Grajew and Valdir Rovai. The founders initially considered businesses in unrelated fields, but the opportunity in tabletop games emerged after Reiss encountered the war-strategy game Risk in Europe. At the time, many comparable games available in Brazil were imported, leaving room for a domestic manufacturer. The company name was formed from the initials of its founders, with the final spelling adjusted to produce a more distinctive and memorable name. The founders began operations in a garage in the Mooca district of São Paulo. Their first major product was War, a Brazilian version of a global-style military strategy board game. The boards were initially assembled manually and presented to toy retailers. Demand was rapid: the first production run of approximately 5,000 units sold out after the game's October 1972 release. Grow followed with Diplomacia in January 1973, a game based on the negotiation and alliance mechanics associated with Diplomacy. These early successes established the company in Brazil's expanding domestic board-game market. During the 1970s, Grow broadened its offer beyond strategy games. It introduced children's products, the Super Trunfo card-game line and puzzles, helping the company reach different age groups and use cases. The resulting portfolio gave Grow a presence in family entertainment as well as in more specialized hobby and strategy play. Over time, the brand became associated with bringing internationally recognized game formats and classics to Brazilian consumers through localized editions and domestic production. In the 1980s, Grow expanded into licensed products, beginning with Disney characters in 1982. It subsequently developed products inspired by Brazilian television presenters and other entertainment properties, including toys associated with Gugu and Eliana. This licensing strategy complemented the company's original tabletop catalog and connected the brand with mass-market children's entertainment. Grow also expanded into role-playing games. In 1994, it published the first Brazilian edition of Dungeons & Dragons, extending its activities from mainstream family games into hobby gaming and fantasy role-playing. The company later adapted parts of its traditional catalog to digital formats. From 2013 onward, it operated in electronic games through online versions of board games such as War and Imagem e Ação. The company has operated a factory in São Bernardo do Campo. The referenced company profile describes an output of more than 300 products, with approximately 85 percent consisting of cartonized products such as cards, puzzles and board games, and the remaining share consisting primarily of dolls. Grow's continuing identity is therefore rooted in Brazilian tabletop entertainment: a broad, accessible portfolio, domestic manufacturing and adaptation of established international and popular-culture properties for the Brazilian market.

Grow Jogos e Brinquedos was founded in August 1972 in São Paulo by four engineering graduates of the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo: Gerald Reiss, Roberto Schussel, Oded Grajew and Valdir Rovai. Before settling on the games business, the founders considered several other commercial activities. Reiss's exposure to the war-strategy game Risk during a trip to Europe helped identify a gap in Brazil, where many board games were imported and domestically produced alternatives were limited. The company began in a garage in São Paulo's Mooca district. Its name was derived from the initials of the four founders, with the spelling modified to create a more sonorous and distinctive brand. The first major release was War, a locally produced military strategy game. The founders initially made the game boards by hand and approached toy retailers directly. After its release in October 1972, the first 5,000 units sold out, giving the young company an early commercial foundation. Grow released Diplomacia in January 1973, extending its initial focus on strategic and negotiation-oriented tabletop play. During the 1970s, the company diversified into children's games, puzzles and card products. Super Trunfo became one of the recognizable lines associated with the brand, while puzzles and other accessible formats broadened Grow's audience beyond adult strategy-game enthusiasts. This expansion helped establish the company as a general games and toys producer rather than a specialist board-game publisher. Grow entered licensed products during the 1980s, beginning with Disney characters in 1982. It also produced toys inspired by Brazilian television figures, including Gugu and Eliana. Licensing allowed the company to connect its manufacturing and distribution capabilities with well-known entertainment properties, while its original catalog continued to include games and puzzles. In 1994, Grow published the first Brazilian edition of Dungeons & Dragons, marking an important extension into role-playing games and hobby culture. The company subsequently maintained a presence across both mainstream family entertainment and specialist gaming. From 2013, it also developed online versions of established products, including War and Imagem e Ação, bringing parts of its traditional catalog to electronic platforms. Grow's production base has included a factory in São Bernardo do Campo. The cited company description reports more than 300 products, with cartonized goods—such as playing cards, puzzles and board games—representing about 85 percent of production and dolls representing most of the remainder. Across its history, Grow's business model has combined domestic manufacture, localization of established game formats, licensed characters and a wide distribution of products for children, families and hobby players.

• 2013

  Move into online versions of board games

  [1]Grow Jogos e Brinquedosen.wikipedia.org

  Grow began operating in electronic games through online adaptations of products including War and Imagem e Ação.

• 1994

  Brazilian Dungeons & Dragons edition published

  [1]Grow Jogos e Brinquedosen.wikipedia.org

  Grow published the first Brazilian edition of Dungeons & Dragons, adding role-playing games to its portfolio.

• 1982

  Licensed-product expansion begins with Disney

  [1]Grow Jogos e Brinquedosen.wikipedia.org

  Grow entered the licensed-products segment through products using Disney characters.

• 1973

  Diplomacia released

  [1]Grow Jogos e Brinquedosen.wikipedia.org

  The company followed its debut with Diplomacia, a negotiation and strategy game based on the Diplomacy format.

• 1972

  Company founded in São Paulo

  [1]Grow Jogos e Brinquedosen.wikipedia.org

  Gerald Reiss, Roberto Schussel, Oded Grajew and Valdir Rovai established Grow in a garage in the Mooca district of São Paulo.

• 1972

  War becomes the first major success

  [1]Grow Jogos e Brinquedosen.wikipedia.org

  Grow released War, its locally produced military strategy board game, and sold out the first run of approximately 5,000 units.

A broad, mass-market Brazilian games and toys brand spanning classic strategy games, family entertainment, children's products, puzzles, licensed merchandise and selected digital adaptations.

• Strategy board game · 1972

  War

  War was Grow's first major release and its foundational commercial success. It is a military strategy board game developed for the Brazilian market after the founders identified limited domestic availability of comparable games. The first edition was assembled manually in the company's early garage operation, and the initial run of approximately 5,000 units sold out shortly after its October 1972 release. War later became one of the products adapted into an online format.

• Strategy and negotiation board game · 1973

  Diplomacia

  Diplomacia was released in January 1973 as Grow's second major game. It is based on the Diplomacy format, emphasizing negotiation, alliances and strategic decision-making. Its release reinforced Grow's initial identity as a producer of sophisticated tabletop strategy games and demonstrated that the young company could follow its successful debut with another nationally marketed title.

• Comparative card game

  Super Trunfo

  Super Trunfo is a card-game line that Grow developed during its expansion into children's and family entertainment in the 1970s. The format uses themed cards and comparative attributes, making it accessible to younger players while allowing numerous subject themes and licensed variants. It helped broaden Grow beyond large strategy boards into portable, lower-cost products.

• Party board game

  Imagem e Ação

  Imagem e Ação is a drawing and guessing party-game line associated with Grow's family-oriented catalog. It represents the company's emphasis on social, group-play formats in addition to strategy games and puzzles. Grow later included Imagem e Ação among the established board games receiving online adaptations.

• Role-playing game · 1994

  Dungeons & Dragons

  Grow published the first Brazilian edition of Dungeons & Dragons in 1994. The publication expanded the company's activities into role-playing games, a hobby segment distinct from its mass-market board games and children's toys. The edition is notable as part of Grow's role in making a major international role-playing property available to Brazilian players.

• Puzzle

  Puzzles

  Puzzles have been a significant part of Grow's product mix since the company's early diversification during the 1970s. They belong to the cartonized portion of the company's manufacturing output and complement its board-game and card-game lines. The portfolio has included both general puzzle products and licensed or entertainment-related imagery.

• Children's toys and dolls · 1982

  Licensed children's toys

  Grow expanded into licensed toys during the 1980s, beginning with Disney characters and later including products inspired by Brazilian television personalities such as Gugu and Eliana. These products complemented the company's original game portfolio and gave it a presence in character-based children's merchandise. The referenced company profile identifies dolls as a smaller but significant part of its manufacturing output.

• 2013

  Board-game catalog adapted for online playGeneration change

  Background

  Digital distribution created an opportunity to extend established tabletop brands beyond physical products.

  Action taken

  Grow entered electronic games with online versions of board games including War and Imagem e Ação.

  Aftermath

  The initiative gave selected legacy products a digital format while preserving their connection to Grow's tabletop catalog.

  Source

• 1994

  Publication of the first Brazilian Dungeons & Dragons editionProduct launch

  Background

  Grow had expanded from mainstream board games and children's products into specialized hobby gaming.

  Action taken

  The company published the first Brazilian edition of Dungeons & Dragons.

  Aftermath

  The move extended Grow's publishing and distribution role into role-playing games and fantasy gaming.

  Source

• 1982

  Entry into licensed productsStrategy

  Background

  After building a portfolio of original games, Grow sought to broaden its appeal through recognizable entertainment properties.

  Action taken

  The company began producing licensed products featuring Disney characters.

  Aftermath

  Licensing became an additional route for Grow to serve the children's-toy and mass-market entertainment segments.

  Source

• 1972

  Launch of WarProduct launch

  Background

  The founders identified an opportunity in Brazil's board-game market, where many strategy games were imported and relatively few were produced domestically.

  Action taken

  Grow created and released War, initially manufacturing the game boards manually and selling them through toy retailers.

  Aftermath

  The first approximately 5,000 units sold out, establishing the company and supporting the release of additional games.

  Source

1. 1Grow Jogos e Brinquedosen.wikipedia.org