Welcome to PBC International, Inc.
Designer, manufacturer, and distribution center for Chantilly Lane and TagAlong animated, singing gift products. The perfect animated gift for any and all occasions. Home of AmeriGift and AmeriFun branded products.

Founded in 1979 as Pacific Balloon Co. Inc., a California corporation with its principal place of business in Los Angeles, California, PBC’s first business role was that of a custom latex balloon imprinter. “Duratex” imprinted latex balloons were sold to advertising specialty companies for distribution to customers such as McDonalds, Burger King, Carl’s Jr. and a myriad of customers who wanted there corporate identities seen above the rest. PBC was one the first latex balloon imprinters to innovate silk-screen imprinting on latex balloons.

From the success enjoyed as a leading latex balloon imprinter, PBC expanded its marketing penetration by distributing a then new and innovative product that was “taking the country by storm”, Mylar balloons. PBC enjoyed so much success with the mylar phenomena, in 1984 PBC’s management decided to team-up with a company in Korea who, at that time, possessed the patent for the first self-sealing valve for mylar-type balloons. Again, another "feather” in PBC’s corporate hat. PBC was the first, and for a time, the only mylar balloon company to manufacture and distribute a self-sealing mylar balloon: the Superfoil mylar balloon.

With the success enjoyed by PBC its customer base increased and evolved to include balloon and floral wholesalers and distributors with some direct store sales to major super market accounts. In 1987 the management at PBC decided to expand its distribution facility. Land was purchased in Ventura, California; a 27,000 sq. ft building was construction and in June of 1988 PBC moved its base of operations from Los Angeles to Ventura, California.

In 1990 PBC again expanded its line of products to include TagAlong plush products. This fine line of plush products was sold primarily to balloon and floral wholesalers and distributors as well as major super market chains such as Ralph’s Markets, Fry’s Grocery, Kroger, Albertson’s and a host of others.

In September of 1996 the management of PBC decided to again expand its market share by creating and financing a new expansion business – AmeriGift. AmeriGift was founded as a division of PBC for the manufacture and distribution of candy gift products. The basic mission of AmeriGift was to create, market, manufacture, and distribute a varied line of candy gift products at reasonable prices. AmeriGift customers have included Wal Mart, Cost Plus, American Stores, Kroger Markets, Fry’s Markets, Ralph’s Markets, Vons/Safeway Markets, Circle K, Fred Meyer, Macy’s Department Stores, Rich’s Department Stores, Burdines, American Greetings, Swiss Colony, The Bon Marche, Duty Free Stores, Army Airforce Exchanges, Hickory Farms, Hallmark, Dillard’s, Pier 1 Imports, Bed Bath & Beyond and many, many others.

To facilitate this new business enterprise, PBC in 1997 acquired land in Oxnard, California with the intention of building a new 86,000 sq. ft manufacturing and distribution facility that would house PBC and AmeriGift. In January of 1999 PBC and AmeriGift moved into their new quarters that they now occupy.

PBC again expanded its line and market share in 2000 with the introduction of its line of animated/musical TagAlong plush creations. The first big success was a Christmas Deer that sang “Jingle Bells” that sold over 100,000 pieces it’s first year. Soon to follow was the introduction and release of the Achy Breaky Cowboy that garnered sales of over 300,000 units.

In January of 2003 PBC took it’s biggest “leap of faith” by introducing the much vaunted “Chantilly Lane” line of animated, musical, singing bear collectibles. Chantilly Lane has breathed fresh air into a stagnant plush industry. We carefully selected tunes for their “grab you” emotional value; found the best singers to capture the essence of the music; recorded all the music in professional studios; digitally mastered the original recordings; and extended the play time from 20 seconds (which is standard in the industry) to at least 60 seconds. All Chantilly Lane characters are designed and created in our “in house” design studio. In this manner our designers never lose control of the finished design. What starts as a drawing ends up “making history one hug at a time”.

Today PBC’s Chantilly Lane sells in excess of 200,000 units per month and is available at Dillard’s, Mervyn’s, J.C. Penney’s, Hecht’s, Strawbridge’s, Kroger Markets, Sav-on Drugs, Osco Drugs, Longs Drugs, and over 7,000 independent retailers across the USA and Canada.

PBC and AmeriGift owe their collective success to their tireless commitment to customer satisfaction and product quality. It is our notion that if we don’t take care of our customers, the competition will. We don’t intend to have that happen. Our company mission statement is to continue creating innovative products at reasonable prices. As Lionel B. Neff, the President and founder of PBC often states: “It took us 26 years to become an overnight success”.