Goji Electronics

Lore & Background

Goji Electronics was founded in December 2011 and debuted its first consumer electronics accessories in early 2012. The company's inception involved DSG International plc granting exclusive rights to manufacture and develop Goji-branded products, allowing Lord Kalms and Kwasi Danquah III to focus on promotion. The company intended to rely heavily on celebrity endorsements from popular athletes and musicians to market to fashion-conscious young men and women.

In June 2012, Goji expanded into lifestyle, music technology, travel, and audio equipment, introducing the Goji Tinchy Stryder headphones and Goji On Cloud 9 audio line. Tinchy Stryder provided creative direction for the range, which included headphones, travel speakers, and audio equipment. Promotional materials stated that the look and pricing of existing headphones were not as flexible in value as people would like, and that Goji's combination of looks, audio quality, pricing, and value flexibility would make it a serious contender in the music technology market.

On 10 August 2012, the Goji On Cloud 9 audio equipment and Goji Tinchy Stryder headphones were distributed by over 600 retailers in the United Kingdom, by DSG International plc subsidiaries in Europe, and globally by Pixmania. The company also planned to license the Goji brand and technology to other major information technology and automotive manufacturers, and to offer personal computers, tablets, and smartphones equipped with Goji On Cloud 9 Audio systems.

Reader's Guide

Goji Electronics entered the audio market in June 2012 with a clear strategy: combine celebrity creative direction with broad retail distribution. The partnership between grime artist Rav and DSG International plc president Lord Kalms gave the brand both cultural credibility and access to an established retail network through Currys plc and DSG International plc. The Goji Tinchy Stryder headphones and Goji On Cloud 9 audio line were positioned to address what the company saw as a gap in the market—headphones that offered flexibility in both style and price without sacrificing audio quality.

The brand's distribution reach was significant: on 10 August 2012, its audio products were available through over 600 UK retailers, across Europe via DSG subsidiaries, and globally through Pixmania. Goji also planned to extend its audio technology into personal computers, tablets, and smartphones through licensing and partnerships with major manufacturers. While the percentage of stakes between shareholders was not disclosed, the involvement of Rav, Currys plc, and Lord Kalms (who died on March 30, 2025) underscored the blend of music industry and retail expertise that defined the company's early identity.

Did You Know?

• The audio division was co-founded by grime artist Rav and DSG International plc president Lord Kalms.
• On 10 August 2012, Goji audio products were distributed by over 600 retailers in the United Kingdom.
• Lord Kalms died on March 30, 2025.

Founding & Origins

Goji Electronics, Inc. was established in December 2011 and is headquartered in Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom. The company's creation was a collaboration between grime artist and entrepreneur Kwasi Danquah III, widely known as Rav, and Lord Kalms, who at the time held the presidency of DSG International plc. The arrangement was structured around a practical split of responsibilities: DSG International was granted exclusive rights to manufacture and develop all Goji-branded products, freeing Rav and Kalms to concentrate their energy on promoting the new line to consumers. The brand's first offerings—consumer electronics accessories—reached the market in early 2012. From the very beginning, Goji's go-to-market strategy leaned heavily on celebrity endorsements, with a particular focus on popular professional athletes and well-known musicians. The target audience was clearly defined: fashion-conscious young men and women. This fusion of music-industry credibility with the manufacturing and distribution muscle of a major retail group gave the young company a distinctive foundation.

Product Line & Market Expansion

Goji's initial catalogue focused on accessories for tablets, netbooks, and smartphones. However, the company's most significant growth came in June 2012, when it broadened its scope into lifestyle products, music technology, travel gear, and—most notably—headphones and audio equipment. This expansion was closely tied to the introduction of two flagship products: the Goji Tinchy Stryder headphones and the Goji On Cloud 9 audio system. Tinchy Stryder provided creative direction for the 'Goji Tinchy Stryder: On Cloud 9' range, which encompassed headphones, travel speakers, and broader audio equipment. In promotional materials, he argued that existing headphones often lacked flexibility in design and pricing, and positioned Goji as a serious contender by combining attractive looks, strong audio quality, and accessible value. Rav himself emphasized that getting the sound right was his top priority, alongside the visual design. Beyond audio, Goji also outlined plans to license its brand and technology to major IT and automotive manufacturers, with ambitions to embed Goji On Cloud 9 Audio systems into personal computers, tablets, and even smartphones in partnership with telecommunications equipment makers.

Distribution & Retail Strategy

A defining feature of Goji Electronics from day one was its deep integration with the DSG International retail network. DSG International plc, and later its successor Currys plc, served as the primary distribution channel for all Goji products. This relationship meant that Goji did not need to build its own retail infrastructure; instead, it rode the existing shelf space and logistics of one of the UK's largest consumer electronics retailers. The strategy reached a high-water mark on 10 August 2012, when the Goji On Cloud 9 audio equipment and Goji Tinchy Stryder headphones were simultaneously rolled out across more than 600 retailers in the United Kingdom. The reach extended further afield through DSG International's European subsidiaries and, on a global scale, through Pixmania, a retailer owned by DSG International. This multi-tier distribution approach—domestic high street, European subsidiaries, and an international online presence—gave a relatively young brand an immediate footprint that would have been impossible to achieve independently. The retail partnership also reinforced Goji's celebrity-driven marketing, placing its products directly in front of the fashion-conscious young audience it had targeted from inception.

Ownership Structure & Legacy

The ownership of Goji Electronics reflects the intertwined interests of its founders and its retail partner. Both Rav and Currys plc hold shares in the company, though the exact percentage stakes have never been publicly disclosed. Lord Kalms was also a shareholder, bringing the DSG International connection into the equity structure as well. His involvement ended with his death on 30 March 2025, a loss that removed one of the company's original founding figures from its shareholder base. The audio division of Goji, which carries the Goji-Rav brand, was specifically founded by Rav and Lord Kalms, underscoring how central their partnership was to the company's identity. Even after Kalms's passing, the brand continues to operate under the Goji-Rav name, preserving the creative legacy of the grime artist who championed the product line. The company's headquarters in Hemel Hempstead remains its operational base, and its product portfolio—spanning computer accessories, smartphones, audio equipment, and planned licensing deals—continues to reflect the ambitious scope that Rav and his partners envisioned when they first launched the brand in 2011.