The company was founded in the small town of Boalt, Scania, Götaland in 1884 by basket maker Ivar Bengtsson.

The cars connect with magnets and are easy to manipulate; in recent years, the range has been extended with battery powered, remote control, and 'intelligent track'-driven engines.

[3] Long, thin wooden slats with evenly spaced holes are connected together with various fasteners made of colorful plastic.

Some of this furniture is highly sought after by collectors as it comprises miniature replicas of items by Danish designer Arne Jacobsen.

Additionally, the Alga subsidiary was one of five companies who at one time produced the physical skill game Crossbows and Catapults.

On the 11th of March 2009 the company stated "BRIO financially reconstructed — shareholders’ equity strengthened by more than SEK 300 million".