The thrill and buzz for start-up brands of rolling out their big, new idea is understandable. Driven by passion for their products, young entrepreneurs have energy in abundance to go to market. But good vibes alone won’t get you far and in today’s world, starting a new business venture is fraught with jeopardy.
That is why the BCMPA, the Association for Contract Manufacturing, Packing, Fulfilment & Logistics, have launched a new competition aimed at young entrepreneurs. Pitch the Co-Packers is designed to highlight the ways in which third-party outsourcing can help them to accelerate their plans, avoid making simple mistakes and get their products to market quicker.
Outsourcing is an essential tool for brands across many sectors including personal care and beauty. At the BCMPA, we see value for cosmetics brands in working with a trusted partner to help with formulation and deal with the complexities of manufacturing and production, procurement and logistics which allows for growth and success, while taking the pressure out of running a business. Brands of all sizes can take advantage of a trusted contract manufacturing and fulfilment partner, and younger start-ups can benefit most as they take those first steps for growth.
Navigating challenges
The missing link for young brands is often how they can move their ideas forward into reality. These are uncertain times with a difficult economy and global events and supply chain disruptions, making life far more unpredictable. Combined with a raft of new regulatory changes it’s a tough time to start a new business. But fortune favours the brave and while the economy might look challenging, new brands can find solace that there are partners out there ready to help, to ease the journey of a start-up, and help young entrepreneurs to take their products to market.
The BCMPA, has always been well known for putting brands, retailers and manufacturers in contact with a range of external third-party outsourcing options to help them with their projects. Established over 25 years ago, the Association has over 200 members who offer a range of different services that allow their customers to focus on their own business and marketing, whilst leaving the day-to-day and operational side to the experts. We often hear from the visitors to the BCMPA website that they wish they had found us earlier in their search for an outsourcing partner.
Recently there has been a shift in thinking around third-party solutions. Historically viewed as a transactional relationship, nowadays the true value of a good partner is seen as paramount to the success of a product. Without the experience of a trusted contract manufacturer and packer there is much that can go wrong, which can prove to be expensive and costs valuable time. And when you’re a start-up, such knowledge can be the missing link that will help avoid these mistakes.
Bridging the gap
The expertise of a third-party partner is where a business can add value, bridging the gap between the creative vision and the nuts and bolts of operational execution. Brands can scale efficiently, reduce time-to-market and maintain the highest quality standards. A contract manufacturer shouldn’t be an afterthought, but a collaborator with a key role from the outset – a strategic partner that helps brands to succeed and support them at every stage, from product development to market launch.
An outsourcing business also offers invaluable expertise in areas that can easily be missed, especially for any start-ups. In cosmetics, third-party partners have the experience to navigate the various accreditations and licences required. Nowadays there are so many demands for different accreditations by brands, which help them to protect their integrity. Accreditations are important but for the third-party they represent not only commitment to quality standards but alliance with their customers’ brand identity.
With sustainability now a key purchase driver in the personal care market, CMOs play a critical role in ensuring brands meet consumer expectations around quality and credible sustainable claims. Achieving this requires holding a wide range of accreditations—many of which are costly and demand ongoing staff training and operational commitment.
Outsourcing provides startups with instant access to these standards without the need for significant upfront investment. From B Corp to Cosmetics GMP, BCMPA members enable new brands to meet rigorous accreditation requirements while upholding the values and expectations of today’s end consumers.
And this inherent knowledge, gained over years in the business will become even more critical as the UK enters the once-in-a-lifetime change to how packaging is regulated thanks to the new Extended Producer Responsibility obligation. Third-party suppliers are becoming more important in the product life cycle. Understanding the complexities of material selection, modulated fees and, at times, being a central point to collate this obligatory information is yet another role that is being thrust upon third-party partnerships to avoid their customers being penalised. Because of this change, the co-manufacturer or packer needs to be better informed by their own customer, and this will see an increase in collaborative decision making that will increase the traction between third parties and their customers.
With the goalposts constantly changing, having the eyes of industry-aware custodians is super important. Add in the rise of the new labelling regulations and it’s clear that specialist expertise will pay dividends for any start-up.
All-important scale up
Then there’s scalability. With many startups using social media and having specific peaks linked to their marketing activity, call offs need to be responsive and reactionary so as not to miss vital sales opportunities. The rise of the ‘Tik Tok Influencer’ has created a new market force, where manufacturers, co packers and e-commerce and fulfilment partners need to work with their customers to respond quickly. In addition, peak events, like seasonal spikes and promotions, are where outsourcing partners can provide the necessary flexibility to ramp up production, packaging and logistics at short notice. Being adaptable and flexible to change capitalises on increased consumer demand without the burden of long-term resource investments.
Some young brands can be tempted into thinking they should invest in their own facilities, equipment and machinery. But this is simply not viable with outsourcing being a far more cost-effective solution. Successful FMCG brands always move production back in house once they have a product that is truly successful, has a long runway and where they have tested the market already – a vital role of a third-party – is to help brands develop to this stage.
Expert guidance
At this year’s Contract Packing & Fulfilment Show, co-located with Packaging Innovations and Empack, the BCMPA will continue to expound the value of members in the supply chain and help to put brands in contact – the experienced staff on the Association’s Hospitality Stand are available to help potential customers talk through their requirements and find tailormade solutions to meet their specific outsourcing needs, by service, sector and quality certification.
The final of the newly launched BCMPA Pitch the Co-Packers competition will take place on the second day of the exhibition – 12 February at 11.30am on the Supply Chain Stage. The four finalists will be able to hear live feedback from judges in a Dragons’ Den style format, providing them with a practical bridge between ideas and execution, where founders can pitch their idea, engage in open discussions, receive expert feedback and start conversations that could shape the future of their brands.
Part of the judges’ input will be to examine how much background work has gone into the development of the product; the building of a business plan, where they are in the production process and their vision for the future. Ultimately, judges want to identify how they can help to propel the brand forward.
That feedback comes from an experienced judging panel including Andrew Dawson, CEO at IPS, Laura Ball, marketing and business development director at PHL Group, Mike Williams, co-founder at Flake Bake, and Mitch Lee at PACK'D.
Pitch the Co-Packers demonstrates the importance of collaboration. It will also give the winner a valuable opportunity to take advantage of industry expertise. There is an exciting new generation of innovative and entrepreneurial talent and it’s important that the BCMPA supports them across a range of markets.
Assisting young talent with the tools to make their big idea fly is vital for the future of the industry. Every business must start somewhere and it’s in the interests of the supply chain to collaborate with emerging brands; their success is our success.
And that’s essentially the thrust of the BCMPA’s message; supporting brands to find the right outsourcing partner and build collaborative relationships for future success, a vital step in a world where running a business is getting much trickier.
Please visit the BCMPA and our exhibiting members at Contract Pack & Fulfilment Show as part of Packaging Innovations and Empack on 11-12 February 2026 at the NEC. Exhibiting BCMPA members are: Alexir; ALS Labelling Solutions; Charles Kendall; Complete Co-Packing Services; Contract Candles and Diffusers, ESL Studio; Expac; Food Nutrition Partners; Glowcroft; Granby Marketing; Culina IPS (Integrated Packing Services); Lemonpath; Lyte Packaging; Mibelle, Premier Labellers; PHL Group, Poppypac; Prism eLogistics; The Finishing Line; Universal Flexible Packaging; VPac Packaging; WeFill; and WePack.
