From concept to launch to supply chain management, Univar Solutions can help emerging indies and established brands avoid costly hiccups and headaches.  Tom Flatley, Global Brand Manager, explains why Univar’s new Global Brand Development Team is the perfect partner for beauty pioneers.
 
Christine Esposito: Univar Solutions has a new Global Brand Development Team in place. What’s this team’s primary function?
 
Tom Flatley: Our team was created to fill a noticeable gap in support for brands operating in the Beauty and Personal Care space.  There wasn’t any one team dedicated to providing guidance to new brands as they looked at expansion and developed their growth plans. Confusion at the brand level began trickling down to all aspects of the business.  We knew that to help streamline the process, we needed to work directly with the brand owners.  The Global Brand Development team was created to provide support, guidance and direction, and be the crutch for both emerging indie and established brands in the market to help them expand and grow. 
 
CE: There is so much competition within indie beauty today, how can Univar Solutions help a new brand get out into the marketplace quickly and with fewer missteps that can prove costly?
 
TF: Our team of experts have worked in various roles across the Beauty and Personal Care industry.  We draw on our experience in product development, marketing and sales to provide a holistic view and deep experience in the space.  We know the questions to ask right from the start and can help a brand understand all of the steps necessary to go from concept to launch.  After launch, our experience in  supply chains provides critical, continued support to brands. 
 
CE: What are some critical issues indie brands need to keep in mind if they need expand their production or find a new contract manufacturer?

TF: Supply chain is critical to long-term success.  We’re seeing brands use more and more exotic ingredients to try and stand out, but this typically creates long lead times and risk of unavailability.  Knowing your product portfolio and having an accurate understanding of lead times is key to forecasting and hitting launch targets. As a distributor, we leverage our unique position, robust ingredient portfolio and strong industry connections to provide unmatched value to indie brands. Our knowledge, connections and expertise allow our brand partners to take the guess work out of their supply chain structure and forecasting solutions.   
 
CE: Supply issues can cause headaches for any brand. How can Univar Solutions help with ingredient sourcing? 
 
TF: While our Global Brand Development team is focused and nimble, we do have the backing of one of the largest distribution companies in the world.  This gives us the power to enter strategic stocking partnerships with our brands across the country.  With a material requirements plan (MRP) and formulation specifics, our team can build and monitor a forecast for all key specialty ingredients, allowing for local stocking for all contract manufacturers.  We can also streamline pricing to improve efficiencies. 
 
CE: Can you also help when it comes to uncovering hero ingredients or new materials that can enhance a formulation or make it more sustainable, for example?
 
TF: Absolutely! Univar Solutions has an in-depth specialty product portfolio specifically dedicated to Beauty and Personal Care.  Our supplier partners are always releasing new technologies, and new data for existing materials that offer proven benefits that brands can leverage in new and innovative ways. We can also help with every aspect of formulation through our labs in Houston, Texas and Versailles, France.  These facilities provide formulary support from minor modifications to full scale project briefs.  Once we have a strong understanding of the product design and objectives, we can create a bespoke formulation to meet your needs.  We can also then conduct stability and support in the transfer to the contract manufacturer.  
 
CE: Do you see opportunities for indie brands in other regions outside the US?
 
TF: We do.  Through the work we’ve done with brands in the US, we realized that the lack of support isn’t unique.  We’ve already established team members in EMEA and have begun the brand mapping process in APAC and LATAM.  We are the only Global Brand Development Team currently offering support on a global scale for indie and established brands.  This gives us unique insight into global trends and gives us the capabilities to help established brands launch in entirely new regions.  It’s hard enough finding the right contract manufacturer in your own backyard; It’s ten times more difficult when you’re launching across oceans.  Our sales team is also global, connecting knowledge and knowhow from all regions. 
 
CE: Those sound like great opportunities. But there is nuance and red tape that brands need to navigate if they want to be successful in a new market. How can Univar Solutions help?
 
TF: We have the resources to help every step of the way.  From concept we can begin to make suggestions on hero ingredients and product forms that are on trend.  Once a formulation has been finalized and stability is ongoing, we can introduce you to the right contract manufacturer based on product form, MOQ and quality requirements. We can then help with forecasting, pricing and stocking to commercialize and launch the product. Then when you’re ready to do it all again with your next line, or if you’re ready to enter your next market—we’re there, ready to support.