Packaging and design
Design agencies
Big Fish
Led by the larger-than-life Perry Haydn Taylor, Big Fish are the design agency behind some of the UK’s most well-known chal- lenger brands including Tyrrells crisps, Gü Desserts, Freddie’s Flowers, Dorset Cereals, Charlie Bigham’s... and so it continues. Creators of the term ‘pack-vertising’, they are expert at making your packaging ping off the shelf.
Pearlfisher
Recommended by Little Moons, who did their packaging design and brand messaging, this group focus on your consumer and work the way out from there. Impressive.
The Barn Agency
Headed up by the co-founder of Buy Women Built, Barny Macauly, this is a fantastic unit of brand design and messaging based between Bath and London, with satellite offices in the US. A client list that features a plethora of luxury brands – Orlebar Brown, Claridge’s, Diptyque, Moët et Chandon – the team know how to make magic happen.
The Refinery Design
A small independent design agency based in Malta. I used Jen Goodhand throughout the life of Childs Farm to update our labels and design material. If you are fairly clear on what you want, Jen is brilliant at finessing it. Excellent at pulling together colourful and exciting decks too!
Bottle, lid and tube suppliers
Berry M&H
Award-winning design, development and manufacturing of plastic bottles, jars and closures. Lots of availability for off-the-shelf products which saves money and time. Work brilliantly with Bantam 100 per cent recycled plastic, so ticking the sustainable plastic box too.
BodyPak Closures
Sam Oliver created this SME and grew the business by partner- ing with this clients, including Childs Farm. All he does is lids. And he does them brilliantly.
100 per cent recycled plastic supplier
Bantam Materials for Prevented Ocean Plastic
High-quality, certified and award-winning recycled plastic mate- rial that has been collected from coastal areas at risk of ocean plastic pollution. This social enterprise means employment in deprived areas, while clearing the pollution of plastic bottles. Headed up by the charming and driven Raffi Schieir, his goal is to go out of business because there’s no more plastic to recycle. I wish him every success in that. In the meantime, help him to clear as much waste plastic as possible by dropping virgin plastic from your supply chain.
Food supplier events
Foodex Manufacturing Solutions
Everything from packaging to manufacturing, this is a massive event with everything you could ever think of needing – and a load of stuff you had no idea about!
Packaging supplier events
Bread & Jam Festival
I’ve never seen so many varied and assorted packaging suppliers as I did when I went to talk at this event which is held annually in London. They do more than just this – all sorts of things for FMCG Challenger brands – so look them up and get involved!
Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna
A benchmark event for companies and professionals in all areas of the cosmetics industry that takes place in Bologna, Italy, every year. This is where you can source anything and everything and the latest in sustainable packing devices. Mind-blowing.