How to choose a private label personal care cosmetic manufacturer

The personal care cosmetic industry is changing at lightspeed. Established personal care and cosmetic brands are struggling to connect with their consumers in this digital age while disruptive brands, selling through non-traditional distribution channels using modern day marketing and engagement strategies, are gaining market share and customer loyalty.

This new landscape is terrifying the big companies, but for everyone else interested in developing and selling personal care and cosmetic products there has never been a more exciting time full of potential and opportunity for brands selling products such as shampoos, conditioners, moisturisers, fake tans, beard oils, male grooming products, SPF creams etc…

If the industry is changing, so too must the supply chain, but are cosmetic manufacturers changing quickly enough and what are the important factors you should consider when selecting a contract manufacturer?

Understanding

Do you want your contract manufacturer to understand your business model and what you require of them?

This is commonly the biggest problem that faces brand owners. Typically contract manufacturers are businesses owned or run by chemists, engineers or second generation family members, who have never done what you do, or plan to do, and while they might be good at mixing ingredients and putting them in bottles they are unable to contribute any further to the success of your business, or understand how the problems sometimes caused by manufacturers can affect you and your business.

At Group55 we are different, we understand your requirements completely. How? We have the t-shirt, we’ve walked the walk. We have developed award winning brands, we have worked with personal care cosmetic manufacturers and we have endured every frustration associated with dealing with third party contract manufacturers. It was for these reasons we set up our own manufacturing capability which focuses almost exclusively on manufacturing brand owner’s and retailer’s private label personal care products.

We understand the importance of clear product briefs, excellent communication, innovation (and delivering it quickly), well managed CPAs, attention to detail in every aspect of the manufacturing process and providing expert advice in branding, packaging, marketing, launch strategy, staff training, supply chain management, formulations and testing etc…

Facilities & Equipment

Do you want your contract manufacturer to operate from a state-of-the-art facility or an old farm building?

The provenance of your products may or may not be important to you. You may be happy to select a contract manufacturer who can deliver the cheapest prices by working out of old, dark and dusty buildings with old machines crammed into a warehouse next to the mixing plant and warehouse racking; you will find plenty of manufacturers of this ilk.

At Group55 we operate from a newly built £2m facility with state-of-the-art facilities comprising a testing laboratory, development laboratory, QA laboratory, dispensary, hot room, separate mixing hall and a separate production hall with new bespoke purpose-built filling lines.

Personnel

Do you want your contract manufacturer to employ excellence throughout the business?

Investment in staff and the retention of staff can be expensive but often delivers excellence. At Group55 we employ highly skilled and experienced people throughout the business. Our senior management team comprises a Managing Director, two Sales Directors, Operations Manager, Technical Manager, Quality Manager, Engineering Manager, Production Manager and an Accounts Manager and between them lies more than 185 years of experience.

Make a Visit

When it comes to choosing a personal care cosmetic manufacturer the most important step to take is to go and visit them to inspect their facilities and to meet the team; the whole team! A contract manufacturer who does not offer a full site visit and introduction to all key staff is not likely to invest in you and provide a service that ensures they help you maximise your brand’s potential.

At Group55 our doors are always open and the kettle is on, come and get to know us, meet our chemists, spend time in the labs, learn about your products, watch your products go down a filling line (film it for social media content), talk strategy and NPD with us, learn from us and allow us to help you become as successful as you hope to be.

We look forward to meeting you.