2024 marks the 25th anniversary of Group55, a leading private label manufacturer specialising in Personal Care, Pet Care and Home Care products. Beginning life as a business offering fulfilment and ecommerce services, to becoming brand owners, to setting up their own manufacturing facilities; For a quarter of a century, Group55 has evolved and adapted to meet the ever-changing market, whilst remaining true to their DNA.
Group55 was founded by Stephen Turner (pictured above at the head office) in 1999 with just £700, and the business began life as an ecommerce business at the very start of the popularity of the internet. Offering ecommerce sales and fulfilment services for brands who didn’t know where to start. Stephen comments, “Group55 started in a tiny, old, run down unit with no toilet but it did have electricity and everything grew from there! We worked with a small number of clients managing their ecommerce activities and grew to become consultants giving advice to major brands and retailers on the emerging digital economy helping them navigate brand narratives, product portfolios, customer engagement and distribution in this revolutionary space. We found a particular success within the pet sector!”
As Animology grew in success, pet retailers and other pet brands approached Group55 to manage their own pet care ranges and Group55 started creating private label pet care products shortly after. After a number of years working with contract manufacturers, Stephen and the team were unable to find the service level they required so set on the next phase of the journey and set up their own manufacturing facility in 2017.
Group55 founder Stephen Turner at the company's current warehouse (left) and at the original warehouse in 1999 (right)
This expansion, and the experience of their new team then opened the doors for Group55 to create products for personal care and household products as well as continuing in the pet care space. Today, Group55 continues to grow and thrive as a contract manufacturer, and they also offer in-house co-packing, warehousing and fulfilment, offering a full 360°service from concept to delivery.
Stephen reflects, “We’ve been on quite a journey over the past 25 years, and I’ve always been a big believer in looking at the future state, we’re exploring some of the most innovative technological advances in the space and who knows where the next 25 years will take us. What I do know for sure is, we have something unique to offer to our customers as we’ve been right where they are - and we get it! That gives us a really strong foundationfor collaborative, partnership based relationships with our customers; if we can help our customers become successful, we become more successful. Here’s to the next 25 years.”
