The Growth Stories Reshaping Premium Consumer Right Now
Where investment is flowing across the UK consumer sector — and what it means for hiring
Capital is backing consumer brands with a clear point of view.
Beauty, fashion, hospitality and wellness businesses are investing in production, expansion and the teams needed to support their next phase of growth.
It is an energising time to be hiring across the premium consumer market.
Across the sectors we work in, investment is backing brands with a distinctive identity, a credible route to growth and a clear understanding of their customer. A striking amount of this activity is centred on British-founded brands and businesses.
The growth strategies differ. Some businesses are increasing production, some are entering international markets and others are acquiring complementary brands. Each strategy creates a need for talented people who can turn commercial ambition into sustainable growth.
Here is a sector-by-sector look at where the money is going and what it could mean for hiring across beauty and lifestyle, luxury goods and apparel, food and beverage and the wider consumer goods market.
Beauty and personal care
Beauty brands are investing in manufacturing, international retail and more sustainable materials.
North London skincare brand Cetuem, known for its gold-infused formulations, secured a six-figure funding package from Allica Bank. The funding is supporting improvements at its Barnet headquarters and expansion of its Elstree manufacturing site as the independent, family-owned business responds to growing demand.
At the more established end of the market, artisanal fragrance house Perfumer H secured a £3.4 million strategic investment from Elixir 1 Investment and Ilyos Capital. Perfumer H reported 30% revenue growth during 2025, with the investment supporting the next stage of its retail and international development.
The opportunity extends beyond finished beauty products. London biomaterials company Shellworks raised $15 million in Series A funding to scale Vivomer, its compostable alternative to conventional plastic packaging.
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Fashion and luxury goods
Acquisition is becoming an important route to international scale.
British travel and luggage brand Antler acquired US label Paravel, creating the foundation for its wider House of Travel Brands strategy.
The group has set an ambition of exceeding £100 million in global sales by 2029. Bringing Antler, Paravel and Australian travel brand Nere together gives the business access to complementary customers, products and geographical markets.
It is a useful example of a British consumer brand using acquisition as a growth lever. Instead of building every proposition and market presence from the beginning, the business can create scale by bringing established but distinct brands under one group.
This kind of strategy can create hiring requirements across brand, merchandising, ecommerce, wholesale, international sales, finance, operations and supply chain.
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Food, drink and hospitality
British hospitality concepts are attracting capital to support national and international growth.
Dishoom, the Bombay café-inspired restaurant group founded in 2010, accepted external investment for the first time in August 2025. L Catterton acquired a minority stake in a transaction reported to value the business at approximately £300 million.
The partnership is supporting Dishoom's international growth, including its move into New York. It represents confidence in the ability of a carefully developed British hospitality concept to travel internationally without losing the details that made it successful.
London-founded premium coffee company WatchHouse secured a £10.9 million Series B funding round led by HighPost Capital. The business plans to grow from around 25 locations to 100 globally by 2029, building on its presence in London, Bath, New York and the UAE.
London soft drinks company Dalston's also secured minority investment led by Sorven Capital. The funding will support distribution and marketing while the company continues to operate as a founder-led brand.
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Wellness and consumer health
Personalisation and clearly defined consumer needs continue to attract investment.
Birmingham-based Rem3dy Health, the parent company of personalised nutrition brand Nourished, completed a €16 million funding round, equivalent to approximately £14 million.
The investment is supporting international growth in markets including North America, India, the Middle East and North Africa, alongside further development of the company's manufacturing, automation and personalisation capabilities.
Investors are increasingly backing propositions that solve a clearly defined problem for a clearly defined audience, rather than brands attempting to speak to every consumer at once.
That clarity can create opportunities across product development, retail, ecommerce, digital marketing, customer acquisition, partnerships and operations as brands move from early traction into wider distribution.
Explore Consumer GoodsGrowth creates demand for people.
Whether it begins with fresh investment, an acquisition or international expansion, growth changes what a business needs from its team.
As brands scale, they need to strengthen capability across the organisation. New locations, products, channels and markets create additional complexity, and the right hires help ensure that growth remains commercially effective and operationally sustainable.
For candidates, joining a brand at this stage can offer the opportunity to make a visible contribution. Roles often develop quickly as the business grows, giving people exposure to new responsibilities, markets and commercial challenges.
For employers, growth also increases competition for talent. Strong candidates are selective, particularly in premium consumer markets where relevant sector experience, commercial judgement and cultural alignment can be difficult to find in one person.
Investment gives a business the capacity to grow. Building the right team is what enables it to turn that investment into meaningful progress.
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