Our most innovative brands went head-to-head to win a 1 week pop-up with a top retailer!
Top Drawer is excited to join forces with IND!E to allow 3 exhibitors to pitch their products to a panel of major retailers, to be in with the chance of winning a 1-week pop-up in a leading high street store.
In true Dragons Den-style, 3 lucky exhibitors have been shortlisted to perform a 5-10 minute pitch to our audience live on the Retail Revealed stage on Monday 13th January at Top Drawer. Each exhibitor will have just a few vital minutes to pitch their products and convince our judges why they deserve to win a 1 week pop-up with a leading high street store!
Meet our winner: Planet Good Earth
About Planet Good Earth: Planet Good Earth is at the forefront of environmental education and sustainability, creating products that are both educational and eco-friendly. With a deep commitment to helping the next generation cultivate a greener, more connected future, they make sustainability engaging and accessible. Their products encourage children to learn about the environment while fostering creativity, making Planet Good Earth a truly meaningful brand aligned with the future of sustainable living.
Business Purpose: Planet Good Earth aims to inspire the next generation of environmental leaders by making sustainability engaging and accessible. Their mission is encapsulated in their motto: "Let's grow good things together."
Current Listings: Planet Good Earth's products are listed at Molly Meg, Hayward Gallery, Wellcome Collection, Daylesford, Arket, Fred Aldous, Papersmiths, Goodhood, Merci, Kitchen Provisions, The Garden Museum, and Glassette.
Unique Selling Points:
- Engaging & Impactful Design: Eye-catching and beautifully crafted packaging that tells the story of sustainability in a playful yet meaningful way.
- Appealing to Conscious Consumers: Products that speak directly to eco-aware shoppers looking for unique, environmentally friendly solutions.
- Long-term Potential: A growing range of products with significant opportunities for repeat purchases.
- Proven Industry Recognition: Recognition from major outlets such as The Guardian, Junior Magazine, and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
- Strong Market Fit: Success in engaging eco-conscious and design-focused audiences.
Why We Selected Planet Good Earth's Product: Planet Good Earth's products should be selected because they are 100% sustainable and offer a unique blend of education and eco-friendliness. As a lifestyle brand, their imagery translates across many product categories, making them suitable for collaborations and partnerships. Their engaging Seed Series, which turns gardening into an adventure for children, embodies cultural heritage, sustainability, and innovation, making it a standout in the market.
Finalists Overview: Planet Good Earth is making waves in the world of creative play and environmental action. Recently featured in The Guardian’s “Best Christmas Gifts for 2024”, their playful Seed Series is celebrated as a thoughtful and eco-conscious present for young green thumbs and their families. The brand has received GOLD from Junior Magazine for Best Creative Play and showcased its vision at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, earning a Bronze Medal. Their innovative approach, dynamic collaborations, and commitment to sustainability position them well for continued growth. We believe Planet Good Earth has everything it takes to thrive in today’s market and shape a more sustainable future. Congratulations!
Meet Our Shortlist:
About Rounded: Founded by Kate, Rounded was born out of the frustration of finding stylish, fun, and unique footballs that were also affordable. Kate noticed a gap in the market for design-led footballs that would appeal to children's unique personalities and be something they would love to show off. Additionally, she saw the need for a gift box that could make the gifting experience easier and also serve as a storage solution. The result is a football with a reusable, stackable gift box that looks great in any room.
Business Purpose: Rounded aims to develop design-led football products for the gift industry. Additionally, the brand is committed to supporting Girls Grassroots football through donations and sponsorship opportunities as it grows.
Unique Selling Points:
- Designs: The footballs feature unique and stylish designs that stand out from standard options.
- Reusable Gift Box: Each football comes with a reusable gift box that doubles as a storage solution, making it both practical and attractive.
Current Listings: Rounded's products will be exclusively launched to retailers at Top Drawer at the Coral & Mint stand.
Why Rounded's Product was Selected: Rounded's gift-boxed footballs have wide appeal and make a unique, eye-catching display in any retail environment. Showcasing the product to consumers at Top Drawer would provide valuable feedback to support brand growth and shape future designs and product lines.
Finalists Overview: Rounded is on a mission to make football cool for girls, tapping into the growing popularity of women's football. Their fresh and forward-thinking approach, combined with the practical insight that men prefer square gifts for easier wrapping, makes Rounded a promising new brand. We are excited to see how they develop and wish them all the best on their journey.
About Sarah Petherick: Sarah Petherick specialises in designing and creating high-end, contemporary horn and lacquerware, bringing a time-honoured traditional Vietnamese craft into the modern European vernacular. Established in 2003, the business took a 10-year break and was re-launched in January 2023 at Top Drawer. Sarah's work is a fusion of age-old techniques with contemporary designs, resulting in unique, high-quality pieces that are both functional and artistic.
Business Purpose: Sarah Petherick aims to seamlessly blend traditional Vietnamese craftsmanship with contemporary design, creating unique, high-quality lacquerware that is both functional and artistic. The business is committed to supporting artisanship and eco-friendly practices, ensuring that each piece embodies cultural heritage, sustainability, and innovation.
Unique Selling Points:
- Cultural Fusion: Seamlessly blends traditional Vietnamese craftsmanship with contemporary design.
- Artisanal Craftsmanship: Exceptional craftsmanship that highlights the beauty of Vietnamese lacquer techniques.
- Durability & Functionality: High-quality, durable products that are both practical and elegant.
- Eco-Friendly Materials: Commitment to sustainability through the use of eco-friendly materials.
- Elegant Design: Timeless and sophisticated aesthetic that enhances any dining experience.
- Cultural Storytelling: Each piece tells a story, adding depth and meaning to the product.
- Versatility: Suitable for various settings and occasions.
- Limited Edition Appeal: Unique and exclusive designs that stand out in the market.
Why We Selected Sarah Petherick's Product: Sarah Petherick's lacquerware should be selected because it seamlessly blends traditional Vietnamese craftsmanship with contemporary design, offering unique, high-quality products that are both functional and artistic. The noodle bowl collection embodies cultural heritage, sustainability, and innovation, making it a standout in the market. Its exceptional craftsmanship, durability, and elegant aesthetic provide customers with a meaningful, long-lasting product that enhances dining experiences while supporting artisanship and eco-friendly practices.
Current Listings: Sarah Petherick's lacquer noodle bowls will be launched at Top Drawer in January 2025.
Finalists Overview: Sarah Petherick's innovative approach to tableware and inspiration from Vietnamese lacquer techniques bring a fresh and timeless aesthetic to the market. Her noodle bowl collection is a standout, and we are excited to see how it will be received at Top Drawer. We wish Sarah all the best as she showcases her beautiful work.
Meet Our Judges
Marianne Carter, Buyer,
Morleys Stores Group
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Marianne has over 15 years of Buying and Product Development experience in the home and gifting sector, having worked for retailers such as Habitat and Laura Ashley. She moved to Morley Stores in 2022 and is now responsible for buying the Gifting and Stationery ranges for the group.
Jason Billings-Cray, Buyer,
John Lewis
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Jason is a new Buyer for Cards and Collections at John Lewis. He has been in the role for 1 year, previously working on the Christmas Shop, where he was the Buyer for 3 years.
Jason has been at John Lewis for 8 years, starting on Curtains, he then moved to Cushions, followed by Christmas, and now Cards and Collections... there's a theme there, only C products so far! Jason studied History of Art BA and Contemporary Art Theory MA at University, studies that he loved, combining my interest in Art and all things visual with analytics and theoretical observations... This too is why he loves his job as a Buyer. Jason is very visual in his approach, attracted to great design and colour, combined with a desire to edit, curate and build the perfect assortment for the JL and Waitrose customers.
Sara Allbright, Director & Co-Founder, Retail100
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With more than 18 years of buying experience, Sara has specialised in brand relationships and growing small emerging brands into market leaders. Sara is also experienced in own label sourcing across multiple categories and countries.
Previous to Retail 100 Consulting, Sara spent 18 years at John Lewis & Partners, working in buying, predominantly in home and seasonal categories, spending the last 8 of those years leading Gift and Home fragrance buying.
Sara has a degree in Textile Design from the University of Birmingham. Sara’s retail experience has been bolstered by training at the Oxford university retail summer school and on the Gap partnerships Negotiation programme.
Matt Hopkins, Founder, IND!E
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Matt Hopkins is a seasoned business leader with over 25 years of experience in successfully selling products to major retailers. He excels in identifying growth opportunities, crafting robust commercial strategies, and driving impactful sales and marketing initiatives.
A visionary entrepreneur and creative thinker, Matt has a proven track record of developing and scaling diverse business models. His expertise in licensed branding has led to collaborations with renowned brands such as Jamie Oliver, Laura Ashley, The Great British Bake Off, and Chef Tom Kerridge. Throughout his extensive career, Matt recognised a significant shift in consumer trends toward locally made products with compelling stories. This insight inspired him to establish IND!E, a fresh and dynamic force driving change in the retail industry. Under Matt’s leadership, IND!E has become a market leader, supporting both major retailers and the SME challenger brand community. The company operates hundreds of pop-up shops in major retail locations each year and has pioneered a unique shop-in-shop concept, offering a crucial stepping stone for SME brands.
About IND!E
IND!E Pop-Up was founded in 2014 with two goals in mind. The first was to help small businesses grow and scale by giving them a route into retail, and the second was to bring exciting, unique, local products to major retailers enabling them to offer something different alongside their big-name brands.
Since the brand's inception, we’ve generated an incredible £50 million in revenue for small businesses, shipped 3 million packages, managed 5,000 pop-up events and created an active network of 14,000 emerging brands. We’re responsible for hugely successful, regionally sourced in-store pop-ups throughout the UK.
And they are nowhere near finished!
IND!E know how difficult it is for emerging and growing brands to succeed in a world where mass-produced products are on almost every shelf in-store and online. While mass production has its advantages, it’s really important that creativity and innovation prevail to boost both local and global economies, keep traditional skills alive and satisfy consumers pursuing unique, meaningful and customised goods.
The company operates hundreds of pop-up shops in major retail locations each year and has pioneered a unique shop-in-shop concept, offering a crucial stepping stone for SME brands. Additionally, IND!E provides a comprehensive learning and resource hub and is set to launch its own e-commerce platform this year, further solidifying its role as an innovator in the retail landscape.
Overall, IND!E want to help create reasons to visit the high street.