The accidental chairman

“Peter Littlewood is one of my dad’s friend’s brothers-in-law,” he says. “One thing led to another and we ended up meeting. That was quite a lucky thing to have happened.”

Littlewood was formerly Allied Domecq chief commercial officer, and senior vice-president of corporate marketing and strategy at Mars USA. “He brings real consumer and large company experience to the role,” Ferrier notes.

Ferrier and his business partner Simon Duffy came up with the idea for their company when they were working in corporate America. “I was in M&A and Simon was in new product development. We’d been out of the UK a long time and it was a case of continuing in the States longer term or coming back.

“The more we chatted, the more it seemed logical that it would be good to work together. Both of us are fairly entrepreneurial characters.”

Like many entrepreneurs, they had spotted a niche in the market. “The use of natural beauty products is on the rise in the States. People care just as much about what they put on their skin as what they put into their bodies,” Ferrier says.

Duffy and Ferrier moved back to the UK in 2006 and Bulldog launched its range of natural male grooming products in Sainsbury’s in mid-2007. Ferrier says things are going swimmingly. “It’s obviously a really challenging segment to play in because there are so many massive players such as L’Oreal and Unilever but it’s gone very well.

“Sales are running way ahead of expectations and Sainsbury’s is incredibly happy. I think we’ll be increasing the product range in the summer.”

Ferrier says turnover is going to hit between £500,000 and £750,000 this year but is hopeful Bulldog reach the million pound mark next year

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