Meet the team | Andrew Kennedy, Managing Director
Hear from Managing Director Andrew Kennedy about Hera Beauty’s plans for this year- and beyond!
What would you like to achieve with Hera Beauty?
We’re already a leading UK manufacturer of cosmetics and personal care products. We focus on being the partner of choice for new and established brands, supporting them on their journey by manufacturing the products they want and need. We've been working with many ambitious brands and start-ups to help them grow and achieve success.
As a business, we want to look after our people and ensure we’re a great place to work. Hera Beauty has evolved hugely in recent years, having grown from just two members of the team to now numbering around 90 people. In 2025, we've talked about being bigger, better, and stronger. We've significantly invested in our factory and facilities; increasing our product range and the services we offer.
Ultimately, we want to exceed customers’ expectations in terms of our support throughout the product creation journey. Hera Beauty aims to be the ‘one-stop shop’ for ambitious brands. We have a really experienced team that can support businesses through every stage of development, manufacturing, and quality control.
What motivates you to succeed in your role?
As a business, we're agile and entrepreneurial, and I believe that reflects my character and drive too. At Hera Beauty, we take real delight in seeing our customers' success, and we’re proud to be part of that journey towards growth and expansion.
We’re always seeking ways to improve our manufacturing processes and systems. Asking: ‘How can we do these things better?’ is a big part of our DNA. What gives me satisfaction in my role is looking back over the past 12 months and seeing that we've improved and grown stronger along the way.
What is the team like at Hera Beauty, and how does each person contribute to the organisation’s success?
I’m proud that so many of our team have been with us throughout Hera Beauty’s journey. They've seen the business grow and evolve, and they've been a vital part of shaping that. We've also been fortunate enough to recruit further experts from within the industry, including people who have 20+ years of experience in cosmetics manufacturing. They've come on board and shared their insights and knowledge of the sector.
As a business, we're inclusive and like to empower teams to make a change. Each of the managers takes a lot of responsibility and pride in their departments, and continues to strive and push the business forward, which is fantastic to see.
Looking back, how has 2025 shaped Hera Beauty?
We've definitely experienced a very strong year and I’m aware that not everyone in the sector has. As a business, we've grown quite significantly, and we've also invested in expanding our Cambridgeshire factory. In 2025, we took on another unit to increase both our storage and manufacturing space.
The other big highlight is that we acquired Fikkerts Ltd in June. That has meant that we're now working with a number of brands in the toiletries and gifting space, which is a great addition and provides diversification for the business.
What would you like to continue building on in 2026?
We just had a ‘town hall’ day with our team, talking openly and transparently about plans for 2026. We started the year with a strong order book, with new customers on board, and we're confident about the year ahead.
Our focus remains on improving factory processes, and looking at new product development and innovation, so that we can cater for customers and meet the demand that we have. We've got some really exciting innovations on the way from our development team. We're always eager to introduce new products into our range and our service offer, including anything from self-tanning formulations all the way through to luxury hand creams.
What is the ‘bigger picture’ goal? What would be your ultimate aim?
We love to see what the next opportunities and trends are in the industry and to be part of that innovation. As a business, we've always sought profitable growth and to build long-term partnerships with our customers. The longer-term aspiration is to continue on that journey. The more successful our customers are, the more successful we are!
What do you think the challenges will be in the beauty sector for 2026 and beyond?
The beauty industry has lots of potential and is incredibly resilient and still experiencing strong growth. However, it is a very competitive space and the cost of acquisition and the cost of winning new customers keeps on going up for brands. As a manufacturer, we feel cost pressure in terms of wages, inflation, and energy costs too. We need to continue improving what we do with innovation and by supporting our customers to stay ahead by flexibly meeting their needs.
Where do you think the beauty industry is headed and how will Hera Beauty lead the way?
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the sector. As a business, we are passionate about how we can support this. We've always focused on natural formulations, innovative packaging, and ways to improve a brand's sustainability. We have the capability to ethically manufacture just about anything our partners need!
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Hera Beauty supports brands in every step of their product development journey - from initial concept through to launch and beyond.
With our wide range of private label skincare and haircare formulations, plus an in-house product development team, we can quickly and efficiently bring your products to market.
