Slide
Brand Labs 2022: The Shortlist
Can we just start by saying WOW! What a year for Brand Labs.
We’ve said it before and probably sound like a broken record, but we truly have been blown away by the number of entries this year. Close to 150 Welsh businesses applied for Brand Labs 2022 — a record breaking year. Every application was fuelled with passion and purpose, and we loved reading each and every one. Game changing ideas and innovation are happening all around us; the scale of entrepreneurship in Wales is inspiring.
The purpose of Brand Labs has always been to give back — to help one Welsh business build the brand of their dreams. A business that may not have the time, the budget, the experience or the confidence to do so. But with this competition comes the extremely hard decision of choosing that one business. Believe us when we say it, we would love to work with every single entry!
But Brand Labs is a competition, and we have to shortlist. We’ve definitely all fought for our favourites here in the studio, but are pleased to announce our four shortlisted finalists for Brand Labs 2022. In no particular order:
1. Barry Island Spirits Co
Barry Island is so often associated with Gavin & Stacey… but there’s a new face in town! Born out of the covid pandemic in 2020, Barry Island Spirits Co is a small, family-run independent spirits business specialising in creating premium, small-batch spirits from the purest Welsh water from the Brecon Beacons. With recipes inspired by the South Wales coastline, their creations include a Botanical Spiced Rum, a Pink Dry Gin and an Organic Vodka. Having already won 3x Great Taste Awards, 3x Gin Guide Awards and with a growing customer base under their belts, these guys are ones to watch out for on Barry Island!
2. PlantSea Ltd
The problem of plastic pollution is high on today’s agenda. Once discarded, plastic waste sits for centuries in landfill or drifts through our oceans endangering sea-life. PlantSea Ltd aims to replace these environmentally damaging petroleum-based plastics with sustainable and biodegradable alternatives using natural resources found on our shores. We are fascinated by their revolutionary water-soluble shampoo pod that holds liquid shampoo and shower gel. With just a squeeze of the product, the packaging disappears!
3. ToyBox Project
Founded and run by just a small team of volunteers, ToyBox Project takes in unwanted toys and gifts them to families and organisations in need. Providing free toys to schools, community groups, refugees, hospitals and charities to name a few, they work with key partners such as social services and health visitors to identify those children most in need. It’s heartbreaking to think that millions of perfectly good toys go to landfill each year within the UK, whilst millions of children don’t have books or toys at home to play with. We were drawn to this heart warming charity that has big ambitions to deliver a toyshop experience to every child, without the hefty price tag.
4. Bluecube Marine Ltd
Climate change is a critical issue that affects the oceans just as much as land based life, and we were shocked to learn that up to 70% of sea defences are likely to be vulnerable as climate change continues. BlueCube Marine Ltd aims to combat that damage. Specialising in retrofitting biodiversity enhancing features to man-made coastal structures, they offer design engineering, manufacturing of formliners and concrete units, planning of post-installation monitoring, ecological consultancy and project management. This is important, big picture and inspiring work.
… and now it’s time for the interviews.
Watch this space for the announcement of our winner. Who would you choose?
Thank you
A special thank you to Business News Wales who shared Brand Labs online and within their regional newsletters to get the word out. But most of all, we’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has applied this year. It was a total joy to learn about you all and we wish you the absolute best of luck for the future.