As the new tax year dawns, you may be making business plans and decisions to carry your business forward. This can be both exciting and daunting.

With this in mind, we're shining a spotlight on some of the many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have made strides in the eCommerce industry recently. These UK-based SMEs are not just surviving, but thriving in a world where online shopping has become the norm in our everyday lives. 

Join us as we take you through a collection of eCommerce success stories to inspire you.

Wild & Wood Skincare

From humble beginnings sat on a living room floor, and with four young children between them, Hollie Sharpin and Lorna Hirst decided to invest the last £1,000 of their overdrafts into setting up their vision.

What was that vision? To create vegan, all-natural skincare products that would nourish all skin types.

That was back in early 2020 and now that dream has blossomed into the very successful Wild & Wood Skincare of Pontefract in West Yorkshire. They have gained 80,000 social media followers, sold over 70,000 product items and achieved a million-pound turnover!

Despite this success, the company still very much has a hands-on approach, ensuring each component is sustainably sourced and that everything is hand-crafted by the founders and their family team.

Crispy Fantasy 

Healthier alternative foods are no longer the preserve of health food shops. With an increase in awareness of special dietary requirements, the UK government's so-called "sugar tax" and a restriction on advertising and promotions of unhealthy food imposed from October 2022, there was a vacuum for a strong cereal brand to step in and seize the opportunity.

Enter entrepreneurs Raphaël Nahoum and Andrea Rodrik with their cereal brand Crispy Fantasy.

Their debut chocolate flavour aims to evoke your childhood favourites, but with the benefit of carrying eight grams of plant-based protein and 50% less sugar per portion than the leading brands on the market.

With the UK cereal market worth £2.76 billion, the pair have worked hard to develop their cereal. Plus, smart logistical choices have enabled them to already bring two more flavours of cereal online: cinnamon and honey. Both of these still maintain the brand's core health promises, with just eight grams of protein and less than three grams of sugar per bowl. 

Lucy & Yak

With the founders describing themselves as "two rebellious Northerners", it may come as a surprise to learn that Lucy & Yak actually started life on a beach in New Zealand. That's a far cry from Lucy Greenwood and Chris Renwick's home in Barnsley!

The couple began selling pre-loved clothes and handmade pouches and – on returning to the UK – they bought their van (Yak). With transport sorted, they began selling vintage clothes around the UK via the website Depop. 

Developing their creative eye, they designed the first of their now-famous dungarees. On finding a partner in India, they made their first batch. And the rest is history!

Built on the principles of "kindness, fairness and all-round good vibes", the Lucy & Yak brand has grown steadily over five years.

Partnering with suppliers who operate on similar principles, the founders source organic and recycled fabrics for their garments and encourage their customers to "Re-Yak" their purchases through their repair and upcycle network.

Grind 

Like lots of businesses, during the global pandemic in 2020 London-based coffee brand Grind was forced to close its cafes and look to move its brand online. Moving into the world of coffee pods, it developed a home-compostable coffee pod for the Nespresso coffee machine, which breaks down in a compost bin faster than a banana skin. 

With sustainability such an important issue for the planet – and so many more people working from home – this sustainable solution for home coffee machines seems to be a real winner. After all, 29,000 plastic and aluminium Nespresso coffee pods go to landfill every minute – and Grind is on a mission to curb this.

It's claimed that Grind makes more than two million cups of coffee a year across its London cafés, and the brand says that "12 million more are made at home and by our friends at Soho House. That's one every three seconds."

Popsy Clothing

With a passion for patterns, Cherish Reardon launched Popsy Clothing in 2017 and – through her creativity and kindness – the brand has cultivated an online community of 100,000 passionate advocates. These fans love the products and support each other with the message of body confidence and positivity. 

Woven out of a love for printed pattern fabrics and dresses with pockets, the West Midlands company has grown its own in-house team of "sewing ladies" to serve its 20,000-strong customer base. And it's the little touches – like offering to make your order to a bespoke length – that has seen the popularity of the brand soar to a £3.4 million turnover in 2021.

Best of the international SMEs

All our featured companies have been UK-based so far, so here are a few international companies that are also rocking the eCommerce world.

Luxe Label – an Australian company specialising in the luxury fashion sector. The company was started in 2020 by two friends who wanted to bring high-end fashion to the Australian market. The brand gained a loyal following due to its curated selection of designer clothing and accessories, as well as its exceptional customer service. It saw a huge 60% increase in sales in 2022 and the founders plan to expand their product range to include home and beauty products.

Olive & June – an online retailer of nail care products, based in the US. This company started in 2013, but saw huge growth (50% increase in sales) in 2022, leading to plans to expand into salons and spas.

The Wooden Wick Co. – launched in Canada in 2017, this brand specialises in candle-making supplies. After a very successful period, it has now rebranded to Makesy – and supplies a wide range of crafting kits and materials.

Have we inspired you? A 3PL solution could be just the thing to springboard your eCommerce business forward. At Stowsafe, we help all kinds of eCommerce retailers grow online with fast, flexible order fulfilment. Learn more about our eCommerce fulfilment process – or get in touch to discuss your requirements with one of our experts.