FMCG Consultancy by Smith Carey | Capability & commercial consultancy

Business Consultancy

Our FMCG consultancy expertise allows us to fit the right consultant around your needs. We consult in 2 key areas: capability consultancy and commercial consultancy. Our capability consultancy delivers tools, process, hands on support, that will deliver and embed an effective capability strategy or transformation. Our commercial consultancy service includes ‘Go to market’ planning: best in class cost increase: new channel strategy: live commercial negotiation or in many cases challenges you just need sorting!

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Our Approach

Our Team have an outstanding track record, expertise, knowledge and experience in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) market with a tireless passion in delivering first-class candidate and client standards. We do what we say with a personal touch that is unrivalled in the industry. We attract, retain and develop the best talent in the FMCG industry. It often helps to get a new perspective or an independent view, as well as expert support to review your key challenges. Our approach is simple; once we have understood your needs we will engage the right expert consultant to ensure the chemistry and fit is right and define how best to deliver against your challenge. We then agree the shape and duration of the project, fixed contract or interim day rate. Once underway we review both progress and deliverables on a monthly basis to ensure we are on track and necessary action is taken to meet agreed timelines.

Consultancy Services

Capability Consultancy

Our Capability consultancy can develop and bring alive an effective people plan, establishing tools, processes and competencies that deliver an effective capability strategy or transformation. We work with you to develop and deliver your capability strategy in an integrated approach to recruiting, retaining and developing the best team as well as implementing an effective change and transformation process – from current to desired state. We then help design and develop the appropriate targeted coaching and training programme to support this plan. Our typical outputs are:

Delivering a clear capability strategy that will sit across the whole business and is the backbone to attracting, retaining and developing the best people
Technical and behavioural competency framework and benchmark
Delivering the transformation plan – people change and consultation
Employer branding strategy and implementation
Change and continuous improvement programme

Commercial Consultancy

UK market access with clear assessment of the opportunity and selling and negotiation plan. Our track record as senior commercial experts in FMCG, across both manufacturer and retail disciplines allows us to bring ‘both sides of the fence’ to help you and your team, bringing the right skills and expertise together. Once we have clearly understood your needs and challenge we will then recommend and agree a clear plan of action and approach that fully integrates with your team, whilst allowing the day to day business to run smoothly. This typically includes outputs such as:

New commercial strategy development and implementation
Category vision and customer engagement
Specific customer Category and Shopper project and activation plan
A ‘go to market’ plan to open up specific trade channels e.g. Discounter strategy
Live Negotiation planning and implementation e.g. NPD or cost increase across the trade
UK market access for the first time with clear assessment of the opportunity and trade negotiation plan
Defensible trade terms – pricing strategy

If you want to take your business to the next level, come talk to our experts.

Case Studies

FMCG Branded

Our consultant successfully delivered both a business and capability project assignment in a £3bn branded snacks business within the ‘Away From Home’ channel. Based on a specific brief to firstly help deliver a major transformation change and then lead the team during this transition, we helped define and manage an effective people transformation change for over 70 people. The project concluded with positive client feedback, delivered on time over a period of 18 months, whilst ensuring effective delivery of the budgeted sales and profit with year on year growth.

FMCG Own label

As part of a full people review we helped develop a ‘commercial capability strategy’ with a major own label food business. This partnership has delivered a capability plan aligned to the business and HR strategy. Working closely with the leadership team over the past 3 years we introduced a new competency framework, benchmarking against external competitors and put in place a clear capability framework across the business around which effective recruitment, personal development, coaching and commercial academy are a central part of the business strategy.

What can you expect?

We recognise your need for pace and response on key projects, so typically we will ensure the project is running within 4 to 6 weeks with clear deliverables. So if you do have key business or capability challenges that needs effective and efficient support with a personal touch, or perhaps a specific business challenge or resource gap that needs a set of capable hands across Sales, Category and Commercial, then let’s talk. Call Paul on +44-1488649-360 or drop an E mail to Paul@smithcarey.co.uk for a confidential conversation about FMCG consultancy.

Client/Candidate Reviews

Following applying for the role of NAE I was contacted by Mark to meet to discuss my skills and if I was a good fit for the role and vice versa which was refreshing to know my best interests were taken into consideration too.

Following on through the whole stage I was kept up to date and had detailed feedback also. Upon successfully securing the role and now starting, communication has still been made to see how things are going which is really appreciated.

Mark and the team are great to work with and I would highly recommend to others should they be in need of a change in their careers.
Michael - July 24
I’m writing with my sincere appreciation to Mark for giving me a career opportunity to Bazooka Candy Brands and for how much time, energy, and thought you put behind my interview sessions and, ultimately, my new job as International Business Development Executive in Balkans. You’ve been really helpful at all stages of the recruitment process by giving me both practical tips and the emotional empowerment to demonstrate my professional skills in the best possible way. Most important, from the very beginning, you made me feel that you believe in me and for this I’m really grateful. Thank you! Manos Georgoudios January 2024
I was approached by Mark for a NAM role with a leading confectionery business, on a fixed term contract within the wholesale side of the business. After initial discussions, a job brief and company background was received, prior to an initial Zoom meeting with the UK head of business and the two SNAMs within the business. Confirmation of a final interview was received within 24 hours and swiftly arranged for early January 2024. This took place with the head of Europe, UK lead and one SNAM. I am pleased to say, I got the job! Mark confirmed it within 48 hours and came back with offer terms within 2 working days. I now start on 29th Jan. Mark, Maria and Julie kept me totally up to date throughout the process. I would recommend Smith Carey to other applicants and employers alike. Thanks for your help SC! Jon January 2024
Exceptional Consultancy. I recently had the pleasure of working with Smith Carey Ltd, securing a Business Development Manager role with their expert guidance. Maria Murphy demonstrated exceptional professionalism and tailored coaching, ensuring I excelled at each interview stage. I was most impressed by the personalized approach and attention to detail on my circumstances and unique skill set, which was instrumental to my success. I highly recommend Smith Carey Ltd for anyone seeking career advancement or looking to penetrate the international market. Grateful for her unwavering support and expertise in shaping this significant career milestone - Mathias - December 2023

Our Team

Mark Smith

Director Recruitment

Paul Carey

Director Training and Consultancy

Maria Murphy

Director Recruitment

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Call us for a personal touch 01488 649360