What The Collaborators does

The Collaborators is a Bristol-based strategic and creative brand consultancy founded in 2008 (legal entity: We Are The Collaborators Limited) that specializes exclusively in food and drink branding. The firm offers an integrated service stack covering brand strategy, naming, brand world development, visual identity, 2D and 3D packaging design, digital and website design, brand activation, and ongoing brand guardianship. It serves both established FMCG enterprises (Mars Drinks & Treats, Applewood, Jus-Rol, Castle Dairies) and challenger/startup brands (Freja, Love Struck, Aloha 65, Kinda Co., Firepot), with a portfolio exceeding 60 brand projects across categories including chocolate, beverages, dairy, bakery, spirits, pet food, and plant-based foods. The firm operates a proprietary methodology (Brand EQuity Framework) and packages parts of it into a downloadable digital product (Brand EQuity Playbook, £150–£250), alongside a philanthropic program (The Seed Academy, founded 2012) that has functioned as a pro bono branding pipeline into paying engagements.

The business is a privately held, B Corp-certified creative agency with no external investment or parent company, led by founder Jayne Noblet under an all-women leadership structure since inception. Revenue is generated primarily through professional services fees on project-based and retained engagements, with a small but growing contribution from digital product sales. GTM is sales-led and event-driven: the firm relies on referrals, industry events, awards judging (Great Taste Awards), content marketing (The Monthly Muse blog series), and a portfolio of case studies showcasing quantifiable client outcomes (e.g., Freja 400% YoY growth and £10m revenue, Ombar 45% website conversion uplift, Laughing Dog 2500% sales uplift). Geographic reach is UK-anchored but globally pulled, with client work reaching the US and continental Europe through brand internationalization mandates. Headcount sits in the 11–50 band and the firm marked its 15th anniversary in 2023, signaling maturity rather than high-velocity scaling.

Name

The Collaborators

Legal name

We Are The Collaborators Limited

Website

https://thecollaborators.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Collaborators is a Bristol-based brand consultancy founded in 2008 that specializes in food and drink branding, offering brand strategy, naming, visual identity, packaging, and digital design to enterprise FMCG companies and challenger startups. It operates a proprietary Brand EQuity Framework and the philanthropic Seed Academy programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Consulting & Design Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

Keywords

• Brand strategy consulting
• Food and drink branding
• Packaging design services
• Visual identity design
• Brand naming agency

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Brand Strategy and Consulting Services: Core agency revenue from providing strategic and creative brand consultancy services to food and drink brands, including brand creation, repositioning, naming, visual identity, packaging design, and brand guardianship.
2. Digital Products: Sale of downloadable brand strategy playbooks and worksheets, including the Brand EQuity Playbook at £150-£250 per download.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Collaborators is a strategic and creative brand consultancy that builds, repositions, and guards food, drink, and lifestyle brands. It sells end-to-end branding services including strategy, naming, visual identity, 2D/3D packaging, digital/website design, brand activation, and ongoing brand guardianship, primarily to challenger and established FMCG brands. The agency also sells a downloadable Brand EQuity Playbook as a digital product and runs The Seed Academy, a philanthropic programme supporting early-stage food and drink businesses.

Product overview

The Collaborators is an award-winning strategic and creative brand consultancy specializing in food and drink. The company operates as a single integrated agency rather than a platform, offering a comprehensive suite of branding services including Brand Strategy, Brand Naming, Brand World development, Visual Identity design, 2D and 3D Packaging, Digital & Website services, Brand Activation, and Brand Guardianship. The agency also offers a digital product—the Brand EQuity Playbook—a downloadable playbook for brand strategy development. Additionally, The Seed Academy is a philanthropic program supporting emerging food and drink businesses with branding expertise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Seed Academy: A purely philanthropic programme founded by The Collaborators in 2012 that supports young food and drinks businesses that are driving positive change. It includes the Seed Fund which provides pro bono branding support to startups.
• Collaborators Consulting

Products and services

• Brand Strategy Strategic brand consulting that defines brand positioning, values, audience, and competitive differentiation for food and drink companies.
• Brand Naming Development of distinctive, memorable brand names that reflect brand positioning and resonate with target audiences.
• Brand World Creation of comprehensive brand ecosystems including visual identity systems, tone of voice, and messaging frameworks.
• Visual Identity Design of logos, color palettes, typography, and graphic elements that establish brand recognition and personality.
• 2D Packaging Design of flat packaging graphics and labels for food and drink products across retail environments.
• 3D Packaging Design of three-dimensional packaging forms and structural packaging solutions for branded products.
• Digital & Website Design and development of brand websites, digital experiences, and online presence for clients.
• Brand Activation Campaign ideation and marketing initiatives that bring brands to life through targeted consumer engagement.
• Brand Guardianship Ongoing brand stewardship ensuring consistent application and evolution of brand guidelines across touchpoints.
• Brand EQuity Playbook A downloadable brand strategy playbook providing tools and worksheets for defining brand ethos and empathy, including 53 pages of step-by-step guidance and 13 printable worksheets, priced at £150-£250.
• Collaborators Consulting Strategic consulting services focused on brand creation, repositioning, and business transformation for food and drink brands, offered as a standalone consulting division.

Quantifiable outcome

• Freja achieved 400% YOY growth and £10m revenue in 2025
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers33 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Seed AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Founded by The Collaborators in 2012, The Seed Academy is a purely philanthropic programme supporting young food and drink businesses that are driving positive change. Provides pro bono brand development services to selected winners including Firepot (2017), Dorset Sea Salt (2018), Kinda Co. (2019), Yuyo (2015), and Aloha 65.
• Ellen MacArthur FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Collaborators supports the Ellen MacArthur Foundation principles for a circular economy: eliminate waste and pollution; circulate products and materials; regenerate nature. Agency advises clients on sustainable packaging choices.
• 91 WaysminorOthersSocial enterprise named after the 91 languages spoken in Bristol. Supports building a more resilient and connected community through the connecting power of food and community. The Collaborators provides ongoing charitable support.
• Bristol Food NetworkminorOthersSupports and connects individuals, community projects, organizations and businesses working to transform Bristol into a sustainable food city. The Collaborators provides ongoing charitable support.
• Mission VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Collaborators worked with Mission Ventures' Good Food Programme to help Origin Kitchen develop stronger brand foundations including revamped strategy, branding, and packaging.
• Bristol Creative IndustriesminorOthersThe Collaborators is part of a community of like-minded West Country creative businesses helping to develop collaborative opportunities and drive sector growth in the region.
• Design Business AssociationminorOthersDBA membership demonstrating commitment to design business excellence and industry standards.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pearlfisher: Independent creative agency specialising in food and drink packaging and branding. Direct peer given The Collaborators' parallel specialisation in food/drink visual identity and structural packaging design.
• B&B Studio: London-based independent branding agency focused exclusively on food and drink brands across strategy, naming, and packaging. Closely comparable niche and customer base to The Collaborators.
• Together Design: Boutique London design agency with a strong food, drink, and hospitality specialisation across brand identity and packaging. Closely comparable scale and vertical focus to The Collaborators.
• Bulletproof: Global brand agency with a dedicated food and drink practice covering brand strategy and packaging design. Overlapping client type (FMCG and challenger brands) and service offering make it a direct competitor.
• Carter Wong Design: Independent UK design consultancy with broad brand identity and packaging work including food and drink clients. Overlapping offering in visual identity, packaging, and brand architecture.
• BrandOpus: London-based brand identity consultancy serving FMCG and challenger brands including food and drink. Directly comparable as a brand strategy and design specialist working with similar enterprise and growth-stage clients.

Broad incumbents

• Elmwood: Larger design and brand consultancy with extended sector reach including food, drink, and FMCG. Broader portfolio and bigger headcount, but overlapping branding and packaging services for similar end markets.
• Interbrand: Global brand consultancy with deep FMCG and consumer goods practice including food and drink. Comparable at the strategy and brand-architecture layer, though much broader and larger in scale.
• Design Bridge (Superunion): Global brand and design network (part of WPP) with substantial food and drink mandates. Overlaps with The Collaborators on packaging and brand strategy but at enterprise scale with broader portfolio.
• Landor & Fitch: Global branding consultancy with extensive FMCG and food/drink credentials. Larger incumbent providing overlapping brand strategy, naming, and packaging design services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-collaborators
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecollaboratorsuk
• Pinterestpinterest.co.uk/thecollaborators

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Collaborators