Reach
Reach is a UK-based outsourced field sales and brand experience agency serving major FMCG/CPG brands including Nestlé, Heineken, Red Bull, and Kraft Heinz. It delivers AI-powered retail execution, dedicated and syndicated field teams, and merchandising services across the UK, Ireland, and Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersWoking, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Reach does
Reach is a UK-headquartered outsourced field sales and brand experience agency operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Acosta Inc. within Acosta Europe. Founded in 1975 as Aspen and rebranded to Reach in 2004, the company serves major FMCG and CPG enterprises including Nestlé, Heineken, Red Bull, Kraft Heinz, Dr. Oetker, British American Tobacco, and Heathrow. It employs approximately 950 people across the UK, Ireland, and Europe, and following Acosta Europe's September 2024 acquisition of Dee Set Group, operates within a combined UK field force of approximately 3,500 in-store colleagues alongside sister brand Dee Set and sub-brand ShopSmart. Headquartered in Woking under Managing Director Andy Buck, Reach is part of the Acosta Group, which has over 30,000 employees globally.
The company's core proposition is its 'Sales Force of the Future' platform, which integrates proprietary technology, AI-powered analytics, and trained field representatives to optimize retail execution. Capabilities include image recognition for planogram and POS compliance (via the October 2024 BeMyEye partnership using unsupervised zero-shot learning), predictive analytics for SKU and demand prioritization, AI-optimized task routing and dynamic allocation, structured competitor data capture, and a data and analytics platform that connects field intelligence to client R&D. The technology stack benefits from Acosta's strategic partnership with Microsoft and access to global development resources spanning Silicon Valley to Surrey.
Reach operates a professional services business model with three primary delivery modes: dedicated solus teams (single-brand exclusivity), syndicated teams (multi-brand shared workforce), and Flexx merchandising teams (tactical/scalable). Pricing is custom and quote-based, typically structured as multi-year enterprise contracts. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with direct relationships targeting major consumer goods manufacturers and retailers. Revenue is generated through service contracts with enterprise FMCG and retail brands, and the company is funded entirely through its parent rather than external capital markets, with no public revenue disclosure.
Reach firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Reach
- Legal name
- Acosta RH Limited
- Website
- https://reach.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Reach is a UK-based outsourced field sales and brand experience agency serving major FMCG/CPG brands including Nestlé, Heineken, Red Bull, and Kraft Heinz. It delivers AI-powered retail execution, dedicated and syndicated field teams, and merchandising services across the UK, Ireland, and Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Reach industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Field Sales & Retail Marketing Services
- NAICS
- Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising Agencies (54181)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Call Center/Telemarketing & Outbound Customer Engagement (MPAAAIAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sales, Marketing & Customer Success Direct Hire (BPACAFAD)
Keywords
Where Reach is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Woking
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Reach business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Field Sales Services: Provides outsourced field sales services to major brands, including dedicated solus teams, syndicated in-store sales teams, Flexx merchandising teams, and tactical field sales. Revenue generated through service contracts with enterprise FMCG and retail brands.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise field sales partnerships with dedicated teams |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Reach product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Reach is an outsourced field sales agency that provides major FMCG brands with dedicated and syndicated field sales representatives, merchandising teams, and brand activation services across UK retail. Its core proposition, the Sales Force of the Future, combines proprietary AI-driven technology, image recognition, and predictive analytics with a 3,500-strong in-store colleague network to deliver planogram compliance, stock availability, promotional execution, and measurable retail ROI for clients such as Nestlé, Heineken, and Red Bull.
Product overview
Reach is a complete field sales and marketing solution provider operating as part of Acosta Europe. The company offers an integrated portfolio combining field sales services (Sales Force of the Future, dedicated teams, syndicated teams, flexx merchandising), experiential marketing activations, merchandising and fulfillment services, and a proprietary data and analytics technology platform. The portfolio includes sub-brands ShopSmart and Tactical Solutions (from the Dee Set acquisition). Services span all major retail channels including grocery, convenience, forecourt, and non-grocery retail.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ShopSmart: Field sales services brand operating under Reach
Products and services
- Sales Force of the Future Integrated field sales solution combining data, technology and AI that empowers Reach's field teams with predictive AI, advanced data insights, and optimised routing for maximum sales impact across UK retail environments.
- Reach Field Sales Services End-to-end outsourced field sales services including dedicated solus teams, syndicated in-store sales teams, and flexx merchandising teams, providing retail execution, brand activation, and sales performance optimisation across all major UK retail channels.
- ShopSmart Field sales services sub-brand within the Reach portfolio offering specialised retail execution services as part of Reach's comprehensive field sales offering.
- Experiential Marketing Immersive brand activations, festival experiences, community-centric micro-experiences, and hero activations that build emotional connections and drive brand advocacy through hands-on consumer engagement for major brands.
- Merchandising & Fulfillment Services Real-time inventory management, dedicated merchandising teams, supplier support, planning, and accurate delivery ensuring brands maintain visibility, stock, and compliance in retail environments.
- In-Store Execution Services Field sales execution including planogram verification, stock availability monitoring, POS activation, and promotional execution to ensure flawless retail presence at point of purchase.
- Data & Analytics Platform Proprietary technology platform providing real-time retail insights, competitor analysis, and performance tracking, with integration into client R&D and product groups for continuous innovation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Employee retention rate of 82%
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Reach
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Reach technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability7 records
Feature5 records
Reach partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- BeMyEyecoreStrategic partnership between Reach and BeMyEye, Europe's leading provider of image recognition and data solutions for perfect store execution. The partnership enhances Reach's 'Sales Force of the Future' proposition by integrating BeMyEye's AI-driven image recognition technology. Key features include unsupervised zero-shot learning model for rapid deployment, online/offline capabilities providing real-time actionable insights, and greater agility and scalability for retail brands. Andy Buck, Reach's Managing Director, stated this empowers CPGs to harness image analytics combined with Reach's leading sales and brand experience solutions.
- Dee Set GroupflagshipAcosta Europe announced strategic acquisition of Dee Set, an industry-leading retail and field marketing services provider in the UK. The acquisition positions Acosta Europe as the UK's most comprehensive agency provider of multi-channel digital and physical field sales solutions. Dee Set and Reach continue to operate as separate agency brands of Acosta Europe, maintaining dedicated team strengths while offering cross-agency expertise and syndicated services.
- Acosta GroupflagshipReach has been part of the Acosta family since 2017. Acosta is one of the leading field sales companies in the world with over 30,000 employees globally. The partnership brings scale, technology investment, and growth opportunity to the Reach business, benefiting clients in UK and Europe. Reach benefits from Acosta's global technology team, strategic partnership with Microsoft, and access to world-leading technology from Silicon Valley to Surrey.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Reach competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Smollan: Global retail execution, merchandising, and field services group with operations in EMEA. Larger and more diversified than Reach, but directly comparable in offering outsourced sales teams and in-store execution services to multinational brands.
Direct peers
- REL Field Marketing: UK-based field marketing agency providing outsourced sales, merchandising, and retail execution to leading brands. Direct head-to-head competitor for Reach's UK dedicated and syndicated field team contracts with FMCG clients.
- CPM Group: International sales and field marketing agency headquartered in the UK with operations across EMEA. Competes head-to-head with Reach for FMCG and retailer field execution contracts, offering dedicated, syndicated, and tactical teams with similar data and technology capabilities.
- Gekko Field Marketing: UK and EMEA-based outsourced field marketing and sales agency. Comparable in offering dedicated brand teams, merchandising, and retail activation to major CPG brands — a like-for-like competitor for Reach's core customer base.
- Dee Set Group: UK retail and field marketing services provider acquired by Acosta Europe in September 2024 and now a sister brand to Reach. Directly comparable in services (tactical field marketing, merchandising, retail execution) and customer overlap, making it the most direct operational peer.
- Acosta: Reach's US-based parent and the largest outsourced field sales and marketing agency in North America. Operates the same dedicated/syndicated field-team model for major CPG brands, providing a direct read-across for Reach's commercial model and unit economics.
- Beresford Bell: UK field marketing and retail services agency focused on in-store execution, merchandising, and promotional staffing for major brands. Comparable in scale, customer base, and service portfolio to Reach's UK operations.
- Mosaic Group: Global experiential and field marketing agency serving major consumer brands with in-store execution, merchandising, and brand activation services. Closely comparable to Reach in customer base (FMCG/CPG) and delivery model (field teams deployed on behalf of brands).
- Salesforce (the field marketing agency): UK and EMEA-based outsourced field sales and marketing agency delivering dedicated retail teams and merchandising services to FMCG brands. A relevant UK and European competitor in the same category of outsourced field execution that Reach dominates.
Others
- Acosta Europe: Direct parent organisation of Reach and Dee Set, providing shared services, technology, and M&A leadership. Listed as a related entity rather than a direct competitor given its holding-company role, but is the structural counterpart for cross-agency sales and integration synergies.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Reach social profiles
Digital presenceReach compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Reach financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Reach leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Reach subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Reach funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Reach M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Reach
What does Reach do?
Reach is an outsourced field sales agency that provides major FMCG brands with dedicated and syndicated field sales representatives, merchandising teams, and brand activation services across UK retail. Its core proposition, the Sales Force of the Future, combines proprietary AI-driven technology, image recognition, and predictive analytics with a 3,500-strong in-store colleague network to deliver planogram compliance, stock availability, promotional execution, and measurable retail ROI for clients such as Nestlé, Heineken, and Red Bull.
Is Reach a public or private company?
Reach is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Reach founded?
Reach was founded in 1975. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Reach based?
Reach is headquartered in Woking, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Reach make money?
One revenue line is on record: field Sales Services.
Who are Reach's main competitors?
Smollan is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are REL Field Marketing, CPM Group, Gekko Field Marketing, Dee Set Group, Acosta, Beresford Bell, Mosaic Group and Salesforce (the field marketing agency). Acosta Europe is listed as an others.
Does Reach have an API?
No public API is recorded for Reach.
What industry is Reach in?
Reach's product category is Field Sales & Retail Marketing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAIAN, Call Center/Telemarketing & Outbound Customer Engagement, with a secondary code of BPACAFAD, Sales, Marketing & Customer Success Direct Hire. Its NAICS code is 541810 and its SIC code is 7311.