Brexit: Sugarwise HQ moves to US increasing opportunities for British food & drink manufacturers

Sugarwise, the international kitemark for low sugar food and drink based out of Cambridge, will be moving their headquarters to the United States.

The recent FDA guidelines directing the food and drinks companies to specify the amount of added sugars in their products has generated significant interest in the US. The results of the Brexit Referendum and the added interest by US brands to use the kitemark are the primary reasons for moving headquarters.

“We, at Sugarwise are confident that this move will help our British customers to unlock new global opportunities and achieve international success” says Sunil Bhat, Chief Business Officer, Sugarwise.

“The decision to shift our headquarters should not be viewed as a step towards abandoning the UK as our goal is to position British and other European brands for global advancement. The products will continue to be assessed by Cambridge University scientists and certificates will be issued from our Cambridge office. We are also glad to announce that Vinicius Ferreira, our Chief Scientist will be relocating to California, where there is an enormous interest in sugar reduction and healthy eating. It is also where our first United States certified brand is based. The brand takes us into Wholefoods, Trader Joes, and Costco throughout the US and many retail outlets abroad” Sunil Bhat says.

In preparation for the possibility of a Brexit result Sugarwise Inc was incorporated and a US office set up. Sugarwise will move its headquarters to the United States company.

Rend Platings, the Cambridge mother of one who founded Sugarwise says “it is important to emphasize that while we are moving our headquarters outside the UK, we are not abandoning Britain rather we are positioning ourselves in such a way as to seek out international partners more proactively. This will assist food and drink manufacturers based in both Britain and beyond throughout Europe to maximize their opportunities for global advancement

Sugar reduction itself represents a significant global opportunity with the impact of sugar consumption felt in the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico, India and China; and of course throughout Europe. In a way we are being forced now to speed up the internationalisation of Sugarwise. 

There is a global market out there for Sugarwise certified products and we will do our best to ensure that brands are well positioned to exploit this.

We will continue to work with leading Scientists at the University of Cambridge, and we will continue to process samples within the UK where we will still have a presence.”

Who Will Move?: Inventor of the Sugarwise Test and co-founder Vinicius Ferreira to move permanently to California. Currently staff cover legal and administrative matters such as incorporation, tax and call handling. An alignment and partnership team will be built. Staff from the Cambridge office will support the US team part time and remotely. By 2017 a team of 11 is planned for the US, recruited from within the US. Currently there is a team of 4.

Who Will Stay?: Founder Rend Platings and her husband and baby will stay in the UK though will make more frequent trips to the US. Chair Valerie Holt, Sunil Bhat CBO, and Joe Tye will share their time between the UK and outside the UK across the Americas, India, and EU countries. Harriet Sands and Tom Earnshaw will remain in the UK. Dr Tom Simmons from the University Department of Biochemistry will also remain, as will celebrity Sugarwise Dentist James Goolnik and Sugarwise Chef Barbara Fernandez. It is anticipated that equivalents will be recruited in the US.

What are the Timings?: Sugarwise Inc has already been incorporated with an office currently in Dunn Loring Virginia, a telephone and staff that answer calls 24/7. Having established that California is the best location for the kitemark this office will relocate to Pasadena in Los Angeles County California in September, when Vinicius Ferreira makes the move over there. Samples will still be processed and certificates issued in Cambridge.