Shelley Wishart, CEO, Orchard
Premium Beauty News - Could you tell us more about your company?
Shelley Wishart - We are pioneers of turnkey solutions and sourcing for custom cosmetics, beauty, bath and accessories and have attracted a glowing reputation for creating outstanding products and innovations that help some of the biggest brands in beauty and retail stand out in the increasingly crowded global market.
From our offices in Toronto, Dongguan City, China, and Los Angeles, we have over two decades of experience in bringing products to market efficiently and competitively.
Orchard’s team of experts take away the worry of getting a product to market by managing the entire process from concept to delivery, including: product development, cosmetics formulation, testing, beauty packaging, and contract manufacturing and distribution.
Premium Beauty News - In your communication, you put forth eleven important points that define your philosophy!
Shelley Wishart - I can’t talk about our Core Values without talking about our culture. Orchard is known for having an exceptional culture. It is part of our identity and something we are very proud of and protective of. Our eleven core values [1] shape our culture because they project a strong vision for our business, support our mission and lay the foundation for our decision making process. They educate our customers about what Orchard is about and what our competitive advantages are. They also tell prospective talent about what is important to us and why they should join us.
Premium Beauty News - You have quite a broad “product offer”!
Shelley Wishart - Yes, we are experienced in all facets of the custom beauty landscape! From skincare, colour cosmetics and packaging to brushes and accessories, bath and bags, we have the ability to fulfil our customers’ requirements for bankable and beautiful items and programs.
Our Cosmetics Product Development Division is constantly ahead of the curve with ideas for colour cosmetics palettes, skincare and bath programs with the best formulation and luxe componentry at any price point. Right alongside them is our Hardlines Division which handles a wide range of bath and beauty accessories, cosmetics brushes, and implements such as tweezers, lash curlers and compact mirrors. With help from our industrial and graphic designers and quality assurance and regulatory teams, our product developers create trend driven ideas and pair every project with the very best factory partner.
We also have a dedicated Bag Design Division that prides itself on translating the latest fashion trends into unique and innovative pieces to complete a collection or gift with purchase program. They reinvent the everyday and look beyond the obvious to discover new shapes, features and patterns for cosmetics bags, totes and cut and sew impulse items.
Premium Beauty News - You have your own approach in the way of conceiving the customer relationship...
Shelley Wishart - We view the relationship with our customer as more than a transaction-for Orchard, it is a collaboration and we are extensions of their team. When our customer succeeds, we succeed, so the stakes are there for us to provide the most personalized, innovative, and fast-to-market service to bring their vision to market efficiently, on budget and beyond their expectations. We seek to make every stage of product development - from concept to delivery - accessible and seamless.
Whether our customer requires a single seasonal promotion, a complete coordinated program, or an entire private label brand, we have them covered with customized and fresh solutions and a full-service team with over two decades of experience under our belts. Our hope, of course, is to cultivate long standing relationships with our customers as their trusted provider in custom beauty at a savvy price point.
Premium Beauty News - You talk about creativity and “energy”!
Shelley Wishart - The first step in the turnkey process is product design and development. Orchard’s strength in innovation could not be possible without our in-house creative design team, consisting of marketing and trend experts, graphic and industrial designers, handbag designers, and artwork and sourcing specialists.
I truly believe that creativity and energy is what sets Orchard apart. Our product development team prides itself on our ability to find inspiration in the most unlikely places to continuously create innovative products. We reinvent the everyday and look beyond the obvious to discover new features, shapes and palettes that will help our customers stand out.
We also differentiate ourselves by our ability to communicate a product design or vision to our clients without samples. This is done by creating lifelike virtual renderings, 3D prototypes and utilizing product styling to create a tangible mock up when required.
Premium Beauty News - Product development and cosmetics formulation and testing in one place…
Shelley Wishart - We travel the globe to find the latest and greatest colour and skincare trends, concepts, formulas and vendor partners. We understand the fine line between the art and science that is required to deliver beautiful, high performance and commercially viable products. Our experienced quality assurance and regulatory team work hand in hand with product development and are tasked with ensuring our products maintain the highest standards and meet the customer’s expectations from conception to completion.
Premium Beauty News - A word on packaging ?
Shelley Wishart - In terms of packaging, our designers thoroughly understand how to create packaging that is both functional and beautiful. We provide primary and secondary packaging solutions for everyday core products, gift with purchase and seasonal sets. When designing, we always ensure that we consider cost-effective materials, market regulations and environmental responsibility and provide unique packaging and artwork options that will stand out.
What sets Orchard apart is our in-house production and distribution facility. This enables us to have complete control over the quality of all assembled products that leave our door. We take a personalized approach and have the flexibility to offer fast turnaround times. Orchard offers complete packaging and assembly services, including co-packing, floor and point-of-purchase pre-packs and shrink-wrapping.
Premium Beauty News - Could you give us a few examples of some recent product launches?
Shelley Wishart - We value the privacy of our customers and respect their Non-Disclosure Agreements. I can tell you that business is booming and we are sending truly covetable projects to market every day.
Some exciting news we can share is that two of Orchard’s product innovations, the Sephora Pro Palette and our patented Ergonomic Wedge Blending Sponge, were selected to be featured on the prestigious Innovation Tree at the MakeUp in LosAngeles exhibition this past February 2018!
