The UK fragrance industry is in the middle of something genuinely exciting. A new generation of founders are rewriting what a fragrance brand can look like and this week, nine of them step into the spotlight at National Fragrance Week.
We’re proud to be working alongside The Fragrance Foundation UK on the Next Gen Accelerator Cohort Two supporting nine emerging fragrance brands on pitch preparation, business-building and programme content – with National Fragrance Week marking the first major milestone of the journey.
Here’s what we’ve been working on, who we’ve been working with, and why we think this cohort is one to watch.
The context: fragrance is having a moment
The numbers back it up. The global beauty market is projected to grow 5% annually through 2030 – and fragrance is on course to outperform that. In the UK, Gen Z is now the fastest-growing group in beauty, with sales among under-24s up 17% year on year.
But the shift goes deeper than sales figures. Scent is no longer just a product; it’s identity, self-expression, cultural storytelling and the way consumers relate to fragrance is changing fast. The infographic below, compiled from ten industry sources, maps out exactly how Gen Z consumer behaviour, brand loyalty and purchase drivers are evolving.
That shift creates real opportunity for independent, founder-led fragrance brands, but opportunity alone doesn’t move the needle. These founders need the skills, clarity and confidence to make the most of it.
That’s where we come in.
What Growth Studio is delivering
Our role was focused and deliberate: get nine founders pitch-ready for a live showcase in front of retail, media and fragrance industry leaders at National Fragrance Week.
So far, we ran two in-person workshop days covering value proposition design and pitch delivery – working through the fundamentals of what makes a brand distinctive, who its customer is and why they should care, and how to turn that into a compelling, authentic 3–4 minute pitch.
Between sessions, each founding team received one-to-one virtual mentoring with Growth Studio, focused on refining narrative, messaging and delivery, with clear outputs ahead of the next day. And in the days before the showcase itself, we ran full-day pre-event preparation: pitch run-throughs, individual clinics, and the kind of careful attention to running order and delivery consistency that makes the difference between a good pitch and a great one.
“As the voice of scent, we are proud to launch the first National Fragrance Week Hub as fragrance continues to outperform the wider beauty market and gain cultural significance. The Hub brings together innovation, craft and talent, while National Fragrance Week remains both a celebration of excellence and a platform for what comes next.”
— Vanita Sabnani Dalamal, Chair, The Fragrance Foundation UK
Meet the cohort
Nine founder-led brands. Spanning niche perfumery, conceptual fragrance, sustainable deodorant, scent-led art collectives, and innovation. Here’s who we’ve been working with.
In the press
The launch of the Fragrance Hub and the Next Gen showcase has been covered across trade and industry press:
- Retail Times: Covered the broader cultural context – the fragrance market’s momentum, Gen Z’s growing influence, and the hub as a platform for the industry’s next chapter.
- Retail Gazette: Focused on the hub’s retail angle – bringing together brands, retailers and creators to explore trends from AI-driven discovery to sustainability.
- Verge Magazine: Dug into the consumer story – how scent is increasingly viewed as a form of identity and self-expression, and what that means for emerging indie brands.
- TheIndustry.beauty: Spotlighted the Next Gen cohort directly – their live showcase, the programme’s partnership with Growth Studio, and the founders presenting to industry leaders.
What’s next
The showcase on 19 March is just the beginning. These nine brands have put in the work – the clarity, the narrative, the confidence to stand in front of a room full of industry leaders and tell their story well.
The March showcase is just the beginning. Our work with the cohort continues well beyond it.
We’re genuinely proud of what this cohort has built in a short space of time, and we can’t wait to continue this journey with them.
If you’re involved in a programme, accelerator or partnership that supports founders and you want to talk about how Growth Studio could help, get in touch.
