New product development failures cost UK FMCG businesses millions annually, yet the root cause often lies not in product concepts but in talent misalignment. Industry data reveals that 68% of NPD appointments underperform within their first 18 months a statistic that should concern every hiring leader.

The challenge stems from three critical disconnects: unrealistic speed-to-market expectations, insufficient cross-functional collaboration skills, and a fundamental mismatch between candidates' innovation capabilities and retailers' actual requirements. Many organisations recruit for technical brilliance whilst overlooking the commercial acumen essential for NPD success in today's margin-pressured environment.

Mismatched Expectations

Businesses seek innovation speed whilst candidates expect development time, creating immediate friction and project delays.

Collaboration Gaps

NPD professionals must navigate procurement, quality, marketing, and sales, yet many lack this cross-functional fluency.

Retailer Disconnect

Products developed without deep retailer insight fail listing discussions, wasting investment and damaging relationships.

How Vickerstock Solves This

The UK FMCG quality talent pool has contracted significantly whilst demand has intensified. Brexit reduced access to European professionals, experienced quality managers are retiring faster than graduates enter the sector, and competing industries now actively recruit food sector talent. Additionally, salary expectations have risen 22% since 2020, creating budget pressures for many businesses.

This is precisely where Vickerstock's 14-year sector specialisation delivers measurable advantage. Our detailed, transparent approach connects UK FMCG businesses with pre-qualified candidates who possess not just technical credentials but proven commercial understanding and cultural fit. We maintain an active talent pool across NPD, Technical, and Quality disciplines, built through relationships and reputation rather than database searches.

Sector-Specific Expertise

Our recruitment consultants understand FMCG nuances, retailer requirements, and technical competencies, we speak your language.

Proven Track Record

Over 14 years partnering with recognised UK brands, delivering candidates who perform and progress within your organisations.

Active Talent Networks

We maintain ongoing relationships with quality professionals across the UK, Ireland, and beyond access to passive candidates unavailable elsewhere.

At the end of the day competitive advantage increasingly depends on talent quality. Vickerstock combines honesty, transparency, and deep sector knowledge to deliver recruitment solutions that drive your business forward. Discover how our approach can solve your most pressing talent challenges at www.vickerstock.com.