About Wild
Wild is a British sustainable personal care brand that revolutionised the deodorant market with its refillable system. Founded in 2019 by childhood friends Freddy Ward and Charlie Bowes-Lyon, the company launched the UK's first plastic-free refillable deodorant in spring 2020, just as sustainability became a major consumer priority. The Wild system features a durable aluminium case paired with bamboo pulp refills that simply slot in place. This innovative design has prevented 720 tonnes of single-use plastic from entering landfills, with over 40 million refills shipped globally. The founders' backgrounds proved perfect for the venture - Ward's experience scaling HelloFresh UK from zero to £100m, combined with Bowes-Lyon's sustainability expertise from Climate Cups. Wild's growth was remarkable, achieving £46.9m in sales by 2023 and its first profit of £509k. The brand won Health & Beauty Brand of the Year at the 2023 Grocer Gold Awards and secured £5m funding from JamJar Investments. Starting as a direct-to-consumer brand, Wild expanded into major UK retailers including Sainsbury's Future Brands programme, Ocado, Asda and Morrisons. In July 2024, global giant Unilever acquired Wild for approximately £230 million, validating the founders' vision that sustainable beauty could be commercially successful. The range has expanded beyond deodorants to include soap bars, shampoo bars, and refillable body wash, operating in 10 markets worldwide.
