Justin King CBE has joined London-based sustainable cleaning products producer Nimble. The former Sainsbury’s CEO, who has invested in the company, will become an advisor to the business and a mentor to its founder, Von Sy.
Mr Sy, a Philippines native and a qualified chemist who moved to London and worked in R&D for multinational consumer goods company Unilever, founded Nimble in 2015. After becoming an uncle for the first time, he was shocked at the amount of chemicals used in many cleaning products and decided to create an effective alternative which was suitable for families with babies and young children.
Six years on, Von is now father to three young children of his own and Nimble has launched a range of six non-toxic, plant-based products for laundry, bottle-cleaning, surface cleaning and hand sanitising. These are currently available online and at over 900 sites in the UK, stocked by a range of retailers including Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Justin King was initially introduced to the business at an online pitching event last year where he was highly impressed with the brand, its management team and the scientific rigour behind its products.
His appointment comes as Nimble is seeking to raise £200K through Crowdcube to scale up the business and invest in further product development supporting ambitious growth plans in both online and retail.
The global baby cleaning products market is anticipated to exceed (USD)$5bn per annum* by 2026 with eco cleaning products growing more than 5 times faster** than regular brands.
Nimble founder Von Sy said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Justin King, a former head of a multibillion-pound retailer and respected industry thought-leader, joining our emerging business. In the short time we’ve known each other he’s given us a number of valuable insights and has been a real pleasure to work with.
“His appointment coincides with our crowdfunding campaign, another exciting step in our journey which began with the aim of making life easier for parents of young children by producing effective and sustainable cleaning products that are safe to use. As a father, I understand the anxiety that many parents feel about using potentially harmful household products and the growing desire to find sustainable, plant-based cleaning solutions which are kind to our planet.”
Justin King CBE said: “Von has impressed me with his energy and enthusiasm and he has developed unique products which have built a loyal following. I’m excited to be able to help him and his team build a unique and valuable business.”
* https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/baby-cleaning-products-market
** https://hbr.org/2019/06/research-actually-consumers-do-buy-sustainable-products
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