Sirius Export
Our Purpose
Sirius Exporting was created to help innovative CPG/FMCG brands from the USA bring their brands to UK and European markets. We work on strategic planning to clearly define launch strategy including category fit, product fit, packaging, retailer strategy and pitch, promotions and activation planning.
Ben Jackson, Co-Founder
➡️Exited Founder of Capsicana ➡️ Award winning product creator ➡️Winner of Tesco Innovation Award 2023
➡️ FMCG start-up/scale-up Mentor
Ben is the Founder and former Managing Director of Capsicana, a multi-award winning challenger brand bringing quality innovation and incremental trade up solutions to the Latin American segment of the ambient world foods category. Officially designated a Great Taste producer by the Guild of Fine Food Capsicana under Ben’s leadership received more awards for quality and taste than all of the other brands in the category combined. The brand was founded on a market stall with £500 and built from the ground up to a team of 12 committed FMCG professionals with products available across the UK in Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Morrison's, CoOp, Waitrose, Ocado, SPAR, and Booths.
By January 2024 Ben completed an exit and Capsicana was integrated into AB World Foods, part of the Grocery division of ABF. Ben now sits on the Capsicana Steering Team in a non-executive capacity working with the team at AB World Foods taking the brand even further. Ben also works with other brands in a non-executive and consultancy capacity regarding market development and scale up.
Prior to this Ben spent the bulk of his career in sales and business development roles in business services sectors including consultancy and recruitment.
James Livingstone-Wallace, Co-Founder
James is the Founder and former Managing Director of quinoa based food brand Quinola Mothergrain, a radically generous plant protein company with a mission to have a positive impact on consumer health, their ecological footprint and social justice. Highly experienced within FMCG with particular expertise in the British, French & Irish markets, both from a Retail (including online) and Food Service perspective. James has a 360° approach to launching a brand in a new market from scratch and built this international mission driven food business to have a presence in 40+ countries globally, developed an extensive range of ambient products: ready-to-eat pouches, meals for kids and babies, snacks and breakfast solutions (all with Nutriscore A ratings) and structured a sustainable supply chain earning B Corp, Fairtrade, Organic and Great Taste Producer certifications. Having driven the business for 14 years and with four successful fundraising rounds from angels, crowdfunding, corporate and institutional investors. James negotiated and completed an exit via a brand licensing deal with Inariz, across UK, EU, and US markets (Sept '24). Inariz is part of the Marbour group, the biggest retort pouch manufacturer in Europe.
Since his exit from Quinola Mothergrain James uses his extensive knowledge and experience working with brands to establish new markets. He worked with Merchant Gourmet last year to structure their launch into export, securing retail distribution in the French and Benelux markets, establishing a complete operational framework with their team spanning tax, packaging, certifications, compliance and IT systems, and orchestrating brand activation after commercial launch through integrated PR, influencer, and in-store campaigns.
Prior to this James spent 17 years running European equity investments funds with Kleinwort Benson, Barclays and Societe Generale