Building better products with a small senior team

Grow The Roses is a micro agency for retail product development. We help founders, buyers and product teams create unique, functional products, bringing together design, engineering, research and commercial thinking in one small senior team.

Talk about a project

Brands who trust us to help.

See our work

How we support product development

Finding better product ideas.

We specialise in helping brands find commercial product ideas. Our refined, proven approach uses light customer research and creative development to deliver ten clear ideas for a key product or range, each grounded in real user needs and commercial reality.

Ideas built around real frustrations
Options that are compelling and often protectable
A clear view on quick wins and longer bets
A practical roadmap rather than just a slide deck

Invention and development sprints

We specialise in the tricky early phase of invention. Through focused sprints we explore and prototype routes for new functionality, so you can see the strongest options and risks before committing to full development.

Make test learn loops with quick rigs and prints
Parallel routes explored before choosing a favourite
Honest view on performance, complexity and cost
Clear recommendations for next steps or full development

Make your products better with Grow the Roses

1

Customer led thinking

We speak to users and review real use, then build ideas around the problems and behaviours that matter most to your customers.

2

Comercial product ideas

We specialise in finding ideas that customers care about and that you can often protect, moving you beyond catalogue products.

3

Design and engineering together

Industrial design and mechanical engineering work side by side from the first sketch, so ideas are realistic from day one.

4

Comfort with factories

We are used to weekly calls with factories. We know how to brief, review samples and solve problems without losing sight of the idea.

5

Micro agency flexibility

We are a small senior team supported by a trusted network of specialists, so you get deep expertise without a heavy overhead.

6

Long term partnerships

Most clients stay with us. We prefer ongoing relationships where we can support ranges over time, not only one off hero projects.

Book a Free Call

A small senior team built for partnership

We are proudly small. You work directly with experienced designers and engineers who care about your products and your business. We bring energy, honesty and a love of ideas, but stay grounded in what will really land with your customers and your team. Our business model is built around long term partnerships rather than one off projects, so over time we can help you keep lifting the level of your ranges.

The team behind Grow The Roses

We are a micro agency built round a senior core, supported by a circle of freelancers and trusted specialists in areas like chemistry, thermal performance and brand strategy.

Ben King

Front End Innovation

Victor Gil

Mechanical & Design Engineering

How we like to work with you

We do our best work in open, collaborative relationships. That usually means sharing early ideas, being honest about risks and keeping direct lines between your team, our team and your factories.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some quick answers to questions we are often asked. If you want to talk about something specific, just get in touch.

Book a Free Call

What kind of projects do you take on?

We focus on retail products in homeware, tools and flat packed furniture. That ranges from one hero product to wider range work, as long as there is a clear brief and a real product at the end.

How big is your team?

We are a three person senior team supported by a trusted network of freelancers and specialist partners. You always work directly with senior people, and we scale up support only when a project needs it.

Do you only work with large brands?

No. We work with growing SMEs and larger groups. What matters most is that you care about product and see the value in investing in better, more unique ideas.

Can you work with our existing factories?

Yes. We are very happy to work with your existing factories or help you find new ones. We are used to sharing CAD, reviewing samples and joining factory calls as part of the team.

How do projects usually start?

Most projects start with a short call, then a light discovery phase where we agree the scope, outputs and budget. From there we suggest whether an ideas phase, an invention sprint or delivery focused development is the best starting point.

Talk to us about your next product move

If you have a category that needs fresh ideas, an ambitious piece of functionality that needs proving or a product that must land well with factories and buyers, we would be happy to talk. A short call is usually enough to see if we are the right fit.

Talk to us