Scaling a CPG brand isn’t just about selling more - it’s about scaling smarter.

Margins, distribution, compliance, promo calendars, retail readiness… it gets complex fast. And if you don’t know what you’re walking into, it’s easy to burn time, money, and momentum.

If you're here, you’ve already got traction - but you’ve also got questions:

• Do I have enough margin to support retail?

• Should I go direct to stores, or bring in a distributor?

• What margin structures do buyers and distributors expect?

• What about promotions - who funds them, how often, and what do they cost me?

• Do I scale by state, or roll out nationally?

• Can my production actually keep up with increased demand?

• How do I fund this next phase and what are the traps?

• Am I ready for Coles or Woolworths - or just hoping I am?

• Do I even have the decks, price lists, and sales tools I need to pitch properly?

These are the exact questions I help founders answer every day.

One partner. Two clear services.

To keep things clean (and compliant), legal work and commercial consulting are delivered separately.

Hugh Simson Consulting

Growth consulting for founders, brands, and product-based businesses.

• Retail & distribution strategy

• Pitch decks, planograms & onboarding tools

• 3PL and logistics setup

• Commercial negotiation support

• Sales ops and execution

All strategic and commercial work is billed through Hugh Simson Consulting.

Simson Legal

Legal services provided under my law practice, Simson Legal.

• Contract drafting & negotiation

• Legal advice across retail, IP, and distribution

• Risk and compliance checks

• Retail & distribution legal readiness

• Terms, agreements, and regulatory frameworks

All legal work is billed via Simson Legal to stay within regulatory rules.

I’m not just a consultant or a lawyer.

I’m your plug-in commercial lead - someone who’s scaled brands from startup to supermarket, negotiated with distributors, landed national retail deals, and built the sales, ops, and legal infrastructure to support it.

As your Fractional Head of Sales & Strategy, I step into your business to guide your growth - bridging what you want to build with what the market actually demands.

Or, if you prefer a little less formality:
I’m your embedded growth partner - helping you move faster, negotiate smarter, and scale with a whole lot less stress.

The Problem:
Most emerging brands hit a ceiling after DTC success.
You want to get into retail, but:

• You don’t know who to talk to

• You don’t have the right pricing or margins

• You don’t know how to pitch or structure a rollout

• Distribution feels expensive, slow, or uncertain

How I Help:

• Build a step-by-step retail and distributor strategy tailored to your product

• Introduce you to aligned buyers, brokers, and wholesalers

• Support with sales tools, pitch decks, and margin calculators

• Guide you through range reviews, retailer onboarding, and launch plans

• Create a phased rollout roadmap across health food, pharmacy, majors, and independents

The Outcome:
A clear path into retail and wholesale with the right structure, pricing, and support to grow profitably

The Problem:
Amazon is a huge opportunity - but launching without a plan leads to:

• Wasted ad spend and poor ROI

• Compliance issues with labels or claims

• Unclear brand presence or poor PDP execution

• Lack of traction in a competitive category

How I Help:

• Build a full Amazon launch strategy for Australia and/or the USA

• Advise on label and packaging compliance before you list

• Develop clear, optimised PDPs and branded storefronts

• Set up and structure your PPC strategy for both branded and category growth

• Guide you on warehousing, fulfilment, pricing, and how to scale via Amazon’s algorithms

The Outcome:
A brand that’s compliant, optimised, and positioned to succeed on Amazon - with a scalable strategy, not a set-and-forget listing.

The Problem:
Most brands think their packaging and messaging are clear - until they hit the shelf and stall.
If your USPs aren’t obvious, your pricing feels off, or your look blends in, you’re not ready.

• Weak or generic USPs

• Packaging that doesn’t cut through in-store or online

• Misaligned price, positioning, or category fit

• No clear read on how your brand stacks up

How I Help:
I’ve helped some of Australia’s top challenger brands overhaul their branding, relabel their products, and scale into majors as a result.
This is where I do my best work - identifying brand weakness, spotting what others miss, and rebuilding for impact.

• Deep-dive audits of your brand, SKUs, and shopper journey

• Pressure-test your pack design, messaging, and claims

• Review pricing and positioning through a buyer and consumer lens

• Benchmark against top competitors across shelf, online, and ads

• Refine pack architecture, hierarchy, and design for max clarity and cut-through

The Outcome:
A brand that wins at first glance. One that buyers instantly understand, shoppers gravitate to, and competitors scramble to copy.
You’ll walk away with a brand designed to scale — not stall.

The Problem:
A weak 3PL partner will quietly kill your margins and your momentum.
Most brands underestimate how much time, money, and customer goodwill is lost to poor warehousing and fulfillment decisions.

• Delays, errors, and mispacks damage your brand

• Costs for pick, pack, storage, and shipping stack up fast

• Slow turnaround times affect retail compliance and DTC experience

• No visibility or leverage in 3PL relationships

How I Help:
I’ve sourced, trialled, fired, and benchmarked 3PLs across Australia and the US.
I know exactly how fulfillment operations should run and where they break.
Whether you're local or expanding to Amazon USA, I help you avoid the common traps and set up a backend that scales with you.

• Recommend proven 3PL partners (AU & USA) based on product type and channel

• Review existing warehouse contracts and performance

• Identify hidden cost drivers and inefficiencies

• Advise on inventory, order flow, and DTC/B2B fulfilment structure

• Support Amazon prep, launch logistics, and cross-border compliance

The Outcome:
A lean, reliable fulfilment setup that protects your margins, supports your growth, and lets you scale without chaos.
No more shipping stress. No more silent cost blowouts.

Fast, focused, and founder-first.

You don’t need a 6-month strategy deck or a bloated retainer. You need someone who can step in where it matters, bring clarity to the chaos, and help you make smart, commercial decisions.

I join you inside the business:

• In strategy meetings

• On distributor calls

• Reviewing deals, decks, and pricing

• Supporting your team and helping you lead from the front

Whatever the gap is - I help you close it.

• Growth plans that are strategic and realistic

• Sales materials that open doors

• Clean contracts, stronger deals, and better margins

• Clearer decisions, faster moves, and less second-guessing

All backed by someone who’s been there, done it, and still does.