The Avon lady has had her foot in the door in the UK since 1959, making the country one of the largest direct-selling markets for parent Avon Products. Avon has become one of the top handful of beauty brands in the country. Some 160,000 independent sales reps sell cosmetics directly to customers at home parties and work get-togethers. The company's catalog is distributed every three weeks to nearly 8 million potential customers. Avon Cosmetics' distribution center, located in Corby, processes about 10,000 orders daily. The company banned animal-testing of its products in 1989. To spur sales, the company has enlisted the help of industry professionals.

Cats, dogs, hamsters, birds, and the little fish too, can all play in rambunctious style thanks to the folks at Armitages Pet Products. The company makes more than 2,000 pet accessories, food, and treats under brands such as Good Girl and Good Boy (cat and dog toys, treats, collars, bowls), Rotastak (hamster houses and runners), and Gussie (goldfish products). Armitages, which was founded more than 200 years ago and holds a Royal Warrant, operates through five manufacturing facilities throughout the UK that produce more than 85% of the company's pet provisions. Armitages exports its products to more than 60 international markets.

Chairman, CEO, and owner Vera Wang founded the firm in 1990. A bride needs to budget more for herself if she wants to walk down the aisle in a wedding dress from Vera Wang Bridal House. With gowns reaching $20,000, Vera Wang has designed bridal gowns for celebrities the likes of Sharon Stone and Mariah Carey. Vera Wang also designs evening gowns, bridesmaid dresses, and sportswear, and licenses its name for other apparel, as well as for china, crystal, eyewear, footwear, fragrances, jewelry, linens, silver, and more. Vera Wang's products are sold through upscale department stores, specialty stores, and a pair of company-owned flagship boutiques located in New York City and Los Angeles.

It was the 1980s: Robin Williams wore rainbow suspenders, Tom Hanks wore a dress, and if you were hot, you had the Jordache look. Fast-forward more than two decades: Jordache Enterprises offers jeans, apparel, and accessories (shoes, purses) primarily for teens, mostly through decidedly non-designer retailers, such as Wal-Mart. It also licenses the Jordache name for eyewear and luggage. Jordache makes jeans under license for Gasoline, Sasson, KIKIT, FUBU, and U.S. Polo Association. Its premium Jordache Vintage line is sold at specialty stores. In 1977 a New York City store, owned by brothers and Israeli immigrants Joe, Ralph, and Avi Nakash, was burned and looted; insurance enabled them to launch Jordache.

Dooney & Bourke makes high-end handbags and accessories, mostly for women but also for men. They're sold in department stores (such as Macy's and Nordstrom), online, and by catalog. The company operates about 10 of its own stores internationally, including seven locations in a handful of US states and a flagship shop in Manhattan. Best-known for its distinctive initial-covered purses, Dooney & Bourke also makes cell phone and iPod cases, as well as jewelry, luggage, apparel, shoes, totes, wallets, and assorted accessories.

SOS Management has taken a bum rap and turned it into a real superstar. The company acquires slumping clothing labels and licenses the names to other companies. Its popular B.U.M. Equipment name is loaned to clothing, footwear, and accessories manufacturers who sell products through retail shops and department stores in the US and abroad. Wal-Mart licenses the brand in multiple overseas markets and owns the name exclusively in Canada. B.U.M. Equipment was once named one of the top 100 most recognizable brands by industry source Women's Wear Daily. SOS also manages the licenses for American Exchange, Gene Meyer, and Mark Montano. Co-chairmen Stephen Wayne and Steve Marra own SOS Management.

Glazer privileged to be recognized as one of the most successful sales and marketing organizations in Glazer industry. That’s how Glazer become one of the country’s largest distributors of beverage alcohol. Glazer’s Family of Companies is firmly established with 40 offices in 11 states, and Glazer still family-owned and operated.The company began in 1909 in Dallas, Texas, where Louis Glazer opened the Jumbo Bottling Company, which distributed a line of flavored soda waters from the back of horse-drawn wagons. Glazer’s Distributors, as the company is known today, was established on Sept. 3, 1933 by Max and Nolan Glazer, two of Louis Glazer’s sons. By 1966, Glazer’s had expanded beyond Texas to three additional states. And Glazer energized growth continues today.Glazer commitment to building brands, Glazer strategic focus on marketing and the company’s passion for outstanding service drive Glazer high performance, results-producing culture. Partnering as a valued resource to Glazer customers and suppliers, Glazer are dedicated as the industry’s preferred provider of beverage alcohol products in each of Glazer markets.

PZ Cussons is no washout at washing up. Its focus is making and distributing body and hand soaps. It also produces detergents, surface cleaners, over-the-counter medicines, skin and hair care products, men's toiletries, and other household products. While the company sells some internationally recognized brands, the majority of its products are branded and marketed for regional markets. In addition to its personal care and soap and detergent product lines, PZ Cussons has added household electrical appliances and food products to its products portfolio. In 2002 the firm changed its name from Paterson Zochonis to PZ Cussons. The family of co-founder George Zochonis still owns about 30% of the company.

Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, Inc. company develops, makes, and markets upscale polarized sunglasses designed to reduce glare for fisherman and enhance vision during water sports, such as kayaking, skiing, and sailing. Costa Del Mar sells its namesake eyewear to about 3,000 US retailers, including department stores, sporting goods shops, and optical and sunglass specialty outlets. It also sells its products online. Its eyewear, which comes in some three-dozen styles, is backed with a lifetime warranty. The sunglass maker is a subsidiary of the A.T. Cross Company, which acquired Costa Del Mar Sunglasses in 2003 and made it part of its Cross Optical Group.

The Schenck Company was founded by brothers Jay and Virgil Schenck in 1954; it is still owned and operated by the family. The Schenck Company distributes more than 190 brands of domestic, specialty, and imported beers, as well as alcoholic energy drinks such as Sparks and Liquid Charge. Its customer area comprises the central Florida counties of Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, and Seminole. Schenck represents more than 70 beer suppliers and it prints marketing posters and banners as part of the service it provides its customers. The company, which reaches about 5,000 retailers, began as a distributor for Miller Brewing and Molson Coors's joint venture MillerCoors.

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