Marta Wolska-Brys: “We have moved from the era of rapid market launch to that of smart market launch!”

Passionate about innovation, Marta Wolska-Brys, founder of Packaging & Beyond, LLC, helps beauty brands with their packaging research and sourcing, connects them with partners, and assists with new product launches, with a focus on packaging development, all tailored to each brand’s specific needs. She is committed to bringing both structure and creativity to all the projects she works on. Here, she offers an experienced and pragmatic view of the current situation in the industry, particularly in the United States.

Please give us a brief overview of your professional background.

Marta Wolska-Brys: I have been working in the beauty industry for over 20 years. I spent my first fifteen years at L’Oréal, where I had the opportunity to start my professional career in France and then move to the United States. I started in the Quality department and then held positions in packaging, product development, packaging sustainability, and packaging innovation. This allowed me to be involved in almost every aspect of the new product development process for most of the L’Oréal group’s brands and across all product categories. I currently run my own consulting business, Packaging & Beyond, LLC, which I founded seven years ago.

Here are a few examples of projects I have worked on:
• Helping brands identify appropriate packaging options and select suitable suppliers for upcoming launches. Developing partnerships with packaging manufacturers to improve the sourcing process in terms of quality, sustainability, cost, and lead times.
• Researching and finding innovative packaging technologies to meet specific brand needs, or simply to keep them informed of new developments and market trends.
• Co-designing packaging solutions with sustainability and innovation as key objectives, to improve overall product performance and user experience.
• Lead packaging development processes that transform concepts into finished products.

In the current context of global supply challenges, I have recently helped clients find alternative sources for packaging components originally produced in China and other regions affected by tariffs. In addition, I help brands establish direct relationships with manufacturers in the United States and the European Union, bypassing distributors when strategically appropriate, particularly for brands mature enough to manage and lead the partnership with packaging manufacturers themselves.

In collaboration with a partner packaging testing laboratory, I develop comprehensive testing plans tailored to the needs of each project. This includes conducting risk assessments to help brands understand the impact of packaging quality on the success of new product launches.

Brands also come to me when packaging quality issues arise after a launch. In these cases, I also offer troubleshooting and root cause analysis services, with the implementation of an action plan to be executed with or without my assistance (depending on the client’s choice).

Value analysis projects are certainly on the rise, as growing brands are willing to revisit their initial sourcing strategies and issue requests for proposals to new potential suppliers. These initiatives often result in six- to seven-figure savings, as I have seen firsthand in some recent projects I have managed.
That said, longevity is becoming a global trend. In the United States, this is increasingly reflected in the launch of fewer but better-designed products, supported by robust new product launch processes and more rigorous risk management.

We may no longer be in the era of “fast to market,” but rather “smart to market.”
As a result, independent brands in particular are seeking (and will increasingly seek) to understand what they don’t yet know and are increasingly turning to industry experts for advice and support.

In the more specific sector of packaging, over the last 30 years the United States has gradually abandoned a large part of its production facilities, turning instead to Asia and Mexico, among other places, and developing a significant network of distributors. The country has therefore become heavily dependent on foreign countries. What consequences do you think this development has had on the sector and, more specifically, on its capacity for development and innovation? Furthermore, the cards are being reshuffled with these upheavals in customs duties. What impact does this have and will it have?

Marta Wolska-Brys: The beauty giants, who have a good understanding of the world of packaging manufacturers, have already put in place alternative solutions, contingency plans, and diversified supplier networks. Of course, even these brands are not completely immune to the “era of uncertainty” in which we live today. The current situation mainly affects brands that have focused on “the present” without implementing contingency or diversification strategies. That said, it is also true that certain packaging technologies are only available in Asia, where the expertise and economic factors necessary for their development have long existed.

Lately, I have observed three major movements in the industry in the United States:
1️) Search for domestic alternatives for packaging supplies.
2️) Relocation (where possible) of packaging and/or finished product production to regions offering more favorable tax or trade conditions.
3️) Brands are revisiting their launch strategies, focusing on fewer but stronger product launches.

European packaging manufacturers are facing a series of globally very restrictive and burdensome regulations, particularly regarding the use of plastics, with a sharp acceleration in early 2026. Again, what impact do you think this will have on the US industry and what is its position on this issue?

Marta Wolska-Brys: I think American brands cannot ignore what is happening in the European Union. Indeed, many US states, particularly those with ambitious sustainability programs, such as California, have already implemented or are preparing to implement sustainability regulations.
In addition, brands that plan to sell their products outside the US must comply with the regulations of the markets in which they operate. Sustainability is no longer an option; it is a reality that we all live with and must fully integrate into the development of packaging and products.