In today’s increasingly interconnected world, the desire to expand internationally is stronger than ever. For U.S. brands, the allure of entering the vast European market is enticing, but the journey to successfully launch products overseas is riddled with complexities. Navigating Europe’s regulatory landscape can be a daunting, time-consuming and expensive exercise.
However, at Rubicon Bridge, we’re here to help you turn these challenges into opportunities and allow you to scale faster and more efficiently than ever before.
Our pioneering regulatory compliance technology (RegTech) platform is designed to simplify and accelerate your international expansion process. By breaking down complex regulatory requirements, we’re helping businesses enter new markets with ease, significantly reducing time to market and eliminating the traditional friction associated with compliance.
Setting the scene: Brexit, COVID-19 and the New Era of Trade
To fully understand the importance of a regulatory compliance technology tool like Rubicon Bridge, it’s worth considering the landscape in which it was created. Just for a minute, imagine you are in the UK in 2019. It’s dull and miserable, and we’re not simply talking about the weather!
Just 3 years prior to this, the UK’s decision to leave the EU (European Union) caused uncertainty and disruption for businesses relying on EU trade. For example, the British Pound hit a 31-year low, not to mention the prospect of new regulatory hurdles, increased paperwork, tariffs and compliance challenges.
The UK formally left the EU on 31st January 2020 but further issues were lurking just around the corner.
If Brexit wasn’t already challenging enough, the COVID pandemic further complicated international trade. Businesses around the world were forced to navigate supply chain disruptions, lockdowns and a collapsing global economy. Both Brexit and COVID created unprecedented friction, particularly for companies seeking to expand internationally, leaving many brands questioning whether entering new markets was worth doing, let alone feasible.
Navigating the Complexities of European Regulatory Compliance
Brexit, red tape and tariffs aren’t the only challenges you’ll face when launching products in Europe. You’ll also need to navigate a complex and fragmented regulatory landscape. For example, take the dietary supplement sector. While the EU has harmonized many regulations, each member state can still enforce its own set of rules. This means that while a product may comply with EU-wide regulations, it may still be restricted or prohibited in certain countries due to national regulations.
Brands looking to expand into Europe often find themselves lost in a maze of compliance checks and documentation requirements. As Lee Gray, our Business Development Director explains: “A single dietary supplementary product, for instance, can have multiple active ingredients, each of which must be checked for compliance with both EU-wide and country-specific regulations.”
Traditionally, this approach can take months and be fraught with unseen costs and delays. This is where Rubicon Bridge, the Reg Tech Tool™, can cut out the middleman, saving you time and money.[1] [2] [3]
Enter Rubicon Bridge: Revolutionizing Regulatory Compliance Technology
Rubicon Bridge was born out of the need to eliminate the friction that businesses like yours experience when expanding into new markets. Unlike traditional regulatory affairs companies, which rely on manual processes, we use our own proprietary regulatory compliance technology to automate compliance checks and streamline the process of launching products in Europe.
At our core, Rubicon Bridge is a dynamic repository of regulatory requirements that allows brand owners to self-serve both pre- and post-launch compliance activities. By inputting your product formulations into our regulatory compliance technology platform, you can instantly check compliance across multiple European countries, drastically reducing the time and cost involved. What once took months to accomplish can now be done in a matter of minutes.
For example, a dietary supplement brand that previously faced a four-month lead time for compliance checks can now receive approval in under five minutes using Rubicon Bridge. Additionally, the platform generates fully compliant, translated packaging copies, enabling businesses to create a single product label, valid across multiple European markets.
Real-World Success: BioCare and Rubicon Bridge
One brand that has benefited significantly from Rubicon Bridge and our regulatory compliance technology is BioCare, a UK-based producer of premium dietary supplements. Emma Ellis, BioCare’s Managing Director, shared how the platform has transformed the company’s international expansion:
“We’re a UK brand that’s been around for 35 years. We have an extensive range of premium food supplements that are high in quality and highly effective, with around 180 different formulations, so there is quite a lot of complexity in managing the range.
“We export to about thirty countries which is quite complex and challenging, which is why, eight years ago, we formed a strategic partnership with Rubicon Bridge. Their expertise, knowledge and guidance, have helped us drive that international growth, whilst allowing us to develop and manage our range. Speed to market is crucial for us.”
A Seamless Solution for Brands of All Sizes
One of the most impressive aspects of the regulatory compliance technology from Rubicon Bridge is its scalability. Whether you run a small startup with a handful of products or a large enterprise managing hundreds of SKUs, the platform is designed to handle compliance at scale.
John Connolly, our Chief Technology Officer, highlighted how the platform’s API allows businesses to integrate compliance checks directly into their own systems, making the process even more seamless.
“Our goal was to build a platform that could be used by thousands of people around the world to check their products for compliance.
“We’ve built scalability right into the core of the platform, allowing businesses to go to market faster, with complete confidence in their compliance.”
The Future of International Expansion
For U.S. brands considering entering Europe, there has never been a better time to make the leap. With regulatory compliance technology from Rubicon Bridge, the barriers that once made international expansion seem impossible are now quickly falling away. By simplifying and automating compliance, your business can focus on growth and innovation, rather than getting caught up in regulatory red tape.
As Lee succinctly puts it, “There’s now a tool available to help brands launch faster, with less friction, and with complete confidence in their compliance. If you’ve ever thought about expanding into Europe, now is the time to do it.”
Streamline Your Business Today
If you’re looking to remove regulatory friction and scale your business faster, why not book a demo with us today? Alternatively, call us on +44 (0)1482 690156 or email info@rubicon-bridge.com.
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