Who can forget 2020? While the world was reeling from the shock of the global COVID pandemic, in the UK, a small but dedicated team of 3 were busy transforming an idea into reality. With a vision of making regulatory compliance easier for those in the food supplement industry, plus an outsourced software development team, Rubicon Bridge was born.

Fast forward to 2025, and Rubicon Bridge has grown into a 25 strong company, including regulatory experts, business development and an established internal dev ops team. Over 400 users have now used Rubicon Bridge’s revolutionary software solution for regulatory compliance. Highly rated by marketplace sellers, it has already earned recognition as an award-winning tool.

Businesses have embraced the power of The Reg Tech Tool™, transitioning from traditional regulatory solutions that are often less reliable, more time-consuming and significantly more expensive. With a commitment to innovation and efficiency, Rubicon Bridge is redefining the way brands navigate regulatory compliance.

The Challenge: A Fragmented Regulatory Landscape

From the very beginning, Rubicon was already working closely with private brands in the global marketplace to launch food supplements. However, one of the biggest challenges these brands faced was the fragmented nature of food supplement regulations across Europe. Unlike some industries that benefit from standardized regulations, food supplement laws can vary significantly between countries.

For those brands wishing to launch in multiple European markets – such as the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain – this meant navigating different sets of compliance requirements for each country. Each market had its own list of permitted substances, usage levels, warning requirements and labeling regulations. With so many variables, ensuring compliance in each territory required separate, labor-intensive checks. The whole process was time-consuming and prone to human error, not to mention highly inefficient. There had to be a better way.

The Initial Solution: Manual Data Structuring

To tackle this challenge, Rubicon initially adopted a structured, manual approach to regulatory compliance. The team developed comprehensive spreadsheets, nicknamed VELMA and DAPHNE (named after two of the mystery-busting team from Scooby Doo), that cataloged critical regulatory information. These databases included:

• Lists of permitted substances and their allowable usage levels
• Mandatory warning labels and other product-specific compliance requirements
• Country-specific labeling guidelines

While this approach significantly improved efficiency compared to entirely manual compliance checks, it still required extensive human input. The process, though structured, remained labor-intensive and susceptible to errors.

The Turning Point: Moving Toward Automation

Recognizing the limitations of their manual approach, the Rubicon team sought ways to further streamline compliance checks. By incorporating advanced Excel formulas, they were able to enhance efficiency, but it became increasingly clear that a more automated solution was needed.

In late 2020, the company made a pivotal decision: to develop a software solution capable of automating compliance checks across multiple markets. To spearhead this transition, John Morrison joined the team as data manager, bringing expertise in structuring data for software development. With his guidance, Rubicon hired external developers to build the platform. Initially outlined as a six-month project, the scope of development expanded significantly as the team realized the potential of a fully integrated compliance solution. What started as a simple automation tool evolved into a comprehensive compliance platform designed to transform regulatory processes for food supplement brands.

The Solution Today: Rubicon Bridge

The result of this ambitious effort is Rubicon Bridge – a powerful, automated compliance solution that enables brands to check regulatory requirements across multiple markets in a matter of minutes. By eliminating the manual effort and reducing the risk of human error, Rubicon Bridge empowers businesses to enter new markets with confidence.

Key Features of Rubicon Bridge include:

• Automated Formula Checks: Instantly verifies whether product formulations comply with regulations in multiple countries, ensuring brands meet market-specific requirements.
• Advanced Translation Tool: Helps businesses generate compliant labeling and warning statements in multiple languages, streamlining international product launches.
• Scalability and Accuracy: The system adapts to regulatory updates and minimizes errors, significantly accelerating the compliance process and reducing risk.

With these capabilities, Rubicon Bridge is revolutionizing the way brands approach compliance, transforming what was once a slow and cumbersome process into an efficient and scalable solution.

The Future: Expansion and Growth

While Rubicon Bridge has already made a significant impact, its journey is far from over. The company has ambitious plans for expansion, aiming to extend its reach and enhance its capabilities to serve a broader range of industries and regions.

What’s Next for Rubicon Bridge?

• Full EU Coverage: Expanding to cover all EU member states to provide a seamless compliance solution across Europe.
• Global Expansion: Extending beyond the EU to non-European markets, enabling brands to launch products with confidence on a truly international scale.
• New Industry Applications: Moving beyond food supplements to other highly regulated industries such as cosmetics and food products, ensuring compliance automation becomes a standard practice across various sectors.
• Becoming the Industry Standard: The ultimate goal is for Rubicon Bridge to become the go-to compliance automation tool for brands operating in highly regulated markets.

Grow Your Business with Rubicon Bridge

Rubicon Bridge is redefining regulatory compliance, turning a complex and manual process into a fast, automated solution. Our platform saves time, reduces errors and accelerates market entry for brands worldwide.If you’re ready to simplify compliance and expand into new markets, Rubicon Bridge can help. Give us a call today on +44 (0)1482 690156 or email us at info@rubicon-bridge.com.