Founder of Liverpool city region brand merchandise specialist Wild Thang, Andrew Dwerryhouse, sets three-year £20m revenue target amid ‘biggest moment in our history’ 30th anniversary expo. Tony McDonough reports
Fresh from the success of its 30th anniversary ESG-themed expo, Liverpool city region manufacturer and exporter Wild Thang has set an ambitious £20m revenue target.
Founded by Andrew Dwerryhouse in a back office of his father’s business in 1996 with a £1,500 Prince’s Trust (now the King’s Trust) grant, Wild Thang is now a UK leader in branded merchandise.
From its headquarters and factory close to the Port of Liverpool Wild Thang‘s team supplies a multitude of products to blue chip customers such as McDonald’s, Paddy Power, Sony and Formula One.
In the last few years the firm has invested well over £2m in upgrading its expanding base, adding solar panels to the roof to power the business. It was those extensive efforts into sustainability that saw the firm awarded B Corp status in 2025, marking it as one of the most sustainable businesses in the UK.
In tandem with that Andrew and his team have turned Wild Thang into an international company. It now operates both in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland and also has a base in New Jersey in the US.
In March Wild Thang marked 30 years in business with a Liverpool city centre expo and celebratory gala dinner. The expo, held at the Hilton Liverpool, saw a big turnout of clients, suppliers and other business leaders.
Multiple speakers addressed a packed room with topics discussed including sustainability, ESG (environmental, social and governance), tech and innovation, social impact and B Corp certification.
Click here to see a video of the expo and gala dinner
Andrew reflected on the success of the event and set an ambitious revenue target for the business. He said: “For our milestone 30th birthday, we really wanted to do something that dared to be different and be much more than a party.
“We don’t think milestone business moments get any bigger. I think we did it in Wild Thang way style and genuinely hope all attendees left feeling inspired, empowered with more knowledge to do things better.
“We wanted it to be a celebration of our family business, everyone who has played an integral role in our 30-year journey, including fellow family member directors Chris Dwerryhouse, John Howarth and Sarah Howarth.
“And also our amazing team, partners, collaborators, suppliers and friends, all of whom we see as family.
“It was important to showcase how we have placed ESG central to Wild Thang’s culture and now being a proud B Corp we have never been more excited about the future even with the current global challenges.
“We are focused on doing business better for planet and people with purpose and progress. We hope to push through the £10m turnover barrier this year and aim for £20m over the next three years.”
READ MORE: ‘Wild Thang does things properly – they are authentic’
Key highlights of the expo and dinner included:
- Programme of industry expert speakers and panel discussions.
- Launch of new on-demand and digital branding solutions.
- Introduction of a new Stanley/Stella sustainable team uniform.
- Distribution of lower-eco impact 30th anniversary goody bags.
- Carbon offsetting of all attendees’ travel.
- Raising more than £2,000 for charity partners.
Sarah Howarth, commercial director at Wild Thang, added: “From the very beginning, we’ve had a mindset of striving to be the best. Through collaboration, learning and industry engagement, we’ve evolved to place ESG, ethical sourcing and technology at the heart of what we do.”