Webloyalty and Retail Insider welcomed a select group of retail leaders to the latest instalment of Retail Uncorked – our ongoing series of experience-led networking events designed to spark open conversation between industry peers.
Hosted at Brewhouse & Kitchen in Highbury & Islington, the evening opened with a fireside-style discussion with Glynn Davis, founder of Retail Insider, and guest speaker Keiran Hewkin, founder and CEO of Swyft, before guests took part in a craft beer tasting and food pairing experienced led by the Brewhouse & Kitchen team.
Keiran traced his journey from a background and passion for manufacturing to founding one of the UK’s most distinctive furniture brands. The idea for Swyft was born from a simple but powerful observation: the furniture-buying experience was broken. Delivery times were long and products were too bulky to navigate into homes with ease.
Swyft’s answer was the sofa-in-a-box concept: premium furniture that could be delivered compactly to a customer’s door within 24 hours and could be assembled in minutes.
Launching a business on the eve of Covid presented no shortage of challenges, from manufacturing disruption, to supply chain pressure and the need to find logistics partners capable of meeting a 24-hour delivery promise. Keiran spoke candidly about the persistence required to pitch to major retailers in a deeply uncertain climate.
Throughout, Swyft’s approach remained anchored in creative problem-solving and an unwavering focus on providing a premium customer experience. From its original sofa-in-a-box model, the brand has continued to expand its range across categories including beds, garden furniture and sofa beds. Today, Swyft operates three of its own stores in the UK, with plans to expand to over 10 locations, and has grown its wholesale presence through 33 points of sale with major retail partners, including John Lewis, across the UK and France.
Keiran’s story is a fitting illustration of where retailers are doubling down in 2026 and beyond: brands that lead with a customer-first mindset and genuinely help customers solve their greatest roadblocks in the shopping experience, are gaining long-term repeat customers.
Webloyalty and Glynn Davis would like to thank Keiran Hewkin for sharing his inspiring journey and insights, as well as the team at Brewhouse & Kitchen for an engaging craft beer education session that set the tone for the evening.
Retail Uncorked was created to give retail leaders the space to connect in settings that encourage more meaningful conversation. Places at each event are limited so if you weren’t able to join us this time, we’d encourage you to register your interest for future events.