Beggars Group and Secretly Distribution, two independent music powerhouses, have officially entered a strategic partnership with Cargo Records in the United Kingdom to launch a brand new distribution company called Cargo Independent Distribution (CID).
The brand new company, being led by Cargo Records UK founder & CEO Phil Hill, United Kingdom-based Cargo Independent Distribution, will expand the services it offers Cargo UK’s current label roster and will also provide United Kingdom/Ireland physical distribution and sales support to the Secretly Group labels.
Additionally, it will offer sales representation to Beggars Group partner labels.
Beggars Group CEO Paul Redding issued an official statement this week that said: “We live in changing and challenging times. Integral/ PIAS have handled our sales brilliantly for decades, but right now we see it as crucial that a new independent route to market is established. We very much look forward to being part of a bright new future.”
“All of us at Cargo are really excited for our new partnership with two of the most important independent music companies in the world, who continue to remain fiercely independent and committed to preserving a totally independent UK distribution outlet,” Hill, President, Cargo Independent Distribution said in the statement.
“The team at Cargo Records UK has faithfully championed outlier labels, artists and records for nearly three decades — including being the very first distributor to order records from Jagjaguwar — and now we have the great privilege of partnering with them in their next chapter” Darius Van Arman, CEO, Secretly Distribution said.
“All of us at Secretly are very excited to be working with Cargo Independent Distribution, to help safeguard an independent route to market in the UK and Ireland.”
“Secretly Group and its affiliates have again and again striven to celebrate and elevate the voices of the artists it represents” Chloé van Bergen, VP UK & EU Operations, Secretly Group added.
“This partnership, offering a top-tier and fully independent path to market in the UK, is a testament to that commitment – and our community’s ongoing effort to ensure our artists and partners can continue to push the cultural conversation forward.”
“Myself and Fire Records (‘one of the last great indie labels’ – Stewart Lee, 2024) feel a partnership between two great independent distributors not only strengthens the sector but protects this wonderful, yet delicate, microcosm of music” James Nicholls, Managing Director, Fire Records said, via Music Business Worldwide.
