FUGA, the world’s leading full-service B2B music distributor owned by Downtown Music Holdings, today announced a global delivery platform services deal with Beggars Group, the legendary independent label group home to 4AD, Matador, Rough Trade Records, XL Recordings and Young. The partnership sees extensive technical integration between Beggars’ newly developed, innovative technology platform and FUGA’s proprietary digital supply chain technology, to service all of Beggars’ global DSP partners with the group’s entire catalogue and new releases across all five labels.

Simon Wheeler, Director of Global Commercial Strategy at Beggars Group, said: “FUGA’s industry-leading software and an impressive breadth of experience working with the independent music sector makes them an ideal delivery partner for us. Their best-in-class supply chain will allow us to maintain full control over our rights and catalogue while servicing our digital partners around the world and keeping up with the many and varied developments in the modern digital marketplace.”

The coupling of Beggars’ exceptional data quality and fully automated DDEX feed with FUGA’s best of breed distribution technology and comprehensive network of 260+ digital service providers is transformational and enables Beggars’ continued growth of its sector-leading digital business, which services its award-winning roster of labels and their artists.

FUGA’s technology, which has seen several new features implemented in 2021, such as support and automated delivery of spatial audio to Apple Music, supports large volumes of content, including video, and complex product set-ups, enabling its partners to keep pace in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

Supported by FUGA’s global engineering and London-based management teams, these two organisations have already completed the seamless migration of Beggars’ considerable catalogue. FUGA’s London-based team has doubled in size over the last twelve months, with the business actively expanding its presence in the region.

Pieter van Rijn, CEO of FUGA, added: “As one of the most influential label groups in both the UK and global independent music, Beggars Group is an incredibly exciting addition to our international clients, with FUGA now a route to market for a significant portion of the world’s new releases. I’d also like to acknowledge Client Relations Manager EMEA Sarah Johnston, the lead for the operational onboarding process, and Joost Calis, our Head of Supply-Chain Engineering, as well as the whole engineering team for their exceptional work, which was tremendously instrumental in the process.”

As a result of this expansion, Liz Northeast has been appointed as UK General Manager, reporting to FUGA’s SVP EMEA Dorothée Imhoff. Northeast, who has previously occupied senior roles at The Orchard and AWAL, joined FUGA as Client Relations Director EMEA in early 2021. She will spearhead FUGA’s London team, overseeing existing UK clients and partner relations, including Beggars Group, as well as handling all new business development for the region.