Sustainability soap brand sets its sights on UK and international growth

A Cotswolds-based natural soap company is branching out into new markets at home and abroad and installing new software to meet growing demand.

Little Soap Company was founded in 2008 by Emma Heathcote-James to fill an untapped gap in the market – natural, pure soaps that are good for the skin and kind to the planet.

Now, the company is focused on the next phase of expansion after securing a finance package from Lloyds.

From hand-making soaps in her kitchen for selling to local farmers’ markets, the business quickly upscaled, using UK factories to make their four brands – Organic, Naturals, Eco Warrior and Little Beast – supplying into all the major UK retailers. Its products now cross-category, sitting in soap, haircare, shave, skincare, men’s and baby and child aisles, plus a line of pet shampoos.

The company’s Eco Warrior range won the Queen’s Award for enterprise innovation in 2022.

Emma, her wife Sharon, and their team of ten staff sell millions of products a year, via every major UK retailer, including Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons, Asda, Amazon and Boots.

The funding package from Lloyds will support the installation of a new, advanced software to enable greater automation of order fulfilment and forecasting, making it faster and easier to process retailer and online orders and better integrate with manufacturing as they grow both in the UK and into international markets. The business is currently venturing into Taiwan, Netherlands and Ireland, with the aim to also enter the US and other areas of Europe, and the implementation will accelerate scalability to support this expansion.

Little Soap Company can also make use of Lloyds’ International Trade Portal, which provides essential resources and market insights to ease the transition into new territories. The portal connects businesses to trade opportunities, offers regulatory guidance, and include tools to manage the risk associated with international transactions. This support will empower the firm to confidently expand its reach and achieve a stable foothold in key markets, reinforcing its position as a pioneer in sustainable personal care products and making it easier to introduce these products to customers worldwide.

Heathcote-James said: “I was inspired to start the Little Soap Company by my Gran, who built a collection of luxurious, kind-to-skin bar soaps while she travelled. However, when I searched for similar organically produced products at home, the options were few and far between, uncovering the need for a planet-friendly range.

“Lloyds Bank has been on board since the very beginning and their support has allowed us to grow our vision and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

“We can’t wait to see Little Soap Company products on shelves worldwide, sharing our passion for sustainability and eco-friendly living.”

Jessica Fox, relationship manager at Lloyds, said: “Little Soap Company is an incredible business with a truly inspiring story. Its passion for creating eco-friendly, sustainable products has set a new standard in the industry, and its dedication to making a positive environmental impact is something we’re proud to support.

“We’ve worked closely with Emma and her team, providing tailored financial solutions that embrace her unique approach as an entrepreneur. Seeing the business grow from a local startup to a successful national brand has been incredibly rewarding, and we’re excited to be part of their future success.”

Lloyds has a new partnership with the British Chambers of Commerce to support more SMEs with their international trade ambitions. The partnership will include developing insight to understand better the barriers that that businesses are facing in more detail, and bringing together businesses from across the UK to delve deeper into how businesses and finance providers can provide the practical support that will really help more businesses achieve their international trading goals and achieve growth from expanding their international trading.

Paul Kempster, managing director and head of relationship management at Lloyds, said: “International Trade sits at the heart of our purpose of Helping Britain Prosper. Firms who export overseas tend to grow faster than domestically focused peers, and build greater resilience through the diversification of their customer base and become more innovative to meet the needs of a global audience. Estimates show that only around 10% of UK businesses currently export. It’s great to see how the Little Soap Company has geared up for global expansion.”