Luxury soap company lathers up with expansion

A luxury independent soap company based in Yorkshire has nearly doubled in size over the last six months and plans to expand its online offering and Imaginarium brand further.

Launched by Warren Booth and Marcus Doyle in 2004, the idea initiated from Warren’s passion for making soap in his spare time and now The Yorkshire Soap Co. employs 60 workers across its six Yorkshire sites.

Experienced caterer and co-owner Warren said: “It was very much a hobby for three or four years, friends and family appreciated and enjoyed them and when we took over the shop, customers came flooding in. It was quite a novelty, no one had ever done it before.”

Sold at the brand’s first shop in Hebden Bridge as well as in its York, Leeds, Knaresborough and Beverley stores, the company’s line of products includes everything from cupcakes and hand-piped bath truffles to decorative, artisan and glycerine soaps, designed to offer luxury self-pampering and gifting experience.

The brand also owns the Imaginarium next door to the York soap shop, which offers “quirky interior gifts”, wall prints, tea towels, diffusers candles, dolls and books, all from British independent retailers.

As well as in its stores – of which two opened just last year – The Yorkshire Soap Co. operates online selling over 400 products and hamper sets, all handmade in the soap kitchen in York.

After expanding the size of the Imaginarium brand, the Yorkshire Soap Co. is now planning to launch an online shop for its gift shop.

And with the business growing exponentially, The Yorkshire Soap Co. may be looking to open a flagship store in London or alternatively, stick true to its Yorkshire roots with a series of smaller shops in and around the region.

“People are fascinated by the products; taking photographs, following us, buying big orders to take home for people to try and we can see that having a flagship store in London would help us really appeal to the tourist market.

“Market towns are great and they’re easier for us to open locally, but if we were really going to make a statement and try and grow the business then London will be a great place to start to get word and mouth out,” said Warren.

This year, the brand will also be looking to refine their product range and introduce gift boxes, off the back of the hampers which were successfully launched last year. The introduction of a system for loyal customers is also on the cards for The Yorkshire Soap Co.

Marcus said: “We’ve got a huge following on social media – it’s like a Yorkshire soap family really, of people who just come back time and time again. I think historically they’ve been served by myself or Warren and have been given the ownership treatment and that’s kept the brand alive really.

“The novelty of the products is still here today, and we make all sorts of gifts throughout the year, there’s definitely still a unique element to the product.”