As Ashleigh & Burwood celebrates its 25th silver anniversary this year, GiftsandHome.net asked managing director Andrew Nettleton what have been the biggest changes in the home fragrancing industry since the company started out 25 years ago?
“The home fragrance market is almost unrecognisable today. We have scented candles and reed diffusers as the two dominant product categories, yet neither existed 25 years ago.”
What were your top trending gift products in 1993?
“At the beginning it was pot-pourri, a relatively out-of-favour product nowadays. Alongside that we sold the fragrance oils. At first they were used to refresh pot-pourri but quickly became adopted in their own right as a product to be used in oil burners as the market for those took off.”
How has your business evolved over the past quarter century?
“We have grown from a family, kitchen table business – my parents, grandmother and myself – to employing over 40 staff. We have also evolved the products that we offer, always trying to stay at the leading edge of innovation within our sector. This journey has taken us from pot-pourri to oil burners to incense to aromatherapy and now to our current line-up which includes modern electronic fragrancing devices, car fresheners, home accent cushions and hardback notepads – a brand new direction for 2018 – that capture the bold, colourful patterns of our Wild Things candles and reed diffuser collection.”
What new issues are being confronted, and what new opportunities have opened up?
“Certainly the UK’s departure from the EU, and everything that this currently entails, is the major uncertainty. We export a lot to the EU and, with less than a year to go, we still have no idea about what the export process will be, such as whether we will have to complete more export detailed documentation than now, and any tariffs on UK goods which might hinder our competitiveness in Europe. The other side of the ‘B’ word debate could be new opportunities opening up via trade deals with non-EU countries. However, it doesn’t look like this will be an overnight process.”
How are you celebrating your 25th anniversary year?
“To mark our 25thanniversary we’ve commissioned a short film showing a peek behind the scenes at A&B. We hope the film will give customers an insight into how we work and allow them to get to know the many talented teams behind the final products. We’ll be showing the film on our stand at the upcoming Autumn/Winter trade shows and it is also available to view on our YouTube account. We have also marked the occasion with a special edition of our Sparkling Prosecco lamp fragrance, back by popular demand.”
