Cornish company plans expansion after winning contract for luxury London hotel
Cornwall’s hugely successful organic skincare company Spiezia Organics is planning an expansion at its Truro base after securing a contract to supply a new range of amenity products to a leading luxury London hotel.
Spiezia Organics is launching a selection of organic shampoos, conditioners and body wash products in April. As part of this growth and development, the company has secured a deal with Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair for their luxury organic amenity products to be supplied in its superior suites for guests to use.
As a result of the new contract – and growing demand for its skincare products from spas, hotels and increasing direct sales worldwide – Spiezia Organics hopes to expand its manufacturing and production base at the award-winning Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre (HWIC) in Truro, which is operated by Plymouth University to support Cornish businesses to grow more quickly.
Amanda Barlow, managing director of Spiezia Organics, said: “Our skincare products have been used at the Brown’s Hotel spa for some time and they love the brand there so they asked us to bid to supply a bespoke luxury organic amenity range for the suites at the hotel.
“We worked with Falmouth-based design agency Kingdom & Sparrow on the branding and packaging, and what we showed the Brown’s team blew their socks off so we have now signed a two-year contract.
“This is very exciting news, and we are already in talks with other hotels and businesses as a result. We have further new products we hope to launch in the next 12 months, and we will be looking to expand our production facilities at HWIC to manage this. The centre is the perfect place for us to be as we can add space to grow, and I fully expect the company to develop rapidly over the next two years.”
Spiezia Organics moved into HWIC on the Treliske campus in Truro in February 2013 shortly after the purpose-built business acceleration centre opened. As a result of being supported by the Cornwall Innovation team to focus on growing its business, Spiezia Organics recorded a record increase in profits of close to £34,000 in its first year at the centre, and created three new jobs. It has invested heavily in innovation since being supported by EU funding through BIG, the Business Investment Growth fund.
The centre in Truro is one of three acclaimed business acceleration centres in the county operated by Plymouth University on behalf of Cornwall Council, which support companies to grow their businesses more quickly.
Amanda Barlow added: “Being at HWIC has been just brilliant for us, and fundamental for our growth and development; the staff at Cornwall Innovation have given us so much support, as well as the head space to focus on growing our business successfully.
“It’s made the most amazing difference to how quickly we’ve been able to grow and expand and we hope to continue growing the business over the next 12 months.”
Spiezia Organics was bought by Amanda in 2007. It now has five full-time staff working alongside colleagues and associates including three spa development managers covering the UK and abroad, and a new production and dispatch team. The company manufactures and sells more than 35 different skincare and bodycare products made using 100 per cent accredited organic ingredients. Products are sold online, through retailers, and used in top-of-the-range spas all over the country, as well as being exported internationally.
The new toiletry range of shampoos, conditioners and bodywash has been in development over the last 12 months, and was supported by Jo Fairley, the leading UK entrepreneur who co-founded Green & Black’s chocolate and is widely acclaimed as an expert on health and beauty and organic living.
Amanda has been invited to Buckingham Palace to attend the annual Garden Party in May in recognition of the work she has done through the charitable arm of Spiezia Organics – the Made for Life Foundation. The charity provides emotional and holistic support programmes to cancer patients through spa treatment days, creative workshops and counselling.
Karen Murray, Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre Manager, said: “We are delighted to have supported the fantastic growth of Spiezia Organics over the last two years, and to continue to work with the team as the business expands yet further, putting Cornwall on the map with its highly acclaimed organic skincare products.”
The Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre in Truro has helped the 29 fast-growing companies based there to enjoy record growth of up to 46 per cent in one year since it opened two years ago, and supported the creation of more than 33 jobs.
HWIC, along with its sister centres – Pool Innovation Centre and Tremough Innovation Centre in Penryn – are operated by Plymouth University on behalf of Cornwall Council with the support of GAIN, the Growth, Acceleration and Investment Network which aims to boost business growth and job creation in the South West.
Cornwall Innovation is supported by the Cornwall Development Company (CDC), an arm’s length company of Cornwall Council, with £29million of investment provided by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
