Gifts Today Home Fragrance Supplement 2023

Message from the Editor

LinkedIn: @giftstoday Twitter: @giftstodaymag

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There’s a strong sense of excitement and optimism in the air when it comes to home fragrance, as the views and news expressed in the following pages testify.

We firmly believe Gift Today’s annual Home Fragrance Supplement is the definitive guide to this dynamic sector in the UK. From comprehensive details of new products, to trading patterns and trends, it really is an invaluable point of reference for retailers.

This year’s edition is no exception. We have collated information from an impressive variety of suppliers, shopkeepers and industry experts to give you an accurate and deep understanding of what’s new and what’s next in this ever-evolving market.

The broad consensus from our contributors is that home fragrance sales are not only stable but thriving, as the popularity of scenting our indoor spaces continues apace.

So why not light your favourite fragranced candle or wax melt, relax, and enjoy reading our insights into this fascinating and innovative gift category!

Gifts Today team

Cover Story

12 Enesco

The gift giant has signed an agreement with Newell Brands to distribute Yankee Candle, WoodWick, and Chesapeake Bay to the UK market. It’s an exciting time for the companies to join forces, as Yankee Candle sees its biggest launch ever in 2023

Columnists

14 Sara Allbright

The Retail100 Consulting director and co-founder asks: if you don’t have home fragrance as part of your product line-up, what are you waiting for?

23 David Anthony

The visual merchandiser and founder of David Anthony Creative consultancy reveals his top 10 tips on how to style home fragrance in-store

28 Steve Powell

The owner of Steve Powell Agencies shares his knowledge, advice, and observations as a sales agent specialising in home fragrance and gifts

36 Olivia Jezler

39

guidelines from the International Fragrance Association and how they affect you

8 Retailers’ Panel

Fourteen independent gift retailers from across the UK review what home fragrance products, brands, and scents sell well for them - and flag up some tried-and-tested tactics for maximising sales opportunities

18 Trade Talk

Top executives at leading home fragrance companies forecast trends and divulge details of their trading patterns and product launches for the new season and beyond

Company Profiles

5 Manor House

6 Ashleigh & Burwood

15 Denby

16 Marmalade of London

Production

Chairman

The founder of scent innovation agency Future of Smell predicts what scents will be big news this year and suggests how retailers can create an exceptional home fragrance experience

39 Daniel and Sarah Pettitt

The managing director and creative director of Heaven Scent discuss safety

30 gorgeous fragrances to choose from for 2023

Manor House

2022 proved to be the best year to date for Manor House, as the company continues to welcome more new stockists on board following Spring Fair, which was one of its best trade shows ever. The firm is in talks with many stockists - both old and new - for 2023, several of whom had an incredible Christmas trading period.

Manor House’s 2023 collection encompasses 30 gorgeous fragrances to choose from, which is its largest offering yet. It has just added two new scents called Antibes and Portofino to its extensive offering and, the supplier says, “both are selling amazingly well. We have created much more in-depth fragrances for these collections and the feedback has been so positive.

“We have also launched a complete collection of Soy Wax Candles in Tins (silver tins for year round and gold for Christmas). Sales of these have exceeded all expectations, and we are already onto our second major production run. We are offering these in all 30 of our fragrance collections.

“The fact that our products are handmade in England is what so many stockists want. Our pot pourris are all designed in-house using the finest botanicals available to purchase, fragranced using high-end oils, and then finished with individual flowers, petals and seed pods. Every box and bag is then hand-tied ready to display. Our fragrance oils are great for refreshing pot pourri, or for traditional and even electric oil burners, and these remain one of our top-selling products.

“All our Botanical Candles are produced using the highest-quality waxes and fragrances to match with the pot pourris, with hand-placed flowers and seed pods added before hand-wrapping and tying. Our glass candles are simple and stylish and offered in matching gift boxes - again, ready to display.

“Our Reed Diffusers, Diffuser Refills and Room Sprays are hand-poured with a high percentage of fragrance, before being boxed and, again, tied by hand to complete the collection. Many also include our newly relaunched luxury hand wash and moisturisers, which add a practical and useful addition. All the lotions are created bespoke for us: they are not tested on animals and are safe to the environment and not harmful in any way.

“Our Drawer Liners are also hand-printed and infused with fragrances, along with our triple fabric bags and cushion stacks – all for use in clothes drawers and wardrobes to gently fragrance.

“Our Facebook page (Manor House Home Fragrance Ltd), Twitter account (@ ManorHouseHome1) and Instagram account (Manorhousehomefragrance) link our business with our retailers and final-end customers and clients, and are gaining many followers and numerous positive comments.

“Finally, Private Label Home Fragrance is increasing dramatically and we are currently working with more and more leading retailers to produce private label collections incorporating clients’ thoughts and ideas, fragrances, and branding, to offer bespoke and unique one-off collections. We also now offer a standard selection of onthe-shelf gift boxes in various colourways to suit the slightly smaller retailers.”

Call: 01359 250720

Email: sales@manorhousehomefragrance.co.uk

Visit: www.manorhousehomefragrance.co.uk

Newness to enhance The Scented Home

Ashleigh & Burwood

Ashleigh & Burwood is delighted to introduce wax melts as part of a first phase of developments planned for its The Scented Home collection, to strengthen the consumer offering.

The popular collection, which already encompasses reed diffusers, scented candles, interior and linen sprays and scented sachets, now benefits from the addition of wax melts in the company’s 10 best-selling scents, including favourites Fresh Linen, Moroccan Spice and Peony. Presented in boxes of eight individual wax melts shaped into adorable hearts, the melts are crafted from brightly coloured wax to match each fragrance.

With the addition of wax melts, Ashleigh & Burwood continues to diversify The Scented Home collection to offer multiple attractive yet affordable product types which can be layered throughout the home and matched to the needs of each room.

In a second phase planned for later this year, mini reed diffusers will be joining the wide-ranging collection. This is a response to the emerging trend calling for smaller versions of the products that shoppers love, which enables them to buy into their favourite scents in a cost-conscious way.

This season, The Scented Home also welcomes two new fragrances to the extensive range of reed diffusers and refills range. Capturing the floral blooms that the spring season is renowned for, as well as the magical renewed feeling of this time of year, both scents make an ideal accompaniment to the home in the spring months and beyond.

Blossoming new scent Snowdrop & Jasmine brings a comforting harmony of floral notes to the home. Notes of velvety jasmine at the heart of the fragrance are enhanced by a gentle accord of snowdrop, violet and lilac, atop a base of soft musk and warm woods.

The other new fragrance, Midsummer Night’s Dream, is an ethereal offering which creates an elegant fantasy of magical summer scents. The opening notes of fresh juniper berries dappled in dew give way to a heart of rose petals and violet leaf, finished with a golden glow of amber.

RETAILERS’ PANEL

Becky Abbiss Owner With Love

Oakwood Leeds

We stock home fragrances from Stoneglow Candles, The Country Candle Company, Janie Wilson and Wild Olive. Stoneglow sells amazingly well and is a top class product in on-trend packaging. Janie Wilson has just introduced a lovely new glass candle range which is receiving great love and selling quickly. Janie is based in Leeds, which helps our ‘local supplier’ sales. The products come in gorgeous packaging which suits all colour schemes as it’s white glass with gold  And I’m just about to receive an order of hand creams from The English Soap Company - I discovered them at the Harrogate Christmas & Gift. They’re really pretty and bright, with colourful packaging.

Stoneglow provides testers for candles and reed diffusers. We display products in sealed packaging, plus one tester on display for customers to smell and touch (this helps keep the unopened items in tip-top condition). And we display bath bombs and bath tea bags from Wild Olive on a large cake stand, which is very effective.

Sandra Powell Owner

The Candle Tree

Gloucester

Gloucestershire

Home fragrance is an essential part of our shop. It forms a huge part of what we sell. Our four key brands are St. Eval, Lily-Flame, Crumble & Core, and The English Soap Company. Candles are our top seller by far, but we also do aroma diffusers, reed diffusers and to a lesser extent wax melts.

Customers’ favourite scents depend on the seasons. In spring/summer, Grapefruit & Lime are popular and in autumn/winter, heartwarming aromatic spices like Orange & Cinnamon sell best.

When displaying home fragrance, I try to keep the same brand’s products in one section. That means that if a customer likes St. Eval for example, its candles, dinner candles, and reed diffusers are all together so it’s easy to choose and looks better. I have an electric aroma diffuser on my counter and change its essential oils daily, so the shop is fragranced constantly, and we hear comments about it as customers come through the door. They say, ‘ooh, this shop smells lovely’ - so we must be doing something right!

When customers go out shopping, it’s an experience. Compared with shopping online, it’s instant. They take the lid off the candle and say ‘hmm, that’s me, that’s what I want’ - because fragrance is so important in our daily lives. It can make you feel happy, lift your spirits, relax you, bring back memories… I think scent is powerful.

“We display bath bombs and bath tea bags on a large cake stand, which is very effective”

We asked a a dozen gift retailers from across the UK: what home fragrance products do you stock and what brands and scents are selling well for you?

“I have an electric aroma diffuser on my counter and change its essential oils daily, so the shop is fragranced constantly”

Kate Tompsett Owner & Director

Happy & Glorious

Canterbury Kent

I sell Heaven Scent’s room sprays, candles and diffusers; The Clovelly Soap Co.’s candles and diffusers; Bramley’s room sprays, diffusers and candles; and Kitchen Scents’ wax melts and candles.

Owner

Loveone gift shop

Ipswich

Suffolk

Home fragrance is a very important part of our gift offer, and is also a popular personal purchase for many. The added bonus is that it makes the shop smell lovely, which customers always comment on.

We sell Plum & Ashby, FieldDay, Maegen, WXY and Wildlight (which is a local producer). We discovered FieldDay last year while visiting Belfast. Its products are hand-poured and made in Ireland. We met the company at Top Drawer and now stock its products. Overall, candles still sell better than diffusers, and Plum & Ashby is one of our best selling brands. We have a specific home fragrance section in-store, but some candles are worked into seasonal displays or colour-themed displays. We use testers, and invariably there is a candle lit on the sales desk for maximum customer exposure.

At this time of year, Citrus or Ozonic scents are popular, closely followed by Geranium and Florals.

Bill Nettelfield & Sarah Charlton Joint Owners

Bill & Bert’s

Colchester

Essex

Ashleigh & Burwood, Freckleface and Lily-Flame are our core home fragrance ranges. We occasionally try other brands but I find this trio are the standout winners.

Freckleface wax melts and Lily-Flame candles in tins - along with anything from Ashleigh & Burwood - sell constantly every day.

Which scents are popular?  Anything with Oud or Lemongrass, and Basil is great. Testers are a must for diffusers and candles. Freckleface has got the pick-and-mix with its wax melts down to a fine art because customers can pick up and smell.

Home fragrance is a relatively inexpensive way to create comfort at home, and this is so important at a time of uncertainty. The shop always smells great and people want to recreate it!

Candles tend to sell best in the winter months, and fragrance diffusers are a yearround best seller.

Claire Hembrough Owner

Strawberry Blue & Collectable

Bradford on Avon

Wiltshire

I stock UK brands: Evoqua, which is based in Herefordshire, and Wiltshirebased Kitchen Scents, which also makes my own-brand candles and diffusers for my second shop, Collectable (a lighting and lifestyle emporium in the basement of Strawberry Blue).

Which products sell best? Diffusers are very popular but candles win hands down. The top-performing scents are Gingerlily & Ylang Ylang from Evoqua and Rhubarb & Mint from Kitchen Scents.

We display the diffusers with testers, and remove lids from the candles. We did try displaying them under glass cloches but this proved confusing for customers as they thought the cloches were included with the candles!

“Home fragrance is a relatively inexpensive way to create comfort at home, and this is so important at a time of uncertainty”

“Invariably there is a candle lit on the sales desk for maximum customer exposure”

Cathy Frost

“Testers are a must for diffusers and candles”

Lindsey Scott-Walker Owner

Feather Robins

Duston

Northampton

I stock wax snap bars and candles from a local supplier in Northampton who offers a white-label range so I can brand them

as Feather Robins. I’ve introduced a pick-and-mix botanic range of wax melts, and so far it’s been well received by customers. I’ve also placed an order with Bombay Duck for a range of Letterpop mini fragrance candle jars and reed diffusers.

The wax snap bars sell best and I’ve launched a loyalty card scheme for these and the wax melts. The most popular wax snap bar fragrances are Honey Clementine, Marshmallow Roast, and Velvet Rose. For the pick-and-mix wax melts, the most topperforming fragrance is Lavender and Neroli, followed by English Pear and Freesia. I have a ‘fragrance of the day’ with the name written on an ornate chalkboard, and I burn the corresponding wax melt. Fortunately, I have a small shop, so the scent fills the room!

Nicola Scarff Director

Noah Home & Gift Boutique

Two stores in Glasgow: Silverburn and Braehead

We have stocked a range of sentiment-led candles from Best Kept Secrets and Dekassa Fine Fragrance for a number of years, and we recently introduced a small selection of wax melts from Sassy Shop Wax which have gone down well - the bright colours are eye-catching on the shelf. Sentiment-led candles definitely work best for us and sit well within our product range. When it comes to scents, our customers tend to choose the sentiment first and foremost. But for everyday candles, Pink Pomegranate from Best Kept Secrets’ Seriously Scented range has been selling well. Depending on the range, we use testers when appropriate or we have one glass jar candle out of the box for display, but we swap this over every day/second day to keep the products in saleable condition.

We found that having a specific display candle didn’t work, because over a short space of time it looked grubby due to dust collecting on the wax, and we therefore had a lot of stock loss. So we put a dust cover in place which we cut to size ourselves from tissue paper. We don’t light the candles.

Laura Cooper Owner

Handmade Design, Ashbourne, Derbyshire

We sell a number of different home fragrance brands including Heaven Scent, Ethel & Co., Coinneal Candle Co. and Candle Wise. Wax melts are our best sellers and have been for several years now.

We find different scents perform well at different times of year. Something light and fresh tends to sell best for us at this time of year. And if our customers are unable to smell the product through the packaging, we put one out at the front of the display.

“Sentiment-led candles definitely work best for us”

“I have a ‘fragrance of the day’”

Susie Thomas & Jeanette Crawford Co-Owners

Rocket and Bird , Taunton, Somerset

Fragranced soy candles sell incredibly for us. They make a great gift or a treat for yourself. We only stock soy candles from Smiths Scents: a local Taunton-based candle maker. The range is incredibly popular and customers keep coming back for more.  Which scents sell well? It really depends on the time of the year. At Christmas time, Christmas Spice is a best seller and in the summer, floral scents such as Sweet Pea and Gardenia are popular. Fragrances that sell well all year round include Lavender and Wild Mint and Lemongrass and Ginger.

The candles are displayed in a way that customers can easily smell the fragrance to help them make their choice. They are unboxed and not wrapped, so you can literally pick them up and smell them… nothing fancy. We always display the candles near the door so people are greeted by the scent when they come in.

Susi Mason Owner

Casa Fina, Salisbury, Wiltshire

Home fragrance is a popular gift and the candles and diffusers together mix to create our own signature scent. We’re often called the nicest smelling shop in town!

We stock Bramley, Illumens Candles, Cotswold Pure, St. Eval and the Irish brand Inis - which is our only supplier outside the UK because we want to sell British-made products where possible.

Our best sellers are candle tins, jars, and diffusers, and our customers’ favourite scents are Sea Salt, Rose Geranium and Sweet Orange. We include testers of each scent in our displays.

Samantha Gibbs

Owner Nest

Three stores in Leicestershire: Broughton Astley, Thurlaston, Stoneygate

We are huge Pintail candle fans. We have stocked them successfully for 20-plus years and customers return again and again for them. We also stock wax felts from a local maker called Fig Tree Home Fragrance, and diffusers from Widdop & Co and Candlelight - and I’m so excited by Ashleigh & Burwood’s Christmas offering that I’m planning to introduce it as our new 2023 home fragrance offering.

Wax melts are the biggest growing products in this category by far, followed by diffusers. Although here in Leicestershire we are very landlocked (!), coastal, fresh scents always go down very well, plus anything linen-based. And Gin and Prosecco scents continue to be really popular.

We always use samples in the shop and then the ranges sell themselves. I appreciate it can be costly, but I really feel it’s part-and-parcel for having home fragrance available to customers and, as I always say, bricks-andmortar shopping is all about enjoying the experience. When we are shopping we want a sensory overload, a therapy, and 10 minutes out of our usual day. So if the shop smells divine, there’s all the more reason for customers to stay and enjoy the experience for a couple more moments.

“We always display the candles near the door so people are greeted by the scent when they come in”

“We’re often called the nicest smelling shop in town!”

“I’m so excited by Ashleigh & Burwood’s Christmas offering”

Enesco recently announced that they are in a distribution agreement with newell brands

Signature candles are made of a premium soy-wax blend and the medium and large vessels all feature multiple wicks; ensuring an even burn and providing a beautiful ambience.

Aline Mellor, Head of Marketing and Ecommerce at Enesco, says:

Focus on fragrance

Retail100 Consulting director and co-founder Sara Allbright asks: if you don’t have home fragrance as part of your product line-up, what are you waiting for?

Thinking back to a year ago when I last spoke to Gifts Today about home fragrance, a lot has changed. We were just about to officially launch Retail100 Consulting and our new website was about to go live.

However, one thing has remained consistent throughout since then, and that is my love for the home fragrance categoryand that it’s often the product area most retailers and brands ask us to consult about. All this is testament to the fact that this category remains one of the strongest and most resilient product areas in homeware. But why is this?

The category is a shining example of UK production that is still thriving. From those that produce at the bottom of the garden to large-scale factories, you don’t have to look far for a local producer in your area. With my buyer’s hat on, this does lead to some difficult choices. When you’re faced with an abundance of brands, where do you start?

Three new and emerging brands that have stood out to me in the past couple of years are: Olor, for its dedication to beautiful scents and a branding/packaging style that has clearly set it apart in a crowded market; Olivia’s Haven, a direct-toconsumer brand built on its ability to excel in the social media marketplace and a scent development methodology built on storytelling; and Candlemeleon, a 2023 Gift of the Year finalist which has colour-

changing vessels that are interior design-led.

The more established brands in the market are making great strides in how the sector can become more sustainable and responsible. Skandinavisk is a real trailblazer in the B Corp movement

and has recently been joined as an accredited company by luxury brand Neom Organics.

The reuse and repurposing of vessels has definitely been a big trend that consumers are now recognising, with candle vessels turning into anything from trinket dishes to plant pots.  Brands are also looking to use innovative materials in products and packaging - the seed paper lids that FieldDay uses are a particular favourite of mine.

[companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability]

Sentiment and gifting play a huge role in this category, alongside the self-purchase element, making it a reliable category for retailers all year round. The use of text on packaging to call out ‘Happy Birthday’ or ‘Congratulations’ makes for the easiest purchasing decision for a customer unsure of what to buy someone, and will often make these the candles you’ll find at the top of best seller lists.

In terms of product types, you can’t escape the fact that people

Sara Allbright is a director and co-founder of Retail100 Consulting, which is a consultancy firm with 100 years of retail experience that helps retailers and brands grow.

Prior to Retail100 Consulting, Sara worked in buying roles at John Lewis & Partners for 18 years, predominantly for home and seasonal categories, including eight years leading gift and home fragrance buying. She has specialised in brand relationships and growing small emerging brands into market leaders. Sara is also experienced in own-label sourcing across multiple categories and countries.

Email: hello@retail100consulting.co.uk

Visit: www.retail100consulting.co.uk; www.linkedin.com/company/retail100-consulting

will always engage with candles - not only for their scent but for the homely glow and flicker they add to a room. The practical nature of diffusers means they can be found in many a bathroom and downstairs toilet but, more so, diffusers are people’s go-to product for the type of consistent scent you get when walking into a beautiful hotel lobby. The rise of ultrasonic diffusers shows no sign of plateauing and is a great way to drive a higher average selling price in the category, while still delivering on the need for repeat purchasing through the oils.

So, in conclusion, if you don’t have home fragrance as part of your product line-up, what are you waiting for? There is truly a brand out there to suit any retailer’s aesthetic and customer base, and the repeat purchase nature of the category means that once you get consumers hooked, they will be back on a regular basis.

L-R: Sara Allbright, Anna Berry, Neil Amer and Elaine Hooper

“Sentiment and gifting play a huge role in this category, alongside the self-purchase element, making it a reliable category for retailers all year round”

Products with purpose and soul

Denby

The home fragrance category continues to be popular, as consumers invest in their homes and wellness. Trend forecaster WGSN reports that ‘home fragrance is stable, with continuous year-on-year growth for 11 of the past 12 months, showing a 57.8% monthly increase’. It also states that ‘aesthetics remain important, as consumers seek to upgrade interiors and share styling on social media: #Candles has 2.7 billion views on TikTok and nearly 18 million posts on Instagram.

‘Consumers also want to invest in products which focus on personal care with natural ingredients and add a flourish to their homes - even after the fragrance has burnt away. Contemporary brands are appealing to the climate-conscious consumer, with scented products that have a lower environmental impact’ (January 2021-April 2022, WGSN social media data, Fashion).

When you buy Denby’s home fragrance, you’re choosing items with purpose and soul; hand-crafted, made-to-last ceramics and homeware which are a truly conscious choice, and also versatile, beautiful and durable.

Denby’s Fragrance Collection is made with the same care and attention as its handcrafted vases and tableware, and each piece can be repurposed and enjoyed around the home with a variety of different uses, from drinks vessels to plant pots and bud vases. There are also refills available for the diffusers.

Each fragrance has been inspired by the individual pattern, and scents range from woody notes to floral and fruity, to set the mood and bring a restorative and relaxed ambience.

Candles are hand-finished, creating the perfect made in England home fragrance experience. The scent and the candle wax are created and blended by experts in fragrance and carefully poured into the Denby pot by hand. The natural wax also ensures a clean, steady burn and a balanced scent.

The collection is presented in recyclable gift boxing and includes Denby’s new Kiln Green pattern which emanates calm and serenity with notes of Bergamot and Grapefruit with cleansing Clary Sage, on a base of blonde woods and a touch of Patchouli. It is part of the wider Kiln Green tableware, gift and home décor collection launched for S/S23.

Along with home fragrance, the Denby Gifting Collection includes cute Byngo dogs and Marmaduke bunnies - collectables which were first produced in the 1930s. There are also prestige vases and new pet bowls, which are all handcrafted in Derbyshire and made to last.

For retailers, Denby has an in-store plinth to showcase the Fragrance Collection, supported with in-store POS and premium lifestyle Imagery.

Call: 01773 740770

Email: TradeB2BAdmin@denby.co.uk

Visit: www.denbypottery.com/trade

A little indulgent luxury

Marmalade of London

Marmalade of London is a British home fragrance brand that aims to create a little indulgent luxury for every home. Based in the Gloucestershire town of Cheltenham, the company has a passion for fragrance and design, which is seen in its contemporary packaging.

Founders Piers and Helen Flook, who are managing director and sales director respectively, said: “Fragrance is very personal and different scents can remind us of a person, a place or a moment in time, so we have created our fragrances to suit different tastes.

“We’re proud to be a British brand and all our products are made in the UK and responsibly sourced. Our factory is eco-friendly and we encourage customers to recycle, reuse or repurpose their products.

“Our candles are poured by hand and made of 100% soy wax with cotton wicks and essential oils, while our bath and body ranges contain lovely natural ingredients including Shea Butter, Vitamin E and Aloe Vera.

“The nearest we get to animal testing is our family black labrador Pepper, who accompanies us to work and sniffs the occasional candle or reed diffuser. She seems to approve. Marmalade of London has an amazing team of staff who share our passion for creating handmade products with love and care.”

2023 is proving to be an exciting time for Marmalade of London. It has launched some beautiful new products this year: an Ultrasonic Diffuser for its wellbeing range, votives which make lovely little gifts or wedding favours, and a stunning new fragrance Peony Blossom in pale pink packaging

The firm is also increasing its domestic and international business this year, and expanding its product range to enter new markets, most notably in skincare.

Marmalade of London puts an amazing amount of time and effort into developing its fragrances and packaging, and prides itself on providing the best possible service to all its stockists.

Call: 01242 257509

Email: hello@marmaladeoflondon.com

Visit: www.marmaladeoflondon.com

Trade talk

Top executives at leading home fragrance companies share their insights and outlooks for this ever-evolving category, from trading patterns and trends, to scent and product launches for the new season and beyond

Chris Adams

UK Sales Manager

Price’s Candles

Why should a gift retailer consider stocking home fragrance products?

The trend this year is affordable luxury. We definitely have products that fit the brief. Whether it’s a fragrance candle jar with over 30 of your favourite fragrances, or a beautifully crafted Sherwood dinner candle, we have it!

What support do you offer gift retailers in displaying and selling your products?

We still have our popular Welsh dressers that we can offer free on loan. We understand space is of a premium, so we have developed new FSDUs, which we launched at Spring Fair. These can be easily placed where space is an issue to gain extra sales opportunities.

The past year has seen a boom in demand for many home fragrance items. How has trading been for you?

2022 was a record year for us. It surpassed 2021, which was a record year but for different reasons. In 2020 and 2021 many people were at home during lockdown - so what better way to make yourself comfortable than with your favourite fragranced candles and diffuser? At least with our Summer Escape fragrance you can imagine you are on holiday!

Towards the end of 2022 there was the threat of power cuts due to the rising costs of energy prices. So our customers were stocking up on their favourite fragranced candles and leaving the lights off for longer.

What scents and product trends do you predict will be big news this year?

Candles and reed diffusers containing

essential oils are becoming increasingly popular. We have lots of products in our range that contain essential oils and we’ve highlighted these in our catalogue for customers to choose from.

Another big trend will be ‘clean’ scents, meaning that fresh, airy fragrances will be in high demand. Our best-selling Open Window fragrance is the perfect clean and crisp fragrance, reminiscent of pure fresh air.

What does the future hold for this category?

The demand for stress-reducing, aromatherapy products is on the rise since the pandemic and will remain strong in the coming years. The process of lighting a candle is, in itself, a soothing and calming experience.

People are still enjoying more time at home than before and scented candles are viewed not only as home décor items but, depending on the fragrance, they can also act as a mood enhancer or a way to aid relaxation after a long busy day.

What is your personal alltime favourite scent?

Choosing just one fragrance is impossible as we have so many ‘greats’. I do conform to our popular fragrances like Spa Moments and Summer Escape during spring and summer and enjoy more seasonal fragrances through autumn and winter like Apple Spice and Warm Cashmere.

“2022 was a record year for us”

Jed Kenrick CEO

Ashleigh & Burwood

Why should a gift retailer consider stocking home fragrance products?

As a category, it’s clearly growing in terms of space given to it across a number of different channels. It’s interesting, engaging

that consumers want and can engage with, and demonstrate our expertise in all areas of the sector, products and technology, so customers understand that we are the experts in the home scent market.

What scents and product trends do you predict will be big news this year?

and fast moving for consumers - and so delivers great add-on sales opportunities at attractive margins for retailers.

What support do you offer gift retailers in displaying and selling your products?

We offer POS materials free of charge. Our sales agents and merchandising support help retailers understand what the best range to stock is and how best to display it. We have just run a promotion aimed at Mother’s Day in which we offered our customers support in the form of free product worth between 20% and 30% of retail value.

The past year has seen a boom in demand for many home fragrance items. How has trading been for you?

The first half of last year was strong, and continued that way for our own-label customers, delivering our best year ever - but our branded business flattened out in the second half. We still sold nearly threequarters of a million bottles of lamp fragrance and half a million diffusers though, so no complaints!

How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?

By ensuring we develop great brands and ranges, introduce products

Natural fragrances are clearly trending strongly and wax melts get more searches online than any other product category, so this looks like it will continue to steal share from a very crowded candle market. I think we will see wellbeing and aromatherapy become much more mainstream as the year goes on, and sustainable/natural brands and products will continue to do well. But in tough economic circumstances you tend to see everyday products at great prices do well compared with more fringe, pricey alternatives.

What does the future hold for this category?

Continued growth, product expansion, and the continued evolution and development of technology that makes delivering great scents at home as easy and controllable as your central heating. Also, more premium competition for the leading brands and more products aimed at a younger demographic. In terms of trade, loyalty and rewards to help strengthen the link between retailer and manufacturer will grow.

What is your personal all-time favourite scent?

Fresh lemons, oranges and limes. I love citrus smells: they are energising and optimistic. In terms of products, then obviously our own Moroccan Spice or Sea Breeze Lamp Fragrances! If I had to choose a personal scent product, then Lime, Basil & Mandarin from Jo Malone.

“Wax melts get more searches online than any other product category”

Trade talk

Demi Pendakis Founder F.Y.G.

Why should a gift retailer consider stocking home fragrance products?

Home fragrance products are multi-faceted, making them the perfect gift. A good quality product will complement your interior, enhance your wellbeing, and evoke memory through scent.

Both a gift and an experience, they tell a story, and gift retailers can tap into these stories to enable them to sell the products to their customers. Once customers find a home fragrance brand they love, they keep coming back as well, which is another huge bonus for gift retailers.

What support do you offer gift retailers in displaying and selling your products?

Working alongside and supporting our retailers is a key part of our business ethos. We provide full POS, an extensive image library, social media and LinkedIn support, plus a blog, and PR opportunities.

We work hard to ensure our retailers have everything they need to be able to tell the stories of F.Y.G. and understand what makes the products so special. In this way, they can share their love for the brand with their customers and sales become much easier as a result. We can only grow if our retailers grow as well, so we are very much in collaboration with them. The past year has seen a boom in demand for many home fragrance items. How has trading been for you?

It’s been a big year for the brand so far. We are now sold throughout the UK with some incredible trade partnerships with brands such as The

Grove Hotel and Larks of London. In January, I agreed a new partnership with Anthropologie UK. This retailer, renowned for its unique and creative mix of products, will initially carry F.Y.G.’s Back to Basics and Memories Collections in its top UK stores and online.

January also saw F.Y.G. land Stateside, appearing at both the Dallas and Atlanta gift fairs. The brand has so far been taken on by 22 stores across the U.S., with more in talks. I’m absolutely thrilled to be working with Kimberley Wahlberg and her team, who are distributing F.Y.G. throughout America. The response has been incredible, and I’m really excited to see how much the brand can grow overseas in 2023.

Next up for the brand is a brand-new collection of washes and lotions for the luxury international hotel market. I’m incredibly excited about the new range and it has been a labour of love ensuring the products remain true to the sustainable values at the heart of the brand, while still providing that luxurious experience when using them.

How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?

Growing up with the influence of my father’s fashion business, it was a natural progression for me to forge my own successful career in the fashion and design industry, and F.Y.G. has become the natural extension of my experience of, and love for, stylish, affordable, and sustainable design.

I understand the need for constant innovation, product development, and agile interpretation of consumer and design trends to remain relevant in the industry. I also understand the necessity for diversification - watch this space for exciting product developments later this year!

“Home fragrance products are multi-faceted, making them the perfect gift”

What scents and product trends do you predict will be big news this year?

All the research I’ve been doing as we develop new products for 2023 and beyond is showing that the key trend emerging is for bold scents.

I saw this coming as I started to develop our Seasons range, and worked towards accommodating the emerging trends of big florals, refreshing citrus notes, and creamy vanilla textures.

Our Spring/Summer Seasons candle burns for 60 hours and has been created to transport you from spring into summer. The bold, citrus-infused essential oils I’ve chosen for this are perfectly in tune with this fragrance trend. Set in a striking gold metal container, our statement three wick layered candle is not only aesthetically beautiful but, once lit, will subtly transform your living space, slowly burning through the first fragrant layer to reveal a new seasonal blend below.

The essential oils used in this collection are the spring scents of Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang, Neroli, Lemon, Orange, Galbanum, and Mimosa; and the summer scents of Orange, Rose, Geranium, Violet, Sandalwood, and Amber.

The next trend observation is one I’m particularly passionate about, and that is that consumers are demanding home fragrance products that are natural, eco-friendly and sustainable. This is absolutely at the heart of what we do at F.Y.G., and the conscious consumer is going to start dictating this trend growth over the next 12 months.

What does the future hold for this category?

The future is bright for the industry - reflected in the new brands emerging and the growth in consumer demands for quality, beauty and sustainability in home fragrance: the three pillars of F.Y.G. Post-Covid has seen the rise of independents who understand the story and want to stock products with meaning, authenticity, and increasingly, a commitment to sustainability.

What’s your personal all-time favourite scent?

F.Y.G. started with a scent: figs. When I was recovering from Covid in March 2020, my wife bought me a bowl of figs and the scent transported me immediately to my grandma’s garden in Greece. It was a totally transformative and much needed immersive experience, which led to me exploring how I could replicate it for others. It started my fascination with the direct link between scent and memory. This is why Black Fig will always be my personal alltime favourite scent.

In creating F.Y.G. it was important to produce not just another scented product but an immersive experience. What started as a desire to recapture my childhood joy of family holidays in Greece, developed into a project of encapsulating a range of significant and beautiful experiences from the past.

Vanessa Curry

Managing Director and Owner

Best Kept Secrets

Why should a gift retailer consider stocking home fragrance products?

A candle can make an ideal gift for a partner, family member or friend, especially if it comes with a sentiment that is just perfect for the recipient.

Our Just Because range offers a beautiful option for so many life milestones or celebrations. We have candles at sensible prices for special birthdays, weddings, retirement or simply to let someone know you’re thinking of them. Always, our candles are seriously scented and full of colour and sparkles. How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?

As a manufacturer of home fragrance products, we continuously work on keeping our range fresh, making sure there are several new items.

Starting off this year, we launched 10 gorgeous new fragrances. They are inspired by current designer fragrance trends, and are seriously scented and sure to fill your customers’ homes with beautiful new aromas. Examples include Silver Fern & Willow, Fireside & Cypress, Green Tea & Vetiver, White Flowers & Cashmere, Black Rose & Amber, and Rainbow Falls.

We have a second new product for 2023: our eco-inspired candle collection called Our Fragrant World. As a company, we’ve been looking at the way we impact our world. Lots of small changes can make a real difference. We have collaborated with Nicky Dawson, who is the designer and founder of Turtley Creative, and between us we’ve created a beautiful range of eco-

friendly boxed candles. They are inspired by our fragile world and how we need to make change.

In a reusable glass tumbler, using a natural coconut wax blend, there is no palm and no soy. The gorgeous, printed box can be recycled and is made with FSC board and printed with vegetable inks. Even our signature sparkles and glitters have changed to be biodegradable. They tick so many boxes with today’s environmentally-aware customers. The new fragrances include Black Pepper & Birch, Café Rose & Warm Velvet, Mediterranean Citrus, Patchouli & Vanilla and Smoked Embers & Amber.

We believe that if everyone does their little bit each day to recycle and reuse, maybe the next generation will have a cleaner, greener and even more beautiful world to live in.

“Our candles are seriously scented and full of colour and sparkles”

Trade talk

Jo Stubbs & Mark Rees Creative Director & Managing Director

Henry & Co Home Fragrance

Why should gift retailers consider stocking home fragrance products?

Home fragrance is now part of everyday life and people now choose different fragrances for different rooms and occasions. It can enhance a mood, whether that be relaxing, romantic, uplifting or welcoming. Also, with fragranced products now becoming a big part of accessorising the home, the look of the product is as important as the fragrance experience.

What support do you offer gift retailers in displaying and selling your products?

We now have a range of merchandising solutions that support our complete range. We have devised merchandising stands that support our brand ethics, while giving retailers the opportunity to carry a high retail value of stock in a small footprint, therefore maximising return on investment for retail space.

We have also designed an amazing countertop spinner that holds all of our wax melts. This, at the till point, is a great impulse purchase at the right price point.

we can monitor retail trends very quickly with the retail stores, which means we can react quickly to changes in buying habits and adapt the range accordingly.

What scents and trends do you predict will be big news this year?

We see the wellbeing trend becoming a big part of the next 12 months. So, relaxing scents, fragrances that evoke a calm feeling, and products that are natural and simple.

The past year has seen a boom in demand for many home fragrance items. How has trading been for you?

As a new home fragrance brand, we are seeing consistent growthespecially coming out of the pandemic. With people getting back out to the high streets, and visiting destination stores and garden centres, we are so happy to be in-store as well as online.

We also exhibited at our first Spring Fair and are delighted that orders and new customers far exceeded our expectations, with some truly great feedback on our products.

How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?

We are constantly developing new fragrances and gift ideas, keeping consumers’ needs and expectations at the forefront of our minds. Plus,

What does the future hold for this category?

We’re very excited to see where we go in the next 12 months. Fragrance will always be a large part of people’s lives, both for personal use and for the home. For some it’s a luxury, while for others, fragrance plays a big part in maintaining a balance and wellbeing, or relaxation or evoking memories. So we feel this category will continue to evolve and become more sustainable and environmentally-conscious.

Jo, what is your personal all-time favourite scent?

It’s very difficult to choose as I’m responsible for creating and selecting the fragrances and I love them all. But I will say that (at the moment) my favourite is Fresh Grapefruit. It works so well in a reed diffuser and has such a large throw for a relatively subtle fragrance - it makes me go “wow!” every time I walk into my house.

“As a new home fragrance brand, we are seeing consistent growth”

‘Creating a story’

Visual merchandiser and consultant David Anthony shares his top 10 tips on how to style home fragrance in-store

1 Consider your space

If you’re really limited for space, opt for simple shelf merchandising with different brands or styles in rows. If you can scale up, then use a table, sideboard, or hutch unit to create a story within this space to place more focus on the products.

2 Think of a scheme

When deciding on a theme, opt for a seasonal look or a colour. Then cross-merchandise with complementary products from other categories to create an instant focal point and product story.

3 Height and size

Start to build your display by choosing a mix of different heights and sizes to create an interesting display. Place taller products at the back and in the middle, with smaller products at the front or on the sides.

4 Simple props

7 Encourage sampling

If possible, I would always add scent strips and tester products to the front or side of a display, to encourage customers to touch and experience.

8 Clear pricing

Did you know?

Customers’ response time to a display is around three seconds - you haven’t got long to make an impact!

This is so important, especially on a product, as this is where customers will look for it; otherwise you can display a printed list. Remember, if products are not priced, you will miss out on sales. A range of price points within a display or category is also important. More stock of lower price points will always sell better - as everyone loves a good deal - but don’t be afraid of higher price points of feature products, to draw attention to the lower/middle price points within a category display.

What’s your all-time favourite home fragrance scent?

This is so hard to choose as I’m always burning all sorts of incense, in particular traditional Dhoop from India. It has a lovely spice fragrance and transports you to another place with such an evocative perfume.

When it comes to props, inexpensive ideas can be really effective. Quite often, the product itself can also be the prop - especially if it has interesting packaging or can be taken out of the packaging. Otherwise, a simple seasonal or complementary prop, such as a plant, can draw attention to the merchandise and help tell the story of the products.

5 Remember the pyramid formation…

When grouping items, think of a triangle when placing them together. Along with close grouping, it’s the most used display technique to place merchandise together in an appealing way without any other visual distraction. Mixing product in a lifestyle way is a modern way of creating a story within a chosen space.

6 … And the rule of three

This is about repetition of the same product in different colourways. However, you can add more than three - as long as the packaging is the same.

9 Choose a key fragrance

Select one key fragrance in the shop to complement your display. A popular or seasonal scent is a safer option, as long as you ensure there are many products within the category to support this. However, I personally love picking up different combinations of scents and experiencing them - it certainly adds interest and something different to what I already know.

10 Consider cross-merchandising

This is all about a lifestyle, particularly with gifts and homeware. Any products that can draw attention to or complement others can always create an interesting and eye-catching display. There are many brands and stores that base their entire merchandising philosophy on this look and feel, which I highly encourage in today’s modern retail environment. Customers are extremely intelligent and knowledgeable, and speaking to them on the same level will bring confidence and trust to your store.

David Anthony is founder of David Anthony Creative consultancy. He has been a visual merchandiser for more than 30 years, and has a varied background across retail, media and hospitality. He is now working freelance in the cafe, food and retail lifestyle sector and the world of fashion and homeware brands.

Email: david@davidanthonycreative.com

Visit: davidanthonycreative.com

Price’s Candles

In 1830 Price’s discovered making candles from coconuts. The company was first called Edward Price’s and Co. and bought 1,000 acres of coconut plantation in Sri Lanka. So that’s where it all began!

Fast forward coming up to 200 years, and you arrive at its Fragrance Collection. This range of more than 30 fragranced candles and reed diffusers will be sure to brighten up any home, creating a warm and relaxed atmosphere.

Passionate about fragrance

Candles and reed diffusers containing essential oils are becoming increasingly popular. Price’s has lots of products in its range that contain essential oils, and has highlighted these in its new catalogue for customers to choose from.

The firm has also made the selection easier by categorising all of its products into fragrance families such as Fruity, Citrus, Woody, Floral, Fresh and Gourmand. Here are a a few more key facts about Price’s Candles Fragrance Collection:

• Fragranced Throughout Candle Jars - The fragrance is blended evenly through the wax, creating an even and continuous fragrance throw.

• Clean Burn - The company has a 24-hour laboratory with technicians working tirelessly to produce formulas that give minimal amounts of sooting.

• F ood-Safe Glass Jars - All candle glass jars are certified for food contact. So, when used up, they can be reused to store your favourite treats.

• Vegan-Friendly - The candles are made with 100% fully refined paraffin wax, so are absolutely vegan friendly.

Call: 01234 264500

Email: sales@prices-candles.co.uk

Visit: www.prices-candles.co.uk

Discover F.Y.G.: beauty, quality, sustainability

F.Y.G.

Founded by Demi Pendakis, F.Y.G. - which stands for Find Your Glow - is a sustainable lifestyle brand that focuses on the immersive experience of fragrance.

Having launched at the start of the pandemic in 2020 with the Memories Collection, Demi has now brought three collections to the market - Back to Basics, Memories and Seasons - and the brand is sold globally.

The Memories Collection won the home fragrance category of the Giftware Association’s 2022 Gift of the Year Awards. Speaking about Memories, Demi said: “This collection is distinctly evocative, with the power to stimulate, calm, restore, excite and invigorate the senses.”

Growing up with the influence of his father’s fashion business, it was a natural progression for Demi to forge his own successful career in the fashion and design industry, and F.Y.G. has become the natural extension of his experience of, and love for, stylish, affordable and sustainable design.

In creating F.Y.G. it was important for Demi to produce not just another scented product, but an immersive experience. What started as a desire to recapture his childhood joy of family holidays spent in Greece, then developed into a project of encapsulating a range of significant and beautiful experiences from the past.

While each scent has a story and individual character to evoke memory, feeling and mood, it was equally important to create modern designs to fit in with and subtly enhance any living space. And with all of that, F.Y.G. had to be sustainable - which is why each product is 100% natural and recyclable.

Demi explained: “Our brand makes a difference. Everything can be reused or recycled, and we also plant a tree for every candle we sell. In addition, we donate a percentage of sales of all products to the Oli Leigh Trust.

“This is a suicide prevention and mental wellbeing fundraising trust, based very close to where I live and run F.Y.G. A few months ago I was fortunate enough to meet Oli Leigh’s mum Michelle, who is chair of the charity. As soon as I heard the tragic story of her son’s suicide, I wanted to find a way to support her work and enable F.Y.G. to make a small difference.”

2023 has been a big year for the brand so far. In January, Demi agreed a new partnership with Anthropologie UK, and the brand has also landed Stateside, appearing at both the Dallas and Atlanta gift fairs. F.Y.G. has so far been taken on by 22 stores across the U.S., with more in talks.

Next up for the brand is a brand-new collection of washes and lotions for the luxury international hotel market - so there is no time to rest for Demi!

Call: 0208 914 7974

Email: info@fyghome.com

Visit: www.fyghome.com

On the Road…

with sales agent Steve Powell owner of Steve Powell Agencies, who specialises in home fragrance and gifts, and covers Wales and the Midlands

What’s your background?

I’ve been in the gift Industry for 31 years. I started in 1992 with Andrew Brownsword Gifts, which then became Hallmark Gifts, selling the very popular Forever Friends plush and gift range for seven years. Then I took a short sidestep into owning a local pub for a handful of years, before becoming a sub agent selling a variety of gift ranges including Colony Candles.

Colony then employed me, changed ownership, and became Wax Lyrical, where I was initially a representative and then worked up from territory sales, key accounts, and national accounts to UK & Ireland sales manager, before moving to

Ashleigh & Burwood eight years ago as its UK sales manager.

Due to the pandemic, I became redundant, so I decided to take the plunge a couple of years ago and use my experience in the gift industry to become a self-employed sales agent, teaming up with a previous sales director of mine and someone

I also consider a close friend, Richard Wood from my Wax Lyrical days. He had also set up on his own during this time with a home fragrance marketing and distribution company called Broughton & Beech, carrying a developing portfolio of new and exciting brands that found the gaps in the UK marketplace.

From this point, due to close and

trusted business relationships within the industry, I picked up a few more companies including a rapidly growing home fragrance brand, Henry & Co Home Fragrance, which was also born of the pandemic and, more recently, the established and respected Global Journey Gifts and Acctim Clock brands. My core area is Wales and the Midlands for all my principals, but I’m also a national key account agent for Broughton & Beech and I develop key business for Henry & Co and Acctim Clocks in a wider area.

What’s your working week like?

It’s one of great variety and plenty of driving - both of which I absolutely love. No two days are the same.

They involve building customer relationships face-to-face, on the phone, and by email; working with customers’ requirements; and being hands-on with products. I love setting up displays, demonstrating ranges instore and at trade shows, and using my experience to advise and tailor the best lines within the ranges to maximise sales opportunities for my customers.

What’s keeping you busy?

It really depends on the time of year as this industry is driven by season with Christmas and Mother’s Day being the main two, so my work balance changes week to week, and month to month. For example, I’m now following up from the show season where I attended with my principal companies and had very successful Harrogate Christmas &

Gift, Spring Fair and INDX shows. This entails following through with customers on agreed ranges, chasing deadlines for seasonal orders and, of course, hands-on presenting those ranges and merchandising products in-store to maximise sell-through. Which of ‘your’ products do you use?

I use fragrance all the time and my home and car is usually a very fragrant space, using most of the products from the Broughton & Beech and Henry & Co portfoliofrom the hand-poured in Yorkshire natural wax melts and reed diffusers from Henry & Co to the Mr & Mrs car fragrance and natural Cocodor diffusers from Broughton & Beech. I love fresh fragrances, so my favourites are After Dark from Henry & Co and Aqua Marine from Cocodor. What’s the best aspect of your job?

It’s definitely the variety from day to day, from being in front of customers to being hands-on with products. It’s the perfect fit for me.

What do you do outside work?  I love walking with my dog Storm: my big hairy Alaskan Malamute bear of a dog. One of my customers calls him my Fur Baby, which is very apt. I live on the south-west Wales coast, so I’m never short of beaches and hillwalking trails. I also enjoy spending time with my family and particularly seeing my five-year-old grandson. And I love to paint and draw when I can, and want to revisit my pottery-throwing past soon too -

I’m well into The Great Pottery Throw Down on the telly. What car do you drive and why?

A Volvo XC60: second-hand but (touch wood) reliable and comfortable. It’s an all-wheel drive, so gives me peace of mind on all road surfaces, and has a large boot for samples, stock and overnight bags when I stay away for work - which is quite often.

for car fragrance” or “we’re not sure where they fit”. But people who love fragrance, love it everywhere.

The Mr & Mrs Car Fragrances from Broughton & Beech are designed by the world famous Italian duo, Luca Trazzi and Marcantonio. They are designed as fun and decorative characters embedded with quality long-lasting fragrances, and sell so well in the gift and home fragrance departments of my customers who have understood their potential.

What are the biggest challenges facing gift retailers?  A couple right now are the cost-ofliving and consequently consumer spend.

What are the biggest challenges facing gift suppliers?

During your time in the gift industry, what products have impressed you most and why?  I was lucky enough to be at the start of the reed diffuser revolution and saw the growth and challenges that this new fragrancing solution brought back then. Questions from buyers such as “do you light the sticks?” and “I just don’t see them being popular” were familiar barriers.

Today I sometimes face perceptions from buyers who don’t see why they would need car fragrances - despite their stores having car parks with over 100 vehicles visiting daily! They say, “we don’t have the right department

The cost-of-living is having a big impact with the price of raw materials, transport, production and fuel rises all impacting the pricing of goods. Suppliers that import from abroad and trade with Northern Ireland also have a lot more headaches regarding official paperwork and timelines.

What are the biggest opportunities facing gift suppliers?

The opportunities that present themselves during these times and give a supplier an advantage are: producing products that are good quality, UK-made or designed, and in tune with UK market trends; and giving excellent service to your customer. These factors can give you a very definite edge.

What’s the biggest change you’ve seen since you joined the gift industry?

The biggest change is that the gift and home fragrance industry was dominated by a handful of large suppliers until relatively recently.

Due to various reasons including the pandemic, the dominance of large suppliers has waned because of changing buying patterns, and they have either ceased to exist, or have merged with other suppliers to try and maintain influence and share efficiencies, or have just become less relevant. This has made the marketplace a much more dynamic, competitive environment and has opened up opportunities for new start-up companies.

Name one change you would like to see in the gift industry.  The biggest change I’d like to see is a two-in-one solution: for more reasonable and competitive pricing for suppliers to exhibit at trade shows, and for various show organisers to work more closely together to avoid the overlapping of shows. Trade shows are a huge expense for companies and buyers. To have a more reasonable rate, with no clash of shows, would enable suppliers and buyers to

have more confidence in the shows they exhibit at being well attended by customers - which equals more suppliers exhibiting - which equals more customers visiting. A win-win situation.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in the gift industry?

The piece of advice I would give is one that my first ever sales manager said to a group of us young salespeople in a morning meeting back in the early 1990s: “You’re selling lovely products that make people smile and feel good. So be prepared, organised, honest and upbeat. But most importantly, smile when you visit your customers - and they will smile with you.”

“I use fragrance all the time, and my home and car is usually a very fragrant space”

A retail mindset with fragrance at its core

Henry & Co

The Henry & Co story is a new one to the home fragrance sector. With the dream team of two associates with a passion for home fragrance, Henry & Co was born.

Founders Mark Rees and Jo Stubbs had already been working together for many years within Mark’s retail business, which is where the idea of developing a home fragrance brand began.

With several retail outlets, managing director Mark brings retail experience in the home and gift sector, while creative director Jo has perfected her talent of fragrance blends to bring the collection together. The core values of the brand include sustainability and locally sourcing raw materials, and all the packaging is recyclable or reusable.

New for 2023 is a range of merchandising solutions which gives the brand a strong presence and displays the products in the best way in-store - and gives the retailer maximum return on floor space. There is a new free standing display unit, wall bay units, and a countertop spinner display which is perfect for the Wax Melts at till point, for impulse purchasing at a great price point.

The core range includes two-pack or six-pack wrapped Wax Melts, 30cl Glass Jar Candles - each with a bamboo wood lid - with a burn time of up to 50 hours, Reed Diffusers in a glass jar with seven premium quality micro fibre reeds to ensure maximum fragrance diffusion, plus Reed Diffuser Refills.

In addition, there are Aroma Oils

in 10ml available in six of the best-selling fragrances, and Artisan Wax Melts. These not only smell amazing but look good too. They are a blend of soy wax, mineral wax and fragrance oil, teamed with a sprinkling of natural products relevant to the fragrance. For example, lemon peel, orange slices, biodegradable glitter, and pink Himalayan sea salt. These come in boxes of nine of the same fragrance, or in a pick-and-mix selection, making a perfect gift. All the products are hand-poured and packed in the workshop in Yorkshire.

New for Summer is Fresh Grapefruit: a vibrant fragrance that will lift your spirits as soon as you experience it. Available in the core range, its distinctive scent is ideal for the summer months. New fragrances will also be launched at Harrogate Home & Gift for Autumn and Winter, along with new fragrances and gift sets for Christmas.

New for Spring/Summer

St. Eval

Nestled on a farm in the heart of North Cornwall, St. Eval’s sustainably crafted high-quality candles, home fragrance, and body care are inspired by nature, with people and planet at their heart.

St. Eval is committed to treading softly on the Earth - creating pieces with a focus on sustainability. In July 2022, St. Eval officially became a certified B Corporation, legally embedding its commitment to placing purpose beyond profit in all company endeavours. This achievement, alongside its Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development received in 2021, recognises and celebrates St. Eval’s commitment to putting people and planet first.

Taking inspiration from its natural surroundings in Cornwall, St. Eval has launched a range of products and collections for S/S 2023:

Lamorna Collection

Inspired by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Cornwall, St. Eval’s Lamorna Collection celebrates the simple elegance of nature. Captivate your senses with five evocative fragrances in its new blend of natural wax, showcased in Glass Candles and Maxi Tealights, as well as Scented Reed Diffusers, with two new fragrances exclusive to this collection: Orange Blossom and Sandalwood & Cedar.

Botanical Hand, Bath & Body Collection

Envisioned to capture the herbal healing of wild Cornwall and crafted naturally to protect and soothe against the elements and nourish body and soul, St. Eval’s Botanical Collection harmoniously blends pure essential oils to deliver calming, balancing, and healing therapeutic effects.

Perfect to help create a haven of peace and calm, this collection is suitable for vegans, paraben-free and Leaping Bunny certified (cruelty-free). The range comprises shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, hand wash, and hand lotion in a range of fragrances, utilising the therapeutic benefits of a range of essential oils.

Nature’s Garden Collection

In celebration of St. Eval’s close affinity with nature, and its desire to raise awareness for the protection of bees, butterflies, and dragonflies, the company has created Nature’s Garden Collection. Home already to a trio of pretty terracotta pots, each finished with intricate insect carvings in honour of these remarkable creatures, the collection now welcomes matching tin candles, adorned with charming insect illustrations to complete the collection.

Paired with three uplifting fragrances that evoke the joy of nature in summertime, discover Geranium in Bee tins, Sweet Pea in Butterfly tins, and Garden Greens in Dragonfly tins. With spring in full swing and flowers in bloom, delight your senses with delicate florals and zesty citrus aromas to celebrate the season.

Call: 01841 540 850 Email:

Design-led innovation

Paddywax

Since 1996, Paddywax has been putting repurposing into action with its unique and innovative approach to candle making - and 2023 is no exception. Every product Paddywax makes is designed and sourced with intentionality.

The brand is passionate about the juxtaposition of mixed materials, from the textures and shapes of vessels, to pairing unique fragrances together to set the scene for beautiful memories made by candlelight.

With every design, Paddywax ensures that each vessel can be repurposed when the wax runs out. In its Nashville manufacturing facility, there are more than 150 chandlers (aka candle makers) mixing, pouring, testing, and packaging candles every day.

Paddywax’s clean-burning soy wax blend has no phthalates or formaldehydes and, as you might expect, every product is vegan-friendly, and free of animal-sourced ingredients.

Folia Candle Collection

Calling all candle lovers with green thumbs! The Folia candle collection showcases two speckled ceramic vessels made to be combined into stackable, self-watering planters after all the wax has burned. Mix-and-match to create a colourful planter and unique scent combination. On the reverse of the dust cover are instructions on how to repurpose your candle in just a few simple steps.

Apothecary Noir Collection

Inspired by luxury and moody settings, Paddywax has elevated its Apothecary line for 2023 with a refined dark black finish, metallic embossed labels, and new premium fine fragrance. Core scents of Palo Santo, Black Fig and Saffron Rose are joined by Tabac & Pine, Linen & Oris and Baltic Ember.

Mood Candles

Launching in July, Paddywax’s new collection of Mood candles are beautifully packaged in premium gift boxes that are themed around the scent and the sentiment. There are five fragrances and moods to discover - Joy, Nostalgia, Tranquil, Passion and Cozy - which are intentionally broad to make them a great all-year-round gift solution.

Cypress & Fir Collection

Paddywax’s seasonal collection is its top performing line, with high sellthrough every year and a cult-like consumer that comes back to the signature fine fragrance year after year. Inspired by native cypress trees, cosy fireplaces, and the feeling of togetherness, Cypress & Fir blends curated artisan vessels and unique illustration with fragrance to bring the aroma of a fresh forest into the home. It’s the perfect Winter scent that can be enjoyed any time of the year. There are 35 SKUs in the collection and this year’s new product launch includes two ceramic mug candles with etched and hand-painted artwork, that can be used for cosy hot chocolate drinks once the wax runs out!

Scent appeal

How are home fragrance sales performing?

I believe there’s been an increase in interest since the pandemic. It’s not been constant, as we could see a decline once people started going out more. But I can confidently say that home fragrance is a staple in homes more so than ever.

What are the benefits to retailers of stocking home fragrance?

Home fragrance products are great gifts. They last longer than flowers, usually come in beautiful packaging, and can transform the feeling of a space.

How can a retailer create an exceptional home fragrance experience in-store?

Categorise products based on their scent profile versus brand if possible, starting with the lightest scent and working up to the stronger woods and resins. If a person likes the smell of more floral scents, it makes it easier for them to

smell and compare these this way than smelling by brand.

Also, highlight the fragrance notes. Although they may be written on the packaging, highlighting them on a display will make it easier for people to read and emotionally connect with the fragrance.

the wax which is not visually appealing. What features do customers look for when selecting home fragrance?

A beautiful aesthetic and a not too intrusive scent. However, I think this is changing: as people are looking for more individual fragrances to wear on their bodies, this will also transfer to the home fragrance category. And it’s easier to change the scent of your living room than to change the curtains!

What fragrances do you predict will be big news in 2023?

Furthermore, the products should be easily smellable. I highly recommend using a glass dome to cover the candles, making it easy for people to lift the dome to smell the candle or the scented air in the dome. This keeps dust from settling directly on

Future of Smell is a scent innovation agency which helps companies envision future scent products and experiences, merging human needs with cutting edge research. It offers scent and experience development for environments, products, and ecommerce.

A new tool developed by Olivia is ScentGenie: a text-to-scent recommendation engine powered by AI (www.scentgenie.ai). It can be connected to a website and help customers find fragrances on that site based on descriptions like ‘a floral dress on a romantic summer evening’. Basically any description around a mood, time of day, feeling, or even a list of ingredients can be decoded and ScentGenie recommends a fragrance on the site that best matches the description.

Email: info@futureofsmell.com

Visit: futureofsmell.com; @futureofsmell

Sensual warm fragrances that are cosy like a second skin and envelopingespecially for the younger generation. Gen Zs (anyone born between 1997 and 2012) have been through a lot in the past couple of years. We can see their fascination with vanilla and ultra-edible fragrances - away from the ‘clean’ pandemic. They are also seeking more playful fragrances with a focus on cherry. I think this has to do with the bold colour red and a kind of nostalgia for a simpler time.

There’s also a move to bold scents. People want to use fragrances to feel alive, empowered, and to express themselves and accentuate elements on a particular day or during a new vibe phase. So fragrances like bold woods, or where notes that seem so different in isolation create something really unique and different when combined.

Green in general will be huge. From plant leaves, freshly cut herbs, mosses, and even vegetables such as asparagus, there is a desire to be more connected to the earth.

Has there been a rise in demand in line with the wellness trend, with consumers making home fragrance part of their selfcare routine?

Yes, this is huge. Home fragrance is very much connected to wellness. It can easily enhance the ‘feel good’ element in a home and act as a sensory anchor for a ritual. For example, if every Sunday when you take a bath, you smell a specific home fragrance, and you smell it every Sunday in a specific mental state, in the future this can really help you get into that state. Also, there are now fragrances that are backed by research to help support different mental states, and this will increase. Consumers expect that a fragrance can do more than just smell good.

“Home fragrance products are great gifts. They last longer than flowers, usually come in beautiful packaging, and can transform the feeling of a space”

PHOTO: iStock

Gifts Today chats to New York-based Olivia Jezler, founder of scent innovation agency Future of Smell, about global home fragrance trends

Olivia Jezler

Incense options

Heaven Scent

Incense has grown in popularity, particularly over the past few years. Successive lockdowns and working from home has meant people have looked to change the ambience or mood of a room simply and quickly by using incense.

Heaven Scent’s incense is made out of bamboo sticks and wooden material, and then hand-dipped in ethically sourced essential oils or high quality fragrance oils.

The company, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, sells incense in a number of different ways, from bundles of 100 loose sticks or packets of 10 pieces to glass test tubes. Each option is available with your own label on.

Call: 01225 868788 | Email: contact@heavenscent.co.uk Visit: www.heavenscent.co.uk

Fragranced gifts

Lesser & Pavey

Research shows that a fragrance can influence your mood, and a pleasant scent is more likely to lift emotions of joy. An aroma can affect us through the memories it brings back of childhood, baking, holidays overseas, and walking through gardens, reminding us of an enjoyable experience.

In fact, fragrances can affect everything - from feeling sleepy to feeling romantic! This is why Lesser & Pavey continues to see an ever-increasing demand for Desire fragrance gifts, as they make perfect presents for everyone.

Following the huge success of its Madelaine range, the company has added more candles and diffusers in six fragrances: Pomegranate Noir, Wood Sage & Sea Salt, Oud & Bergamot, English Pear & Freesia, Blackberry & Bay, and Cashmere & Silk.

Each candle and diffuser features a sophisticated label with gold foiling and an elegant diamante bow. Every piece comes in deluxe gift packaging with the same foiled printing.

Lesser & Pavey has also launched a range of Fruit and Floral fragranced diffusers, which have an arrangement of dried fruits and flowers inside the bottles. They are available in 100ml and 200ml sizes and sets of three 50ml sizes.

The Fruit scents are Orange Blossom, Lime Basil & Mandarin, Berry & Bay, and Fig & Lotus, while the Floral scents are Honeysuckle & Davinia, Peony & Blush Suede, Velvet Rose & Oud, and Lavender & Chamomile

Meanwhile, Desire Diamante is a Pomegranate Noir fragranced range which features both sparkly silver and sparkly black diamantes. There are 100ml, 200ml and 500ml diffusers, two sizes of candle jars, and gift sets which include 100ml room sprays. Every item is completely covered in incredibly shiny diamantes, which really glisten when the light hits them.

Finally, Diamante Butterfly is a range of rose gold-plated candles and reed diffusers with Velvet Rose and Oud fragrance, and silver-plated candles and diffusers with Pomegranate Noir fragrance. Each piece is embellished with an elegant diamante butterfly with multi-coloured stones.

Call:

A gift to treasure

D & J Glassware

D & J Glassware’s popular Reed Diffuser Gift Set has had a stylish makeover for 2023. The eyecatching gift box features a botanical design in a contemporary colour palette and looks beautiful in-store. A choice of 17 fragrances is available. Each set contains a unique, mouthblown glass globe that can be refilled time and time again: a gift to treasure.

Plus, the company is pleased to announce that its soy wax melts are now hand-poured in small batches in the heart of the Norfolk countryside. The ranges were launched at the Spring shows and were very popular with customers. Using ingredients sourced in Britain, the fragrances are a real delight. Two collections are available: the Dotty range, to complement the supplier’s wax melt burner gift sets; and the Animal range, which takes its inspiration from D & J Glassware’s home textiles. Each range offers a choice of six fragrances.

Call: 01953 450 280

Email: dandj.glassware@btinternet.com

Visit: www.dandjglassware.co.uk

Daniel and Sarah Pettitt, managing director and creative director of Heaven

Scent - which is celebrating 30 years of trading - discuss safety guidelines from the International Fragrance Association and how they affect you

Let’s talk about… IFRA guidelines

We invest heavily in compliance software and training to ensure that home fragrance products remain legal.

With these facilities in place, we can use them to either ensure that products made in the UK/EU and/or imported into the country are legal, with the CLP [Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals] and SDS [Safety Data Sheets] in place for the distributor, or help UK or EU-based companies to comply. It is an offence for a person to fail to comply with, or cause another person to fail to comply with, their duties under the UK Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals Regulation (GB CLP).

While fragrance companies may give the SDS and CLP details for individual products and oils at a certain dose, the situation becomes more complex when the candle or reed manufacturer needs to supply to the shops a SDS within 24 to 48 hours after being asked for it. It may even be required by Trading Standards for insurance companies to prove that their products are legal and within safe chemical limits.

We can review the materials and produce SDS and CLP documents and advise in the company’s own names - both for bulk oil if they want to resell it, and also for the final product. This is particularly useful when companies blend a number of oils together and they don’t hold a definitive SDS for all oils combined.

We have found a few companies when blending oils don’t know that they are overdosing on certain materials against IFRA50 guidelines. IFRA50th is the current guidance from the International Fragrance Association for chemical uses. The IFRA standards ban, limit or set criteria for the use of certain ingredients, based on scientific evidence and consumer insights.

For a reasonable fee structure to cover our time and Investment, we can offer to create these documents and work alongside the customer. Services can include translating into many languages and creating zip files for uploading to the European portal. We can even host on our portal to the customer’s formula SDS and CLP details, for sharing by a link.

What legal information must products have?

When we print labels for your products, we will also print the brand trading name, address and product weight or volume, in addition to the legal information. This has to be on the back of boxes and unboxed products, plus on the vessel holding the candle or reed.

Due to Trading Standards regulations, the CLP, safety and traceability information has to be visible on the outer packaging when the product is placed normally on a shelf for display. The CLP information is about the chemical components in essential and fragrance oils in products regarding their safe handling and disposal. We will alter your artwork where it is necessary to be compliant with these rules and regulations.

We have more than 25 years of experience in creating bespoke products and labels for wholesale businessea - big and small. Whether you’re ordering candles, reed diffusers, incense or any other products on our website, our talented label team will work closely with you to create bespoke labels so that your products look like your own brand.

To take advantage of our free bespoke label service, send us your business logo, font and colour

requirements, and your designated designer will work to meet your brief. Please note, we will work with your pre-designed logo and colour choices. Before we print your new labels, you will be sent digital versions to sign off.

We are dedicated to all our customers. Whether you’re selling gifts in a small boutique or buying to supply a chain of stores, we will create all products to the same high standards.

We have decades of experience in contract filling and all our production is scalable, with capacity to pour over 3,000 scented candles and reed diffusers a day.

All production is carried out in our Wiltshire-based facility, which is largely powered by solar energy, where we employ local staff who are paid above the living wage.

Whether you choose to take products poured in our extensive catalogue of vessels or would like your own pots, bottles or glasses filled, we will ensure that you can deliver a safe, luxury product to your customers and clients.

We work daily with many luxury highprofile and well-known businesses, in sectors ranging from high street chains to nationwide charities, and hotel chains to national garden centre groups.