Trade talk

Jo Stubbs & Mark Rees Creative Director & Managing Director

Henry & Co Home Fragrance 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.

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.

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.