Gift Focus - Mar/Apr 2020 (Issue 118)

23 COMPANY PROFILE A family business Managing director of candle and home fragrance company Ashleigh & Burwood Andrew Nettleton, talks to Gift Focus about scents, fresh products and keeping the family business alive  How did Ashleigh & Burwood begin? My father and I started the business in 1992 after I graduated. The idea was to create a company that would combine our skills, experiences and passions and to offer our customers quality at affordable prices. We started very small and in the very early days had a small-scale production going around the kitchen table in our family home in Walton-on-Thames. Of course, we’ve upscaled all aspects of the business many times over the past 28 years, but we’re proud that the same values still guide the business and remain at the heart. What products did you start selling and how has your product range evolved? We began in 1992 by selling pot-pourri, and the ‘refresher’ oils, which were used to re-fragrance it. From those oils, the market for oil burners was born, which was a faster and more effective way to fragrance the home than pot-pourri. By the end of the ’90s scented candles and incense were becoming popular, and then in the very early 2000’s we launched the first reed diffuser on the UK market – a product format that is now one of the most successful and recognisable. Through all this time, we’ve always tried to stay at the innovative end of the home fragrance spectrum, and to always try to do things a little bit differently. Where is Ashleigh & Burwood based and how is this location important? Our headquarters are in West Molesey, Surrey. We’re located a couple of miles from Hampton Court and also remain in close proximity to the house in which we formed A&B. It’s a relatively green area with lots of history, but with good links to London, so we have the best of both worlds. Over the past 28 years we’ve relocated to larger premises four times but have always remained in the same region, which has enabled us to honour our loyal staff and provide the best opportunities for our family. What are your most popular products? Fragrance lamps and lamp fragrance, plus reed diffusers are very popular. Moroccan Spice is our most popular fragrance. It’s an indulgent, spicy scent that was inspired by new discoveries