What Gilchrist & Soames does

Gilchrist & Soames is a specialty manufacturer and supplier of cosmetic-grade personal care amenity products for the luxury hospitality industry, founded in 1975 in London and headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey. Its core product portfolio spans branded bath, body, and hair care collections (English Spa, London Collection, Spa Therapy, BeeKind, Zero%, Vida Verde, EarthTempo, Essentiel Elements Bathe, Guild+Pepper, Warm Oak, Archive), proprietary dispenser hardware systems (Mini Bracket, Premium Pump, Ultralux, Evoline, EcoDome), and a Bag-in-a-Box bulk refill solution designed to displace single-use plastic in guest rooms. The company's technical differentiation rests on signature formulations free from parabens, phthalates, DEA/TEA, petrolatum, and mineral oil, manufactured in ISO 22716:2007 and ISO 9001 certified facilities in Indianapolis, Indiana and Peterborough, England. Sustainability is a central engineering and marketing pillar — dispensers reduce plastic use by up to 77%, Xela Pack paper bottles cut plastic by approximately 93%, and FY25 disclosures cite removal of 185.8 million single-use bottles from the supply chain.

Gilchrist & Soames operates four interlocking go-to-market motions. The primary enterprise motion is a dedicated hotelier sales team targeting properties of 30+ rooms with multi-year contracts, custom branding, and dispenser installations, supported by regional offices in the Americas (Plainfield, IN), EMEA (Aldermaston, UK), and Asia Pacific (Hong Kong, Shenzhen). A separate e-commerce channel, Simply Supplies, serves properties under 30 rooms, home rentals, and B&Bs. A direct-to-consumer retail website launched in 2020 sells travel sizes, gift sets, and full-size products to US households. A fourth motion, contract manufacturing, provides custom formulation, white-label production, and FDA-listed hand hygiene programs to third-party brands.

Gilchrist & Soames has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Guest Supply (a Sysco Corporation subsidiary) since September 2015, when it was acquired with approximately $60 million in annual sales. In April 2019, Guest Supply restructured and rebranded as Guest Worldwide, with Gilchrist & Soames operating as one of three business units alongside Manchester Mills and the Guest Supply distribution arm. The combined platform serves more than 25,000 hotels, resorts, and spas across 100+ countries, with named placements at Marriott (partnership since 1980), Mandarin Oriental, and The Peninsula. Revenue is generated through sale of branded amenities, hardware, and contract manufacturing services; hotelier pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

Name

Gilchrist & Soames

Legal name

Gilchrist & Soames

Website

https://gilchristsoames.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Gilchrist & Soames manufactures and supplies cosmetic-grade bath, body, and hair care amenities plus proprietary dispenser hardware for luxury hotels, resorts, and spas worldwide, operating as a business unit under Guest Worldwide, a Sysco subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hotel Amenities and Personal Care

NAICS

Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing (325611)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Bath & Shower Products (Soaps, Body Wash, Bath Additives) (CRADANAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Body Wash, Shower Gel & Bath Gel (CRABAEAB), Hand & Body Care (Lotions, Creams, Body Oils) (CRADANAC), Hand Soap & Hand Wash (CRABAEAC), Dispensing & Pump Systems (Pumps, Sprayers, Misters, Droppers) (IMALAJAB)

Keywords

• Luxury hotel amenities
• Bath and body care
• Hospitality toiletries
• Personal care products
• Hotel amenity dispensers

Headquarters

HQ city

Plainfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hotel Amenity Products: Sale of cosmetic-grade bath and body products to luxury hotels, resorts, and spas worldwide. Products include shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, body lotions, bar soaps. Revenue from both individual amenity bottles and bulk dispenser/refill systems.
2. Retail Consumer Products: Direct-to-consumer sales through e-commerce website offering travel sizes, gift sets, and full-sized products. Additional sales through Simply Supplies platform for home rentals and B&Bs.
3. Contract Manufacturing: Custom formulation and manufacturing services for third-party brands including FDA-listed hand hygiene programs. White-label service capabilities for retail brands and hotel chains.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gilchrist & Soames manufactures and supplies cosmetic-grade bath, body, and hair care amenity products along with proprietary dispenser systems to luxury hotels, resorts, and spas worldwide. The product range spans shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, body lotions, and bar soaps across multiple branded collections, complemented by bulk refill hardware (Bag-in-a-Box, Mini-Bracket, Premium Pump, Ultralux) that reduces single-use plastic. The company also operates a direct-to-consumer retail e-commerce site and offers contract manufacturing services for third-party brands.

Product overview

Gilchrist & Soames is a luxury lifestyle brand specializing in bath, body, and hair care products for hospitality (hotels, resorts, spas) and retail consumers. The portfolio consists of multiple branded collections: core Gilchrist & Soames heritage collections (English Spa®, London Collection®, Spa Therapy™, Warm Oak, Archive), eco-conscious sub-brands (BeeKind®, Zero%, Vida Verde, EarthTempo™), lifestyle brands (Essentiel Elements® Bathe, Guild+Pepper®), and partner brands (Pure by Gloss, Aromatherapy Associates, Acca Kappa, Lockwood New York). The product range includes shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, body lotions, hand washes, bar soaps, and amenity accessories. The company also offers dispenser hardware products (Mini-Bracket, Premium Pump, Ultralux, Evoline, EcoDome) and bulk Bag-in-a-Box refill systems as sustainability solutions to reduce single-use plastic.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BeeKind®: Eco-conscious bath and body care brand with a strong sense of eco-awareness, donating a portion of profits to honeybee health research at UC Davis.
• Essentiel Elements® Bathe
• Guild+Pepper®
• Zero%
• Vida Verde
• EarthTempo™
• English Spa®
• Spa Therapy™
• The London Collection®

Products and services

• English Spa Bath and Body Collection Luxury bath and body collection designed to reflect a sense of place, infusing refinement and purity with English botanicals including natural aloe, lemongrass, and sea kelp; available as hotel amenities and retail products.
• London Collection Bath and Body Line Sophisticated bath and body collection inspired by major city architecture, featuring Gilchrist & Soames Signature Formulations without parabens, phthalates, or mineral oil.
• Spa Therapy Marine Collection Spa-inspired collection infused with marine extracts of sea kelp, sea moss, sea fennel, and sea wrack designed to impart a healthy glow to skin and hair.
• Warm Oak Bath Collection Luxury bath collection featuring warm oak and spice fragrance notes for hotels and retail.
• Archive Lifestyle Collection Lifestyle collection featuring rich, moisturizing shea butter formulations for bath and body use.
• BeeKind Eco-Conscious Bath and Body Line Eco-conscious bath and body brand with bee-inspired branding; available in paper bottles, recyclable tubes, and dispenser options. Donates portion of profits to UC Davis E.L. Niño Bee Lab for honeybee research.
• Zero% Clean Ingredient Collection Clean ingredient bath and body brand emphasizing purification and hydration with zero sulfates, parabens, phthalates, artificial colors, and no animal testing. Contains Vitamin E, Panthenol, and plant-derived USP glycerin.
• Essentiel Elements Bathe Apothecary Collection Modern apothecary-style collection with graphic punch and dynamic color palette, featuring revitalizing neroli fragrance and high-performance antioxidants for rejuvenating and nourishing.
• GUILD+PEPPER Craft Collection Bath and body collection representing alchemy of past and present with classic amber bottles and craft paper labels, featuring cedar, oak, coriander, and bergamot fragrance notes.
• Vida Verde Eco-Conscious Hotelier Brand Eco-conscious hotelier brand inspired by Japanese tea gardens with Matcha and Bancha tea fragrance; features clean plant-based ingredients, upcycled grapefruit and lemon oil, 35% PCR packaging, RSPO soaps; partners with One Tree Planted for reforestation.
• EarthTempo USDA Certified Biobased Collection USDA Certified Biobased hotelier collection inspired by the connection between self and nature. Fresh green tea infused fragrance with orange oils and naturally derived ingredients.
• Mini-Bracket Dispenser System Discreet individual brackets with hidden design behind retail-style bottles, available in aluminum or ABS plastic with tape mount or screw mount options; reduces plastic use by up to 77% in a typical 100-room property.
• Premium Pump Dispenser System Luxury pump dispensers available in stainless steel or ABS brackets, offered in single, double, or triple configurations, with refillable bottles for hotel guest rooms.
• Ultralux Dispenser System Premium dispenser system available in ABS or metal variants with single, double, and triple bracket configurations for hotel amenity dispensing.
• Evoline Squeeze Dispenser System ABS squeeze dispenser with easy-squeeze cartridges and cost-effective locking ABS brackets for hotel guest rooms.
• EcoDome Bulk Dispenser System Fin-mount and vanity top dispenser options for eco-friendly bulk dispensing of bath and body products in hotel bathrooms.
• Bag-in-a-Box Bulk Refill System 2.5 gallon bag-in-box system that reduces plastic consumption by 78%, saving 388g of plastic compared to equivalent plastic drums; made from 100% recycled ship-ready corrugate.
• Contract Manufacturing Services Custom formulation, white-label manufacturing, and FDA-listed hand hygiene programs for third-party brands, retail brands, and hotel chains; built on ISO 22716:2007 GMP-certified cosmetic manufacturing facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 77% plastic reduction using Mini Bracket dispensers in 100-room property
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• One Tree PlantedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2025Partnership through Vida Verde collection where Gilchrist & Soames donates a percentage of net profits to support reforestation initiatives. One Tree Planted is an organization committed to restoring ecosystems through targeted tree-planting initiatives.
• Guest Supply (Sysco)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 September 2015Guest Supply, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sysco Corporation, acquired Gilchrist & Soames in 2015. This acquisition expanded Guest Supply's luxury personal care offerings and leveraged both companies' manufacturing capabilities, supply chains, logistics, and product development resources. All manufacturing and distribution facilities were continued post-acquisition.
• E.L. Niño Bee Lab at UC DaviscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor over 16 years, Gilchrist & Soames has partnered with the E.L. Niño Bee Lab at UC Davis, donating a portion of BeeKind brand profits to support honeybee health research. The partnership supports the UC Davis Bee Haven Garden, California Master Beekeeper Program, and The Bee Health Hub.
• Clean the WorldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to recycle soap and shampoo products which are given to people in need. Supports the company's reuse and recycling sustainability initiatives.
• Aromatherapy AssociatesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to offer Aromatherapy Associates products through Gilchrist & Soames hotelier platform. Starting out as therapists in the early 1970s, the brand offers award-winning therapeutic-grade products made from 100% essential oils.
• Acca KappaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to offer Acca Kappa hotelier collection through Gilchrist & Soames distribution platform. Italian brand known for luxury hair brushes and spa products.
• Lockwood New YorkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to offer Lockwood New York hotelier collection through Gilchrist & Soames distribution platform.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Molton Brown: British heritage bath, body, and fragrance brand with a well-established hotel amenity program. Directly comparable to G&S as a luxury personal-care company whose flagship business is supplying premium hotel rooms globally.
• Aromatherapy Associates: UK-based luxury essential-oil spa and amenity brand, listed as a G&S distribution partner. Competes head-to-head in the luxury hotel spa and in-room amenity category and shares the same hospitality-first go-to-market approach.
• Acca Kappa: Italian heritage personal-care house offering brushes, bath, and spa products into luxury hotels via the Gilchrist & Soames platform — making it both a partner and a comparable prestige amenity brand targeting the same hotelier accounts.
• Bulgari Hotels & Resorts Amenities: Luxury maison's branded hotel amenity line, exemplifying the vertically integrated prestige-amenity model that G&S competes against for flagship property partnerships in the luxury hospitality segment.
• L'Occitane en Provence: Global natural-and-organic personal-care brand with an active hotel amenity program and spas inside luxury properties. Competes directly with G&S for hotel amenity placements and shares the sustainability/clean-beauty positioning.
• Penhaligon's: London-based heritage fragrance and bath house with longstanding hotel amenity relationships. Closely comparable as another British luxury personal-care company targeting premier hotels with provenance-rich branding.
• Etro: Italian luxury lifestyle brand extending into hotel amenities and bath/body collections. Mirrors G&S's positioning at the intersection of lifestyle branding, premium ingredients, and high-end hospitality placement.

Emerging players

• Natura Bissé: Spanish luxury skincare company with a meaningful spa and hotel amenity presence. Comparable as a premium scientific-formulation brand that is expanding footprint in luxury hotel spas and suites alongside G&S.
• D.S. & Durga: Brooklyn-based indie fragrance and personal-care house winning placement in boutique luxury hotels. Adjacent peer demonstrating the appeal of storytelling-led, design-forward bath brands to the same property-segment G&S serves.
• Lather: California-based natural bath and body brand with a growing boutique hotel amenity footprint. Comparable as a smaller-scale clean-beauty competitor pursuing hotel partnerships and a DTC channel similar to G&S's retail site.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gilchristsoames
• Facebookfacebook.com/gilchristsoames

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gilchrist & Soames