The Highland Soap Company
The Highland Soap Company is a privately held, family-run maker of handmade and organic soap and skincare based in the Scottish Highlands. It sells through a Shopify DTC storefront, a subscription service, six owned retail stores across Scotland, and a wholesale stockist network in the UK and abroad.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersAviemore, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Highland Soap Company does
The Highland Soap Company (trading as The Highland Soap Co) is a privately held, family-run maker of organic and handmade soap and skincare, headquartered at Inverlochy Mains on the outskirts of Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, at the foot of Ben Nevis. The company was founded around 2006 and has been operating for approximately 20 years with a bootstrapped, family-ownership structure and no disclosed institutional investors or parent company. Its product portfolio spans organic glycerine soaps, traditional handmade (14-day-cured) soaps, hand wash, body wash, hair care, bubble bath, hand and body lotions, intensive creams, lip balm, men's grooming, natural deodorant, reed diffusers, and soya wax candles, organised into 13 fragrance ranges inspired by Scottish botanicals (e.g., Wild Gorse & Vanilla, Lemongrass & Ginger, Wild Scottish Raspberry, Whisky & Honey, Scottish Bog Myrtle, Highland Lavender, Hebridean Seaweed). Notable production assets include an in-house copper still used to distil wild-harvested bog myrtle and other Scottish botanicals, and small-batch workshop production in Fort William.
The business operates an omnichannel go-to-market model. Direct-to-consumer revenue is generated through a Shopify e-commerce storefront (with a recurring subscription portal), plus six owned retail stores spread across Scotland — Fort William (high street and visitor centre), Aviemore, Pitlochry, Oban, and St Andrews — designed to capture both local and tourism traffic. Wholesale distribution supplies gift shops and farm shops in the UK and abroad, and a hospitality channel addresses hotels, B&Bs, and holiday cottage operators seeking guest amenities and mini soaps. An experiential layer was added in 2025 with the opening of the Visitor Centre & Larder Café at Inverlochy Mains, offering factory tours, soap-making workshops, and on-site food and beverage. Pricing is unit-based across SKPs (soaps £10–£11; bundles such as 3 organic soaps for £17; hand wash refills; soy candles £23.50 each), with multi-buy offers, free UK delivery over £45, and subscription tiers for recurring delivery.
The company is positioned around Scottish Highlands provenance, organic ingredient content (over 70% organic in core ranges, over 89% organic in some creams), sustainability features (refill pouches, recyclable packaging, tree-donation programme), and traditional craft production. Customers span individual retail consumers, gift and farm shop resellers, hospitality operators, and event planners using mini soaps for favours and guest amenities. No revenue, no app presence, no AI capabilities, no patents, no regulatory actions, and no institutional funding are disclosed; operations remain under original family ownership and management.
The Highland Soap Company firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Highland Soap Company
- Legal name
- The Highland Soap Company
- Website
- https://highlandsoaps.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Highland Soap Company is a privately held, family-run maker of handmade and organic soap and skincare based in the Scottish Highlands. It sells through a Shopify DTC storefront, a subscription service, six owned retail stores across Scotland, and a wholesale stockist network in the UK and abroad.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Highland Soap Company industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Natural and Organic Personal Care
- NAICS
- Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256), Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing (325611), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)
- SIC
- Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hand Soap & Hand Wash (CRABAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Intimate & Personal Hygiene Washes (CRABAEAF)
Keywords
Where The Highland Soap Company is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aviemore
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
The Highland Soap Company business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Product Sales: One-time purchase of soaps, skincare, bath and body products, and home fragrance items through e-commerce and retail stores. Products include organic soaps, handmade soaps, hand washes, body washes, lotions, creams, candles, and reed diffusers.
- Subscription Service: Recurring subscription model for regular delivery of products, managed through their subscription portal on the website.
- Wholesale Distribution: B2B sales to gift shops, farm shops, and hospitality businesses throughout the UK and internationally.
- Visitor Centre & Cafe: Factory tours, soap-making workshops, and Larder Cafe serving food and beverages at the Visitor Centre in Fort William.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 3 Organic Soaps Bundle |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2 Handmade Soaps Bundle |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2 for £23 Hand Wash Bundle |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2 for £50 Reed Diffusers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hand Wash & Lotion Set |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2 for £47 Soya Wax Candles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Product Pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mini Guest Soap Selection |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Highland Soap Company product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Highland Soap Company is a family-run maker of organic and handmade soaps, skincare, bath and body, and home fragrance products crafted in the Scottish Highlands using natural ingredients, essential oils, and botanicals. They offer over 70% organic formulations across a portfolio of more than a dozen fragrance ranges, complemented by gift sets and accessories, and sell through six owned retail stores, an e-commerce site, wholesale stockists, and a flagship Visitor Centre.
Product overview
The Highland Soap Company offers a diversified portfolio of organic soap and skincare products handmade in the Scottish Highlands. The core product lines span Organic Soaps (certified organic vegetable oil glycerine soaps), Handmade Soaps (traditional cold-process soaps cured 14 days), Hand Wash (over 95% organic liquid soap), Body Wash, Hair Care (aloe vera shampoo and conditioner), Bubble Bath, Hand & Body Lotion (over 86% organic), Hand & Body Cream (over 89% organic with shea and cocoa butters), Lip Balm, and Men's Grooming (beard oils and shave soaps). Home fragrance offerings include Reed Diffusers and Soya Wax Candles (approximately 45 hours burn time). The company operates across 13 distinct fragrance ranges including Wild Gorse & Vanilla, Lemongrass & Ginger, Wild Scottish Raspberry, Whisky & Honey, Scottish Bog Myrtle, Highland Lavender, Sweet Orange & Cinnamon, Wild Nettle & Heather, Rose & Patchouli, Hebridean Seaweed, Juniper & Lime, and Gardener's Remedy. Accessory products include hand care tools, foot care products, natural bath accessories, and natural deodorants. The company also offers gift sets, a gift-boxing service, digital gift vouchers, and a tree donation program. Retail operations include six company-owned shops across Scotland and supply to gift shops and farm shops throughout the UK and abroad. The flagship Visitor Centre & Larder Café near Fort William offers factory tours, shopping, and soap-making workshops. A subscription management portal enables recurring orders.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Organic Soaps Deeply moisturising glycerine soaps made from certified organic vegetable oils that gently cleanse and nourish skin. Sold to retail consumers and wholesale customers.
- Handmade Soaps Traditional handmade cold-process soaps produced using century-old processes and natural ingredients, cured for 14 days in zero plastic packaging.
- Hand Wash Gentle liquid hand soap with moisturising aloe vera and plant extracts, containing over 95% organic ingredients.
- Hand Wash Refills Refill pouches that top up hand wash bottles more than three times, reducing plastic usage and offering cost savings.
- Body Wash Body cleanser blended with aloe vera, lavender, nettle and chamomile plant extracts, made with over 95% organic ingredients in sustainable plant-based bottles.
- Hair Care Organic aloe vera shampoo with essential oils and nettle, lavender and chamomile natural plant extracts to clean, strengthen and help protect hair.
- Bubble Bath Gently cleansing luxurious bubble bath containing over 70% organic ingredients to leave skin feeling soft and smooth.
- Hand and Body Lotion Lightweight daily moisturiser with long-lasting moisture and protection, packaged in recycled and recyclable bottles with over 86% organic ingredients.
- Hand and Body Cream Intensive nourishing cream blending shea and cocoa butters, olive oil and aloe vera to moisturise, protect and restore dry skin, with over 89% organic ingredients.
- Lip Balm Nourishing natural balm enriched with organic ingredients and skin-loving beeswax to moisturise and protect delicate lip skin.
- Men's Grooming Beard oils and shave soaps handmade in small batches in Scotland using natural ingredients, bold fragrances and sustainable packaging.
- Natural Deodorant Natural crystal deodorants made from antibacterial mineral salts providing natural odour protection.
- Mini Soaps Miniature handmade soaps ideal for guest accommodation, wedding favours, and travel, approximately matchbox-sized.
- Foot Care Foot files, pumice stones and foot creams for natural softening and removal of dry hard skin, suitable for pedicures and regular foot maintenance.
- Reed Diffusers Natural rattan reed diffusers that release natural fragrances around the home through essential oils.
- Soya Wax Candles Natural soya bean wax candles scented with essential oils, providing approximately 45 hours of burn time.
- Gift Sets Curated gift collections including gift bags, gift boxes, hampers and sets featuring the company's bath and body products in natural linen packaging.
- Gift Voucher Digital gift vouchers available for purchase, allowing recipients to choose their own products.
- Visitor Centre and Larder Café Flagship visitor destination near Fort William with factory tours, shopping, soap-making workshops, and a café serving homemade food with local and seasonal produce.
- Soap-Making Workshop Botanically-inspired 40-minute workshop teaching small-batch soap-making with essential oils and organic ingredients, including coffee in the Larder Café and packaged soaps to take home.
- Subscription Service Recurring subscription model for regular delivery of products, managed through the company's subscription portal on the website.
Companies that use The Highland Soap Company
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Highland Soap Company technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Highland Soap Company partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Highland Soap Company competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dr. Bronner's: Family-owned US maker of organic castile soaps and personal care with strong ethical/sustainability branding. Comparable on organic positioning, family-run heritage, and category overlap in soap and body care.
- Lush: UK-based handmade cosmetics and bath/soap brand with strong natural ingredients positioning and global retail + DTC presence. Directly comparable in product category (handmade soaps, bath, skincare) and handmade brand story.
- Scottish Fine Soaps: Scottish heritage soap and personal care brand selling bath, body and home fragrance products. Closest direct geographic and category competitor to Highland Soap Co, also leveraging a Scotland provenance story.
- Neal's Yard Remedies: UK-based organic natural health and beauty brand with its own retail stores, DTC and wholesale. Highly comparable on organic positioning, store-and-DTC omnichannel model, and bath/skincare product mix.
Broad incumbents
- Burt's Bees: Natural personal care brand (owned by Clorox) spanning lip balm, body care and soaps. Comparable on natural-ingredient positioning and personal care category breadth.
- Aēsop: Premium natural-ingredient skincare, body care and fragrance brand owned by L'Oréal. Comparable on premium natural positioning, store-led brand experience, and body/skincare product overlap.
- Rituals: European premium bath, body and home fragrance brand with strong experiential retail and gifting focus. Comparable on premium gifting, home fragrance, and DTC plus physical retail model.
- The Body Shop: Iconic global natural-ingredient personal care retailer with stores and wholesale worldwide. Overlaps strongly on natural/ethical positioning and bath/body products, though at vastly larger scale.
- ELEMIS: UK-based premium skincare and body care brand sold via DTC, department stores, spas and hospitality. Comparable on premium British origin, body care range, and hospitality/wholesale channel presence.
- Molton Brown: Established UK premium bath, body and home fragrance brand with global department store and hospitality distribution. Comparable product mix and premium positioning, but much larger scale and broader portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Highland Soap Company social profiles
Digital presenceThe Highland Soap Company financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Highland Soap Company leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Highland Soap Company funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Highland Soap Company M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Highland Soap Company
What does The Highland Soap Company do?
The Highland Soap Company is a family-run maker of organic and handmade soaps, skincare, bath and body, and home fragrance products crafted in the Scottish Highlands using natural ingredients, essential oils, and botanicals. They offer over 70% organic formulations across a portfolio of more than a dozen fragrance ranges, complemented by gift sets and accessories, and sell through six owned retail stores, an e-commerce site, wholesale stockists, and a flagship Visitor Centre.
Is The Highland Soap Company a public or private company?
The Highland Soap Company is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Highland Soap Company founded?
The Highland Soap Company was founded in 2006. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Highland Soap Company based?
The Highland Soap Company is headquartered in Aviemore, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Highland Soap Company make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Retail Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription Service, wholesale Distribution and visitor Centre & Cafe.
Who are The Highland Soap Company's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dr. Bronner's, Lush, Scottish Fine Soaps and Neal's Yard Remedies. Broad incumbents are Burt's Bees, Aēsop, Rituals, The Body Shop, ELEMIS and Molton Brown.
Does The Highland Soap Company have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Highland Soap Company.
What industry is The Highland Soap Company in?
The Highland Soap Company's product category is Natural and Organic Personal Care. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRABAEAC, Hand Soap & Hand Wash, with a secondary code of CRABAEAF, Intimate & Personal Hygiene Washes. Its NAICS code is 3256 and its SIC code is 2840.