A SOAP business with a flagship shop in York has announced plans to expand - and has predicted a turnover of £5 million.

The Yorkshire Soap Company, which has its production facility and two stores in York and one in Knaresborough, has posted its best ever trading year.

Co-founder Warren Booth, originally from Copmanthorpe, started making soaps to sell while managing the Louis Vuitton concession at Harrods in London. In 2004, he and former chef Marcus Doyle started making and selling the soaps from a small gift shop in Hebden Bridge with just £500.

As a qualified chef, Mr Doyle perfected the hand-crafted soap cupcakes for which the company is now renowned. Unable to afford expensive soap moulds, he used what he had around him – cake moulds and baking cases – to create a range of soaps.

Now made in the soap kitchen in York, the range of handmade cupcakes are the best-selling products amongst the entire range.

Twelve years later, the business employs 65 staff and boasts premises in Leeds, Beverley, Knaresborough, two stores in York as well as the original Hebden Bridge premises.

York Press:

Mr Doyle said: “Our ethos remains the same as the day we started and everything we produce is hand crafted by our own staff, who we train inhouse... We hope to double our number of existing shops in the next four years”.

Mr Booth and Mr Doyle attribute their success to a hands-on approach and constant innovation as well as guidance and support from speciality soap base manufacturers, Stephenson Personal Care, part of the Stephenson Group, based in Horsforth.

With their Blake Street store in York, the pair opened what is believed to be the biggest soap shop in the world, covering more than 2,000 sq ft and selling over 6,000 hand made products.