A START-UP soap maker is reporting threefold monthly increases in turnover after moving to new laboratory facilities in York.

Cosy Cottage Soap Company moved into its new Innovation Centre laboratory at York Science Park, in July 2017 and has since seen month on month rises in revenues, with a projection to deliver more than £75,000 across the forthcoming twelve month period.

Cosy Cottage produces a range of soaps and skin care products using only sustainably sourced, natural ingredients, with all of its products are suitable for vegetarians and currently and around 40 per cent are vegan.

Clara Challoner Walker, founder and chief executive of Cosy Cottage, said: “The fantastic networking opportunities provided by moving to the Science Park have had a huge impact on our business, and working with organisations like Biovale and the Biorenewables Development Centre have provided further interventions which have helped our business growth.”

Cosy Cottage started life in the kitchen of Clara’s 350-year-old cottage in Ganthorpe, York in 2016. She combined her background as a professional chemist with her passion for natural products to start developing her own range of soaps and skincare products.

Since the company made the move to the Innovation Centre laboratories, Clara said they have significantly strengthened the business, expanding their range of products and sales channels. From selling their products at fairs, it has now grown to sell its products direct through its website and through other retailers and is now developing ranges of bespoke products for third party organisations.

Kate Boyd, operations manager at Cosy Cottage, says that the company’s move has allowed them to focus on improving its small batch manufacturing process, reducing waste and scaling up the production process with the help of improved facilities and connections with organisations like Biovale and the BDC.

Helen Shiels, business development manager at the Biorenewables Development Centre said: “We’ve been helping Clara and Kate to scale-up up their production process by developing a new stirred pot and heated jacket process. This will vastly increase the number of soap bars they can make in a batch.”