It all started with a handful of soap bars made in a kitchen in Lochaber – but now the Highland Soap Company is producing more than a quarter of a million every year.
After picking up a People’s Choice award for its handmade soaps, and with a bustling café and shop at Inverlochy, there is a lot of buzz around the company.
The Press and Journal caught up with business co-owner Emma Parton to discuss the incredible growth company of the Fort William firm.
Highland Soap Company sells more than a quarter of a million bars of soap in 2024
“People send me photos of Highland Soap from across the world, and it never stops being exciting to see the reach of our products,” Ms Parton said.
“People really love the Larder Café at the visitor centre too.
“I often get messages or even hand-written letters from people telling us how much they loved their visit here – and the soap and other things they bought.
“It is amazing when you think the whole business started in 2006, working from my kitchen in Spean Bridge, using a traditional method of making soap with my own pots and pans.”
She laughed: “I only used our own pans once, as all our food tasted of soap!
“The business grew from there. At first, I was in the kitchen, but it just grew and we soon opened our first shop in Spean Bridge.
“It has been an incredible journey.
“We have kept that traditional soap-making method and the shop staff make the glycerin soaps to sell right here at the visitor centre.
“This last year, we introduced some machinery to help us.”
In 2024, Highland Soap sold more than a quarter of a million bars of its handmade soap.
There were also phenomenal shop sales of its handwash, with 1.3 million units sold, including refills.
The company now has six shops, in Aviemore, Oban, Pitlochry, Fort William, St Andrews and the Inverlochy Mains visitor centre, as well as countless wholesale outlets in Scotland, the wider UK and across the world.
Ms Parton said things really started to develop back in 2018, when Archie MacDonald joined her in the company’s ownership.
The pair, along with businessman Angus MacDonald – who has since become the area’s MP – came up with an ambitious plan for a visitor centre at Inverlochy.
During Covid, people began to think seriously about buying locally
The visitor centre at Inverlochy Mains hosts a large shop as well as a large café.
It was built and opened in December 2020 – during the Covid pandemic.
Ms Parton said: “Without Archie and his vision, the company would not have grown the way it has.
“Archie and I have complementary skills. He has a very clear vision of how to grow the business – and it is working.”
The visitor centre opened in December 2020, during tightened Covid restrictions.
A third lockdown began on January 5 the following year.
Always seeing the bright side, Ms Parton said: “It turned out that Covid presented an opportunity.
“People began to think seriously about buying locally.
“At that time, when people had very little opportunity to treat themselves, they would buy soap and come to collect it from the visitor centre.
“Since Covid, people have been very supportive – not only of the products we sell but also of the Larder Café at the visitor centre.
“We are in the market of keeping people clean – and that is something that will never go out of fashion.
“We were in the right place, with a product at a good price for people to treat themselves and others.”
The company employs 64 people across the Fort William visitor centre, its workshop – now based in Caol Industrial Estate in a former furniture showroom – and six shops.
Ms Parton describes her colleagues as “friends” and a “community” who work together and share the highs and lows of business life.
She said: “We are a very supportive team. I really like coming to work to see my colleagues – it really is a good place to work.
“The number of people we employ will go up in the summer, and we are always keen to hear from people who would like to work with us.”
‘We want to create our products here’
There are, of course, pressures on the business, as Ms Parton explains: “There are not many manufacturers in Scotland.
“Most of our competitors work with manufacturers in other countries, where labour might be cheaper.
“But we want to create our products here, and it allows us to employ local people in year-round jobs.”
The Highland Soap Company won the People’s Choice Award for Best Scottish Product at a ceremony in Glasgow last week.
There were 38 other companies in the category.
Meanwhile, Petal’s of Oban won the People’s Choice Award for Best Wedding Provider on the same night.
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