Elemis predicts growth in spite of recession

UK spa favourite Elemis has reported its best ever performance in 2009 despite the economic downturn, according to managing director Sean Harrington. The company predicts worldwide sales to hit £68m ($123m) by the end of the year with online being the most successful sales channel with a 30% increase in 2009.

“We obviously haven’t enjoyed the recession and the brand took a hit in the last quarter of 2008 as the international markets fell through,” says Harrington. “However, we reacted fast as a company and have kept sales surging forward by offering our products in many currency options, including pounds, euros and dollars, and I have personally travelled the world to understand the crisis and how to get ourselves out of it. There has been so much bad news last year it is now to time to enjoy ourselves and look to the future.”

The coming year will be a milestone for the spa and skin care company as it celebrates its 20th Anniversary, a landmark which will see the brand going in a new direction with the launch of its first fragrance.

“The fragrance is a completely new path for Elemis,” says Harrington. “We wanted to give our loyal customers something fresh that will give them even more identity with the brand. Going into fragrance was the next obvious step as Elemis started all those years ago using Aromatherapy oils that had a strong sense of smell, so we are homing in on what made us successful in the first place.”

Launching in April 2010 the fragrance will be a full strength eau de parfum that is said to capture all the notes that Elemis has taken from across the world and used in its therapies and treatments.