Lewis soap maker opens new visitor centre

A Lewis company has officially opened the doors to its new visitor centre following an expansion in response to growing demand for its natural hand made soap 

The Hebridean Soap Company based in Breasclete, Isle of Lewis has opened new working and retail premises in a development which will lead to two full time jobs.

Local enterprise company HIE Innse Gall has provided £38,500 funding towards the project.

The company was set up in 2003 by Linda Sutherland, having previously made soap as a hobby for family and friends for a number of years. 

The new visitor centre will allow the company to meet increasing demand for information about soap-making, from visitors to the island during the summer season as well as meeting demand for products from existing customers.  It will also allow the company to fulfil its mission to increase sales in the retail tourism sector, as the more people who purchase soap bars at the visitor centre, the more will purchase over the internet, including those from the UK and international clients. 

A stone barn owned by the company, situated adjacent to the previous building has been restored and extended to include a retail shop and larger, ergonomically-designed production facilities.  The atmosphere of an old fashioned apothecary has been created, displaying the jars and ingredients with storyboards illustrating how the soap is made.

Every item produced by the Hebridean Soap Company is handmade on site in Breasclete using the old traditional ways, using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible, avoiding the use of harsh chemicals.  Visitors to the centre can see the process involved in making many products - from melting, moulding, slicing, packing and labelling finished items. 

Linda Sutherland said:  "The business had reached production capacity in the current facility and expanding the premises will help us meet the needs of the customers and increase the market."

I am grateful for the funding HIE Innse Gall has provided to help make this development possible."

Donnie MacAulay, area director of HIE Innse Gall said:  "The Hebridean Soap Company has over the past 4 years, established an excellent reputation and built a strong and growing customer base, which has made this expansion necessary.

We are delighted to have been able to assist with this project which will see the company continue to grow and provide more jobs in the future."