Winners

Luxury fragrance lifestyle brand, Urban Apothecary, is honoured to have received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2022, and to be recognised for excellence in International Trade. Over the past three years, founder and beauty industry stalwart Tajinder Banwait has significantly increased global sales, with Germany, USA, Hong Kong, Australia and Japan among the strongest markets.

Founded in 2012 and based in Leicestershire, this exciting British brand manufactures and sells luxury home fragrance and body products in the UK and to 30 international markets. Every distinctive aroma is inspired by Tajinder’s personal recollections and is an alluring mix of moods and memories. In three years to December 2020, overseas sales grew by 168% with exports now making up 47% of all sales. The unique Urban Apothecary stylish, minimalist aesthetic, alongside the bespoke fragrances blending flowers, fruits and woods in an unexpected, contemporary way, are now recognised around the world.

“Urban Apothecary began life from my kitchen table in 2012, before growing into the collection we see today: a range of beautifully fragranced products for the home and body, made in our own candle factory in Leicestershire,” says Tajinder. “With our British roots, we built the brand alongside partners such as The Conran Shop, Fenwick and Heals, before taking our collection overseas. We are so proud to be recognised for all our work in international trade with the most prestigious business award in the country.”

Representing the UK as a Trade Ambassador in support of change at the Department for International Trade, Tajinder has grown a successful business based on export. She is a superb example of what can be achieved with a global product and has given numerous speeches and presentations to enable other British businesses to take the first step to trading overseas.

In founding Urban Apothecary, Tajinder has created a dynamic British brand, with a range including candles, diffusers and room sprays, alongside body products, all made by the artisans in her candle factory. She has effectively positioned her brand as ‘affordable luxury’, and continues to grow her company in this way.