Candlemaker Gold Hart targets US and Europe after signing new deals

A Glasgow-based luxury scented candle brand has set its sights on international expansion after securing a host of sales partnerships at home and overseas.

Gold Harts Lorraine McKenna with Stewart Cameron from Cameron Intellectual Property. Picture: Contributed

Gold Hart, whose products are now being sold in Scottish hotels such as Gleneagles, The Old Course, Skibo Castle and Monachyle Mhor, is targeting increased export activity in the US and European markets.

The company has established a supply partnership with a retailer based in Berlin, following founder Lorraine McKenna’s trade tour to Germany with Scottish Development International and the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, and has set up collaborations with interior design consultancies in the US.

McKenna, who worked as a buyer for clothing brand Cruise before founding Gold Hart in 2014, attributed the company’s recent period of growth to an increasing demand for Scottish goods.

She said: “These recent sales agreements with some of the country’s most luxurious hotels represent a growing demand for our contemporary product range.

“Export also represents a huge growth opportunity for Gold Hart. We are experiencing significant demand from the US and European markets and we are very much focused on ensuring that we are set up to fulfil these markets.

“When I established the business, I was inspired by Scotland’s global presence and the appetite for Scottish-made goods. Our products capture a journey through the wild, yet romantic habitat of Scotland – it’s a proposition that is truly resonating with both UK and international consumers.”

To protect its brand identity as it transitions into new markets, Gold Hart is now working with fellow Glasgow-headquartered firm Cameron Intellectual Property, which provides services relating to patent, design, trade marks and copyright.

Founder and director Stewart Cameron said: “With Brexit almost upon us there are a host of implications for brands like Gold Hart to consider when trading in international markets.

“Having this protection in place means that Gold Hart can trade with confidence and continue to benefit from growing consumer brand awareness.”