‘The right product at the right time’: Soap business started in Northampton kitchen has triumphant year

A soap business that was started in a kitchen in Northampton has gone from strength to strength in the year when everyone has been told to wash their hands more.

Fred & Betty Soaps, founded by Ruth Coote in her Moulton home, launched last December, but has taken off in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Before Covid-19 hit the UK, Ruth was inspired to start a soap business after watching a TV programme where two men were doing the same in Spain.

The 53-year-old said: “Watching them make the soap mesmerized me and I just thought it was something I could do.

“It captivated me so it all started from there really.”

Ruth, who also works for an electrical contractor, enrolled on a training course in April last year to learn how to make the best soap possible.

Once the course had finished, Ruth experimented with different fragrances and ingredients and gave the soaps to friends and family as market research to see what worked best.

After registering the soaps and having them checked by a chemist, Ruth began selling natural, homemade soaps in recycled packaging.

Fred & Betty Soaps, which is named after one of Ruth’s sons, Freddie, and a family friend, Stephanie who is nicknamed Betty.

When they were children and the families were on holiday in Ibiza, the pair said they would open a bar on the island when they were older and they would call it Fred and Betty’s.

At the end of last year, the lovingly named company started trading, but business really took off this year when the pandemic hit and everyone was told to wash their hands more.

Ruth added: “I had the right product at the right time.

“I was selling soap and then the next minute the Prime Minister was on TV saying ‘wash your hands more’.

“It all just took off more from there.

“I think with people not wanting to buy plastic as much or trying to be completely plastic free and all my packaging being recycled helped as well and was also the right product at the right time.”

When the company first began, there were eight different soaps available, which according to Ruth, all have no ‘nasty chemicals’, are completely natural and only include essential oils.

Just before the second national lockdown, three more soaps, including hemp and green tea and active charcoal were added.

As Christmas approaches, the businesswoman is also offering zero packaging gift sets, which are proving popular.

“I’m really pleased that I did start the business,” Ruth continued.

“I’m not sure it would have been as successful without Covid.

“Unfortunately some businesses aren’t the same, so I feel lucky that I have had this product out there this year.”

Although Ruth does still work for an electrical contractor, she is hoping to reduce her hours or stop completely to focus on her soap business, however she says it about making sure the time is right to ‘take the plunge’.

The soaps are stocked in Vintage Guru in St Giles Street, Mrs Sew and Sew in Far Cotton, Tickerty Boo in Moulton and Scotch Lodge in Mears Ashby.

Online orders can also be placed by searching Fred & Betty Soaps UK on Facebook and Instagram.

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