Family skincare business named among top 100 small businesses in UK

A skincare business has been named as one of the nation’s top 100 most impressive small firms in the UK.

Neve’s Bees in Eynsham has been selected as part of this year’s SmallBiz100 line-up by the Small Business Saturday UK campaign as part of the countdown to Small Business Saturday on December 7.

The family business makes a range of Soil Association-certified award-winning organic skincare products and gifts.

Neve’s Bees won best green business at the Oxfordshire Business Awards (Image: Julie Macken)

Their range includes 100 per cent natural lip balms, hand salves, and body oils plus they’ve recently introduced a facial range with a deep cleanser, face serum, and night balm.

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It is also on a mission to bring back the wildflower meadows and the bees and other pollinators they support by giving 10 per cent of their profits to wildlife charities.

Last year the firm won the Oxfordshire Business Awards Green Business Category.

Neve’s Bees was founded in 2017 by ‘deputy queen bee’ Julie Macken, a chemist with over 20 years of skincare experience and her bee-loving daughter, Neve.

She traded in working with giants like Unilever and McDonald’s after having to convince South Americans to munch on plastic-packed frozen chips and realising there were better ways to use her skills.

Mrs Macken said: “We’re delighted to be recognised in this national campaign.

“The original idea came from our then nine-year-old daughter, Neve, who decided we should keep bees.

(Image: Julie Macken)

“Our original hive was a 10th birthday present from her grandad Jim – so they’ve always been ‘Neve’s Bees’!”

Running in the UK for over a decade, Small Business Saturday is the UK’s most successful small business campaign, which takes place each year on the first weekend in December.

Director Michelle Ovens CBE said: “It’s great to celebrate Neve’s Bees as part of this year’s campaign.

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“This year’s SmallBiz100 list shows the huge contribution small businesses make to their communities and the wider UK economy.

“Despite the economy turning a corner, the nation’s small businesses continue to feel the fallout of a challenging few years and still need significant support to get back on their feet.

“Small Business Saturday is all about getting the nation to come out in force and show its love for our local businesses.”

Last year, the campaign received support from the Prime Minister, the Mayor of London, as well as the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Over 90 per cent of local councils also supported the campaign, which trended across social media on the day.