About VOYA
Family owned business.
Launches its first products in 2008.
Growth of 70-100% each year from inception.
Turnover in 2011 will be 1.6million est.
14 employees.
Products are distributed to 30 countries.
Primary markets Ireland, Germany, USA, Middle & Far East.
100+ products
VOYA Seaweed Baths
Family run business from Strandhill Co. Sligo
First Seaweed Baths opened in 1912
What are Seaweed Baths?
Irelands only indigenous therapy
Dates back over 300 years
There was over 100 seaweed bath
centres in the 1900’s
Only 3 left in Ireland
The Original Seaweed Baths in Strandhill circa 1912
Seaweed has been hand harvested in our area for over 150 yrs
Seaweed harvester circa 1865 Sligo
Seaweed harvesting
All our seaweeds are harvested by my family and will continue to do so. All of our
products contain seaweed.
VOYA is the worlds first
harvester/producer of certified
organic cosmetic seaweed.
All of our seaweeds are harvested by
hand and treated within 2hrs
There are nearly 800 species of seaweed
on our coast.
One reason for this diversity is that
Ireland is located between 51 and 55° N,
occupying a range of latitudes that
straddle both the northern limit for some
warm-water species and the southern
limit for some cold-water species.
Ireland is the least densely populated
country in Europe and the west coast of
Ireland is the least densely populated part
of Ireland.
There is no major/heavy industry on its
west, it leaves probably the most
unpolluted waters in the Atlantic.
Where do we harvest?
VOYA has an exclusive marine
harvesting license granted by the
Irish government.
Only 2 licenses have ever been
granted by the State.
Our licences are in SAC’s (Special
Area’s of Conservation) that have
been identified at a EU level as areas
of unsurpassed natural beauty where
heavy industry cannot operate.
What’s so great about our Seaweed?
The Value of Seaweed
Seaweed survives by filtering the ocean.
Therefore:
- seaweed grows in the unpollutted waters.
- contains an extraordinarily high content
of mineral and vitamins.
- contains a variety of potent antioxidents.
Remember life began in the Sea!
Some facts about Seaweed?
• Over 80% of the seaweed plant is made up of minerals and
vitamins.
• The Calcium Alginates in seaweed is used as a 2nd skin in
burns victims
• The Iodine or Iodine-Protein complexes in
seaweed are essential for the thyroid gland, to
regulate the body’s metabolism.
• Seaweed has the ability to react with protein to
form a gel which has a pronounced moisturising
effect on the skin, softens the hands and body.
•Seaweed is one of the few vegetarian sources
of Essential Fatty Acids
• Seaweeds contain Algal polyphenols & Carotenoids which
have been proven to be powerful antioxidants.
• Seaweed has been used as an effective treatment for
conditions like Psoriasis, Eczema, Dermatitis and Acne.
Certain seaweed species have been used in China for the
treatment of cancer.
So how did VOYA Start….
From a humble turnover in the first year of
3,000 customers.
We now have approximately 40,000
customers per year based on 12 treatment
rooms.
It quickly became apparent that we would
need additional therapies and products. So
we began searching for organic seaweed
based products.
After discovering there was no certified
organic seaweed companies or certified
organic spa brands, so we decided that we
would develop our own…….
10 years later…..
With the help of the best organic cosmetic scientists, marine
biologists and dermatologists
We have developed a award winning range of over 60 innovative world renowned
organic treatments, including baths, wraps, facials and
massages.
Along with certified organic award winning Anti-aging Facial range, Body Range, Hair
Care, Seaweed Teas and Candles.
Why go to the effort of making certified organic products?
Parental Blackmail
Michael Walton was one of the original proponents of the Irish
Organic Movement and one of the original directors of the Irish
Organic Trust. Mark Walton is currently on the European Unions
Expert Panel for Organic standards, as well the Soil
Association/Organic Trust Standards Panel.
Michael Walton
All Ireland Vegetable champion all grown organically with
seaweed looking very smug!
What does having organic certification mean?
In a relatively short time we are now supplying
arguably the finest Hotels and Spa’s, internationally and
nationally:
•Jumeirah Burj Al Arab & Talise Spa – Dubai
•Queen Mary 2
•Necker Belle - Richard Branson's Private Yacht
•The Landmark – Knightsbridge London
•City of Dreams Grand Hyatt – Macau
•Six Senses London, Lisbon & Paris
•St Regis Princeville – Hawaii
•Rosewood Hotels – KSA
•Selfridges & Harrods
.
Why has VOYA been so successful in a mature/competitive
industry?
1. Superior brand/product offering
We knew that “Oirish” products had limited appeal to the international market. We
created a brand which is:
•Irish
•Based on the Seaweed tradition
But also
•Contemporary
•Luxurious
•Organic/Environmental/Sustainable
As a new brand our products had to better than our competitors, be more effective and
beautiful packaged. We have won numerous packaging awards for design and also
sustainability.
We benchmarked International products.
2. Unique Innovative Treatment/Product Development
We specialise in creating a unique bespoke innovate Spa experiences for our clients.
We can accommodate requests. Our advantage of our competitors was our flexibility.
We realised doing another “Me Too Product” would not work. We created innovate
products to start with. Then grew the range once we broke we gained some momentum.
3. Genuine Organic/Environmental Spa Offering
Currently our products are licensed by the Soil association and USDA the two largest
organic bodies in the world, with also the highest organic standards.
Michael Walton & Mark Walton have both been involved in organic standards
development in Ireland and the EU.
As it currently stands all of our therapies use certified organic ingredients, we were the
world’s first provider of certified organic Spa therapies. We use biodegradable
packaging, our manufacturing is done with sustainable energy (wind).
VOYA has quickly become identified as an international benchmark for sustainable
practises, environmental responsibility and organic integrity.
In 2011 we will launch retail products in 100% biodegradable packaging.
4. Credible Authentic History in Holistic Wellbeing
In a world of media saturation and mass production, VOYA offers a tangible and
credible reference to a holistic tradition which dates back over 300yrs.
VOYA began for us in 1912 when the first seaweed baths opened on the wild Atlantic
coast of Strandhill, Co. Sligo, Ireland.
Every innovative VOYA product and therapy contains certified organic wild seaweed,
which is been sustainably hand-harvested (only when ripe) by the Walton family.
We passionately believe we are custodians of the Irish seaweed bath tradition.
We leveraged our history and made our origins a USP.
5. Strategic Client selection – less sometimes is more
As we are quite protective of our brand right now because it’s still relatively unknown
and we are careful to evolve it appropriately and have very carefully chosen our partner
sites.
We have introduced our treatments to arguably some of the finest spa’s in the world this
year. We intend to only make our products available to a select number of premium
spas/hotels and have already declined more than we have accepted; we feel having the
right fit is more important. Our ambitions are modest and we prefer to work with select
best of breed rather than mainstream distribution.
One of VOYA’s key strengths is its ability to create “Ambassador” sites, with a
motivated partner, we aspire to create international reference sites, which best highlight
our unique treatment offering.
Limited resources mean's selection of client and terms were crucial.
6. Competitive Product & Service Suite offering
As we are relatively small, we prefer to ensure our customers get excellent support and
services and the VOYA standards in training and client support are rigorously upheld.
We also have an excellent active account management team to help your staff with
promotions, incentives and develop events calendars.
We develop Unique Treatments.
We are constantly involved in Print, Radio, TV and Online Media.
We are dynamic in products development for a variety of clients
We offer amenities to clients at cost price to support retail sales in the Spa.
We offer highly competitive treatment costs.
We train on site, so there is no need for the spa staff to fly off anywhere.
We picked our fights. We didn’t compete on price and gave offerings to our customer
where it suited us, rebates, low value goods etc.
7. Diversified Markets
We always new that we had a limited market in Ireland. We also new that foreign
brands had the majority of the market in Ireland. So we were always export focused
form day one.
Ironically our internationally success probably fed our domestic growth, its usually the
other way around.We also new there was a “Land Grab” going on in certain markets
(BRICs) and now was the time to get in.
We were surprised which markets were successful. For example USA, expensive and
tight margins. Middle East cost better returns.
Having many markets, even if small turnover gave us mutiple streams of revenue. Each
market grew at different rates. Critical analysis of the markets openess to business was
crucial.
8. Selling Online & Online Marketing
Its crucial to our business. It represents 10% of our turnover, which is poor.
However the profit per sale is x 2 a wholesale transaction. Though the true value is
greater, because after then initial investment the cost of sale is practically zero.
However Internet sales are not a “golden egg” and do require effort and strategy. You
should consider you “presence” dpmmstically and internationally as there are many
virtual business already, who are potentially stealing market form you right now.
Having online sales gives wonderful cashflow to the business. However it also serves
to market your brand to a younger generation who becaome your brand champions. It
also gives you international awareness.
In conclusion
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