Culpeper herbs to continue growth

Herbal retailer Culpeper is to invest more than £1.5m in a range of brand ‘revitalisation’ and store expansion plans, after being bought by a group of private shareholders in June.

The management has created a strategy that will see the implementation of a new in-house generated brand identity, store concepts and an overhaul of the product range.

The retail concept format will be trialled in the company’s Bath and Covent Garden outlets, before being rolled out across the 14-store estate.

Culpeper chairman and investor John Ayton believes the Culpeper brand can be revitalised alongside a growing interest in herbal and natural products.

‘We want to give a more contemporary, lifestyle feel to the brand, which is better known to an older age group,’ he explains.

Ayton, who is also the co-founder of luxury goods retailer Links of London, is planning to open ‘four or five’ new stores in central London from next Spring; one of these will be a Culpeper flagship, he says.

The brand overhaul has been completed in-house by creative director Peter Windett and includes the marque, packaging, stationery, mail-order materials and website.