Lionel Hitchen

Source: Food and Drink Digital

Date :01/08/2008 00:00:00

Who’d have thought you could yield more than juice from an orange? Well, Lionel Hitchen did and the company he formed in 1965 has gone on to achieve international success

Written by Ian Armitage and Produced by Kiron Chavda

A properly squeezed orange has a lot more to offer than just juice and Lionel Hitchen (Essential Oils) Ltd is well aware of that fact.

Today the company manufactures an extensive range of natural concentrated citrus oils from oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits. It also extracts oils from plant parts, including leaves, buds, roots, seeds, and twigs, which it uses to make steam distilled oils, alcoholic extracts, oleoresins, liquid seasonings, and dry herbs and spices.

“It is an extensive, natural range,” admits Peter Hitchen, joint managing director and second generation Hitchen.

The firm was formed in 1965 by Peter’s father Lionel, who, with 20 years experience of the essential oils industry, established Lionel Hitchen (Essential Oils) Limited to manufacture concentrated citrus oils.

Over the years the business has achieved a strong growth pattern both in volume of citrus oils and by diversification into the manufacture of oleoresins and flavours.

Family ties

Despite this tremendous growth, the company has remained a family business. It is now led by Alastair and Peter Hitchen – brothers, who act as joint managing directors - and Alison Barnes – the pair’s sister and company chairman.

So, what are the benefits of keeping it in the family? “Amongst other things we are financially independent and can make decisions quickly and methodically, helping us to capture opportunities as they arise,” explains Peter.

It’s a technique that has worked and things are going very well indeed for the Hampshire-based manufacturer.

Today Lionel Hitchen (Essential Oils) is a major supplier to the UK beverage, food, and toiletry industries, as well as a leading independent manufacturer of natural extracts, oils and flavours, and supplier to the global food and beverage industry.

A global network

Having started its life at 50 Albert Road North, Reigate, Surrey, the business is now very much a global player with agents, as well as subsidiaries in many different countries. It has, and continues to successfully position itself in global markets and is looking to the future with increased optimism.

But why is it so successful? Well, from the beginning the company’s excellent reputation has been based upon continuity and integrity, production of quality products and close collaboration with clients to manufacture to their specifications in complete confidence.

“We’ve no interest in stopping this,” says Peter.

Change afoot

The market place today is looking for more and more innovative, new flavours and this represents a wonderful opportunity for the likes of Lionel Hitchen (Essential Oils).

“It gives us, and many other companies, wonderful opportunities to introduce new flavours into the market,” admits Peter. “We have an R&D group which looks to develop new flavours for new markets. And in recent years, we have also set up a new flavour application department which takes our raw materials and introduces new flavours onto the market. So, we are very active in terms of R&D, offering new flavours into a dynamic market that is currently looking for exciting, fresh items.”

It seems consumers are driving this trend. They want new, innovative flavours and it is up to the likes of Lionel Hitchen (Essential Oils) to supply.

“As human beings there is always a desire to try out new and different things,” says Peter.

So, what are the trends? Well, “wellness”, quite simply.

“The trend appears to be towards natural water and diet products. Of most importance is the interest in eating more healthy foods,” says Peter.

“We are therefore working with the major food and beverage companies to produce healthier items. You only have to look on the supermarket shelf to see the explosion of these new products,” he adds.

Peter couldn’t be happier with how things are developing and believes the wellness trend is great for Lionel Hitchen (Essential Oils) because part of the health connotation of the whole movement is towards “natural.”

“Obviously, we can say we have natural products.”

Ambitions

The company’s plan is therefore to stick with the theme of natural products, developing and growing the business in the major markets around the world.

“We are involved in using new technology, offering new products that are unique onto the market place,” says Peter. “That is a difficult thing to do because there are much larger companies in the industry.

“But we want to continue as a manufacturer and want to continue offering new products onto the market place,” he adds.

Finding those great new flavours, or winners as Peter calls them, is very much the company’s main focus.

Sweet taste of success

There is no question that Lionel Hitchen (Essential Oils) has grown tremendously well and it is looking towards a bright and prosperous future both at home and abroad.

Peter, who would like to keep the family theme running into a third generation, believes loyalty has been the key to the company’s continuing success.

“We would not be where we are today without the wonderful support over many years of our dedicated staff, our suppliers, our agencies and our customers because it is a chain,” he says.

“Business does not operate as well if one of the links in the chain is weak or broken. So we want to thank our suppliers, we want to thank our agents and we especially want to thank our staff and customers for the support they have given us since 1965.

“Without them we would not be where we are today and with them we will continue to grow and be successful. Hopefully, we’ll also get the next generation to come in and run the business,” he concludes.

LHEO’s commitment to the industry can be clearly seen by its representation on industry committees. Currently Alastair Hitchen is Chairman of the International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades (IFEAT), while Peter is Vice Chairman of the British Essential Oil Association (BEOA).