COMPANYPROFILE - Holy Mackerel / COMPANYPROFILE - Holy Mackerel / COMPANYPROFILE - Holy Mackerel
Down in deepest Devon, card company Holy Mackerel is
Trumps range, which Sarah and Katie
making waves in the world of greetings with an eclectic
originally saw as the card game and thought
range of cutting edge designs. Lewis Eckett reports.
it would make an interesting card range. “It
wasn’t being touted as a card design but we
thought it might work,” says Sarah. “If we
also served as a charity business advisor
see something good, we pick it up and go
Fast Fish
with a role in managing its trading arm.
with it.”
“I was looking for a project for kids with
HM’s gradual shift is refl ected in it’s
learning diffi culties,” says Sarah. “Because
listings in some high profi le accounts like
I knew the greetings cards business we
The Tate, Photographer’s Gallery, ICA and
decided to choose handmade cards.”
South Bank Centre, which give them a lot
But with two weeks to go before Autumn
of kudos with artists. On a purely retail level
Fair, the distribution company went bust.
though they are currently supplying some of
Through some twists and turns, the charity
their designs to WH Smith along with Urban
“Greetings
and Sarah eventually ended up taking on
Outfi tters, Cards Galore, Fenwicks and
is a nice
the distributors role too when there original
Selfridges.
HM also has a loyal following in the
business to
provider went bust. “It was about two weeks
before Autumn Fair, “ explains Sarah. “So
independent sector, whether they are
be in and we decided to take on a bit of their stand and
more traditional card retailers or those
stores with a more design-led focus. The
we want
do it ourselves!”
This can-do attitude eventually led to the
latter appreciate the quiet charm of the
to keep it
formation of Holy Mackerel in 2002 with
aforementioned Decoupage Mice along
a handmade range that has evolved into
with Baby Bear from artist and children’s
Claire Groves & Sarah Hopkins
fresh and
author, John Prater and Mint Choc Chip by
innovative
a diverse collection featuring the work of
Lou Tyers, and My Giddy Aunt from Angie
he sea is a
artists all over the UK.
Stevens.
T
cathartic,
and enjoy Sarah’s sister, Katie, joined in 2004
Lou Tyers has also been pressed into
creative force -
working
having decided she’d had enough of life on
service with some decidedly sharper, humour
you only have
the road in the commercial energy industry
on the female-focused Miss Behaving
to look at the
with our
and the pair haven’t looked back since.
range and the even darker, knowing twist to
sheer number
partners.”
“Our partnership gives us the buyers
Christmas with Oh What Fun!
of greeting
Sarah Hopkins
perspective as well a business approach,”
Going forward, Sarah and Katie are
card publishers
says Sarah. “Holy Mackerel is wholly us, but
focused on launching a new black & white
that have set
we contract out a lot of the design and print
photographic range towards the autumn
up on the coast to understand the pull of the
while our picking and packing is done by a
featuring the work of local photographer,
ocean and the artistic vibe it engenders.
social fi rm based in Paignton that works with
Looking at the sea is an everyday treat for
people with learning diffi culties. We also use
Harriet Wooltorton. “Think bare bottoms
Sarah Hopkins and Katie Meeke, the sister
self-employed sales agents.”
rollerskating along the beachfront and you
ister
se e
act helming the fast-growing card
One of the team’s major skills is
get the idea,” says Sarah.
company, Holy Mackerel (HM)
discovering and recognising great
And because the cultish Half Baked
down on the Devon coast.
artwork and they spend a lot of time
Beings and Minimiam photo-food
HM’s Half-Baked Beings and
looking for it. They also get a lot sent to
collections have been so successful, HM
Minimiam range of card designs
them – around fi ve or 10 submissions
has decided to branch out into ‘gifty’ items
showing all manner of tiny fi gurines
a day as HM has become more
like fridge magnets and coasters as well as
in a variety of food-related situations
established.
stationery and giftwrap.
(boiled egg as a hot tub anyone?)
One their biggest sellers is the
“Because the images used on those
has proved a smash hit with retailers
Decoupage Mice range by artist,
ranges are so strong and iconic we thought it
here in the UK and worldwide.
NNichola Kent, which was being sold as
would be a good idea to use them on a more
But this success is no lucky break
hhandmade cards in gift and greetings
permanent gift,” explains Sarah. “We’ll be
- Sarah and Katie are switched on,
stores in nearby Stroud. Since they got
looking to do more of that kind of thing in
energetic businesspeople with
in touch Nichola’s charming 3D cute
the future too.”
a wealth of experience at their
characters have found a much wider
Looking forward, Sarah and Katie are
disposal – even if their strategy
audience in the UK and abroad in places
determined to keep growing the business and
meetings are usually a cream tea
lilike Italyke .
keep enjoying it.
on the beachfront.
The handmade side of the HM
“We have a serious cream tea habit to
equation has always been strong but the
support,” adds Sarah. “But greetings is a
.co.uk
The spark for HM began
with Sarah back in the early 80s
pphotographic side is rapidly closing the
nice business to be in and we want to keep it
when she opened a gift shop in
gap, particularly over the last 18 months,
fresh and innovative and enjoy creating new
Penarth, South Wales with a grant
which has seen a fairly dramatic rise in
relationships with customers and artists.”
from the Princes Youth Business
turnover.
Trust. The store gave Sarah a
“The business is going through an
Contacts
evolution,” explains Sarah. “It’s becoming
eetingstoday
thorough grounding in the ways
of greetings, which has stood her
more contemporary and urban as artists
.
gr
Tel: 01297 21184
in good stead for HM.
look at us and see what we’re doing and
Email: sales@holy-mackerel.co.uk
Eventually, she was co-opted
submit like-minded material.”
Web: www.holy-mackerel.co.uk
www onto the board of the Trust and
An obvious example is the Crap
Decoupage Mouse by Nichola Kent
48
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