A young executive who joined a global exporter of anti-bacterial products on a short-term contract seven years ago has just been name CEO of one of its divisions.
Jigna Varu has been appointed chief executive of Home-Fresh, a spin-off of Leicester-based Micro-Fresh.
Micro-Fresh was founded in 2006 by Byron Dixon after he developed a way of preventing mould growing on products such as sofas and shoes when they were in transit from the far corners of the world.
He realised his non-toxic, anti-bacterial formula could also be used to stop smells and germs in anything ranging from socks and shoes, to bedding, uniforms and even car seats.
Clients along the way have included Next and Dunelm, and Jigna recently clinched a deal to put Micro-Fresh in pillows on first class and business class Emirates flights.
It had also started supplying fogging machines to “Micro-Fresh” whole rooms and recently brought manufacturing in-house to its base in Thurmaston, just outside Leicester.
Global sales for the brand now stand at almost £10 million.
Home-Fresh uses a version of the anti-bacterial formula to stop the growth of mould inside whole buildings from homes and schools to offices and student accommodation.
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Mr Dixon, who remains CEO of the parent business, said it was clear when Ms Varu joined that she had the potential to help its growth plans.
Ms Varu said: “I was actually appointed CEO of Home-Fresh on my seven year anniversary, which was a nice surprise.
“I didn’t even have a title when I started. It was a really junior position and my contract was only until Christmas.
“I got chucked in at the deep end. One of the first projects I did in my first week was to check the efficacy of Micro-Fresh in plaster, so I worked on the new formulation for Home-Fresh, did the whole business model, and basically helped conceive it from day one.
“It’s a really exciting feeling to be made CEO and gives me a great honour.”
Although Micro-Fresh is marketed as effective against mould and bacteria, rather than viruses, the increased awareness in hygiene brought about by Covid-19 has help raise its profile.
Ms Varu said: “There’s a lot of research to suggest indoor air is more harmful than outdoor air, and with the time we are spending indoors now we really need to start thinking about what is around us and what we can do to mitigate that risk – and that’s how Home-Fresh was conceived.
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“We have a new formulation that goes into plaster, and we have made it more applicable for homes.
“It prevents the growth of mould, it prevents the growth of bacteria, and stops odours and allergens in general.
“We steer away from any nasty ingredients – there are no toxic chemicals, no solvents or substances that might cause concern.
“Home-Fresh has only just launched and our first contract has come through with a company building a 70 bedroom student accommodation in Birmingham. It will be used in all the walls, the plaster, the paint, all the carpets, curtains and home furnishings such as sofas.”
She said global interest in Micro-Fresh continued to grow, with 85 per cent of its trade now overseas.
The business has 12 staff in Leicester and agents in China, India, Vietnam, Pakistan, Portugal, the US and Singapore. There is a new agent in South Korea, and plans for Japan, Indonesia and possibly Australia.
She said: “There is full global reach because now with the coronavirus pandemic an anti-microbial is no longer just seen as an option by many people but a necessity.
“The biggest markets for us currently are China and India, and there is massive interest in America. It’s being used in clothing, footwear, leather, there are things bubbling away in automotive and we launched the deal with Emirates earlier this year.
“There are other airlines involved now and with travel such a scary thing for many people at the moment a lot of airlines are taking note of what Emirates did.
“Because of the pandemic, where a contract might normally take nine months, now that can be eight or nine weeks to get it on the shelf.”
Mr Dixon said Ms Varu had played a key part in helping the business grow from being a chemical company to a global brand.
He said: “She has done things with the business that I would never have been able to do, and that support and hard work has shown that she has totally invested in the business and is also its future.”