Inside the Ballymena business that grew from start-up to £100m global success in just six years

Pictured during a visit to The JAQ Group’s rapidly expanding headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Randalstown, are Tom Wiggins, Chief Executive of Ballymena Chamber of Commerce, Peter Houston, President of Ballymena Chamber of Commerce and Connor Martin, Managing Director of The JAQ Group.

More than 30 members of Ballymena Chamber of Commerce were given a first-hand look inside one of Northern Ireland’s fastest-growing business success stories this week as they toured The JAQ Group’s expanding headquarters and manufacturing operation in Randalstown.

In just six years, the company has grown from a start-up fragrance brand into a £100 million global e-commerce business serving more than 2.5 million online customers — a rise that is now bringing major investment, employment and international attention to the Ballymena area.

Founded in 2019 by local entrepreneur Connor Martin, The JAQ Group has rapidly established itself as one of the region’s standout digital retail success stories, building a growing portfolio of fragrance and beauty brands from its base outside Ballymena.

From local start-up to international brand

What began with The Essence Vault — a fragrance brand focused on affordable, long-lasting scents inspired by designer perfumes — has expanded into a multi-brand operation with customers across the UK and internationally.

The group’s portfolio now includes The Essence Vault, luxury fragrance label Thomson Carter, and Liquid London, which was named TikTok’s Beauty Brand of the Year in 2024.

Its product range has also widened significantly and now includes perfumes, fragrance oils, diffusers, candles and skincare products, all developed and manufactured from its Ballymena-area facilities.

For Chamber members attending the visit, the scale and pace of the company’s growth offered a striking example of how locally founded businesses are increasingly competing on a global stage from Northern Ireland.

Major local investment and job creation

The visit also highlighted the substantial economic impact the company is now having locally.

Following continued growth in demand, The JAQ Group recently expanded its Craigstown operation in Randalstown with the addition of a major new manufacturing facility designed to support further product development, production, packaging and worldwide distribution.

The business now employs more than 230 people across manufacturing, logistics, marketing, e-commerce and product development roles, creating significant employment opportunities in the wider Ballymena area.

Guests touring the facilities were shown the full scale of the operation, where thousands of products are produced and dispatched to customers around the world every day.

The rapid expansion comes at a time when many local businesses continue to face economic pressure and rising operating costs, making the company’s growth trajectory particularly notable within Northern Ireland’s business community.

Chamber members hear story behind the growth

Representatives from Ballymena Chamber of Commerce, Tom Wiggins, left, Chief Executive and Peter Houston, right, President are pictured alongside Connor Martin, Managing Director of The JAQ Group during a recent visit.

During the visit, Chamber members heard directly from Ballymena founder Connor Martin about the ambition and resilience behind the business’s rise from a new start-up to a globally recognised online retail brand.

Newly elected Ballymena Chamber President Peter Houston described the visit as “incredibly inspiring” for members.

“The visit to The JAQ Group was incredibly inspiring for all our members,” he said.

“To see a business founded only a few years ago achieve this level of growth is nothing short of phenomenal. Connor’s vision, ambition and determination have created a world-class business right here on our doorstep.

“What stands out most is not only the commercial success of the company, but the positive impact it is having locally through job creation, investment and opportunity. The JAQ Group is proof that global brands can be built from Ballymena, and that is a hugely powerful message for aspiring entrepreneurs and established businesses alike.”

Connor Martin said the business remains focused on further expansion, with plans to continue investing in innovation, infrastructure and talent in Northern Ireland.

“This visit reinforced Ballymena’s growing reputation as a hub for entrepreneurship, innovation and business excellence, and I believe The JAQ Group serves as an excellent example of what can be achieved through vision, innovation and belief in local people and talent,” he said.

“We hope this visit will encourage Chamber members to become ambassadors for our incredible local success story, whether that’s helping spread the word about the exciting career opportunities available within the business or championing our outstanding homegrown brands to customers both locally and beyond.”

Ballymena’s growing reputation for business innovation

The Chamber visit comes amid growing recognition of the Ballymena area as an increasingly important centre for entrepreneurship, manufacturing and digital commerce in Northern Ireland.

For many attending, The JAQ Group’s rise demonstrated how locally built businesses can scale rapidly beyond traditional regional markets while continuing to invest heavily in jobs and infrastructure at home.

With international demand continuing to grow and expansion plans still underway, the company’s success story is becoming one of the most significant business growth stories to emerge from the wider Ballymena area in recent years.