Into the Future: Hollands' Story Continues
Join me, Holly Thomson, a rural storyteller commissioned by the Holland family to share with you their story. This is the third chapter, and so far we’ve weaved through the earliest days with Tommy the cart horse and the army shirts hiccup, and now, we’ve stumbled into the present generation of this family business, connected to the countryside and lifestyle they cater for through the extensive range of products and brands stocked. You can read chapter one here and chapter two here.
For this instalment, I spoke with Matthew Holland, whose decision to join the family business over a decade ago was instrumental in Hollands’ evolution. Prior to pivoting towards country clothing, Matt was working in a graduate management position at McDonald’s where he learnt a huge amount about the processes that make a business thrive.
Matt Holland is an IT-savvy, father of hens and mini Hollands. When asked what his favourite brand was, he instantly responded with Jack Pyke. “You’ll likely find me in one of their gilets. It’s a working man’s brand, and I’m a working man. Despite being a fan of tech, I’m outside in the countryside daily.”
From Kitchen Table to Warehouse: Hollands' Growth
It was Mark Holland, Matt’s uncle, who built the company’s first website in 2008 - one of the very first generations of websites, do you remember websites from way back then? This was something he’d spent hours teaching himself by burying his head in books and videos. The family are keen to give a nod to Mark and express their gratitude, as Matt says, “If he hadn’t taken the initiative to launch a website, we’d likely be in a very different position now.”
Fun fact: the very first website order was for a pair of pink welly boots!
For the first four years after Matt joined Mark at Hollands, the duo still worked from Grandma Mavis’ kitchen table. “We’d hop in the car and take orders round to the post office. We’ve gone from around 35 orders a day, to upwards of 1,000.”
Talking of that period, Matt remembers, “It was a grind. We had a very manual system, if you could even call it that.”
The farm was still very much a working farm - picture hay bales lying around, trailers and machinery with the odd tractor tyre dotted around. Matt’s mission was to transform the old barn and introduce new processes and systems which would, as he hoped, propel the business forward and allow them to reach the next level and beyond.
Navigating Change & Challenges
Initially, Matt was faced with resistance, we all know how daunting change can feel, and working with family can heighten that. Though Matt persevered and persisted, and in 2017, shortly after Sarah joined, Hollands launched a new website with a modernised e-commerce integration, making it easier for customers to shop online and browse the digital catalogue of products. “This was a turning point for us, and in 2018 and 2019 the business doubled all round.”
In 2019, Robert joined the business, adding more skills and Holland DNA to this growing family business. Moving away from the farm and into a dedicated warehouse, things were going from strength to strength, and like so many, when Covid19 reared its ugly head, things changed once again...
Once the initial panic of the pandemic and quietened, Matt explains, “The pandemic gave us an opportunity to grow, to batten down the hatches and really home in on what we’d built and where we were currently.” The Government’s guidance enabled the warehouse workers to carry on with restrictions in place so orders could still be sent. You’ll likely remember yourself, online shopping soared throughout the lockdowns and this had a positive impact on sales.
Though, interestingly and you may not have anticipated this, I know I didn’t, the struggle began after the lockdowns were lifted and we returned to life and the well-coined phrase, the ‘new normal’.
Towards New Horizons: The Future of Hollands Country Clothing
As a result of the pandemic, the trade and retail industry was experiencing a supply chain and shipping crisis. There had been a stock level boom but, at a cost to retailers, impacting profit margins. With an enormous overhead cost being the warehouse overhead, in early 2023, the family decided to move Hollands Country Clothing back home, to the farm.
Since then, as Matt proudly shares, “We’ve had the best winter yet. We’re now in a great position which hasn’t been achieved without hard work.”
Embracing failure has enabled the family to flourish further and as the business enters 2024, the future has never been brighter.
What a story, wouldn’t you agree?
We’re not done yet! I’ll be back, writing to you with the fourth and final installment in the Hollands Country Clothing story very soon. In the meantime, why not browse the website, from men’s and women’s clothing, to footwear, accessories, childrenswear, and pet products.
You can also shop by activity e.g dog walking, farming, shooting, or riding, or by brand.
Holly Thomson, a former In The Country Magazine founder and livery yard manager, calls the beautiful South Downs home. Alongside Emma Warren, she co-manages the Countrywoman’s Guide magazine, a platform dedicated to uncovering the hidden treasures of rural life and fostering a community of shared wisdom and empowerment. As a self-confessed cowboy boot-wearing copywriter, Holly champions the ethos of shared wisdom, slow living, and the enduring power of storytelling.
1 comment
How lovely! Enjoyed reading about your story