Stand: Hall 4, Stand C71
Strategic acquisitions, innovation, and family succession continue to drive The Milford Collection forward. Gifts Today explores the ongoing evolution of the company, which has been supplying quality gifts at affordable prices since 1985
Growth through acquisition and family succession has been central to The Milford Collection’s success as it moves confidently into its fifth decade. Managing director David Blower is now looking forward to taking things a little easier, as his son John steps into a more frontline role while the company continues its expansion plans.
Originally set up as a single-product business, Milford grew to become one of the UK’s main potpourri manufacturers during the late 1980s and 1990s. Despite this, David says Milford was not always perceived to be a major player in the field, as much of its main business was in sub-contract manufacturing for other companies – “always the bridesmaid, never the bride,” as he puts it. While contract manufacturing kept the business busy for many years, David recognised that it was ultimately a high-volume, low-margin model.
Gifts for the garden
It became clear that Milford needed to expand its product offering. The “lightbulb moment” came during a visit to David’s local garden centre, where he noticed that even in challenging times, customers were buying significant numbers of plants and accessories.
Back at the office, he searched online for ‘Garden Gifts USA’ to see if there was anything that would work here in the UK. He discovered a mail order catalogue in the States called Plough & Hearth, which was offering a mouth-blown glass watering ball imported from Poland.
David tracked down the manufacturer and travelled to Poland to visit what was then a small, family-run glass-blowing business. Milford signed an exclusive deal to sell the factory’s products in the UK. The ball was rebranded as The Hydro Globe and the following year it was voted among the top three products in The Gift of the Year Awards.
Animo Glass
The mouth-blown glass range quickly expanded to include Candle Globes, Birthstone Hearts, Nightlights, and an assortment of hanging shapes – from Friendship Globes to Tree of Life Orbs. The success of this wider offering led Milford to become the UK distributor for Benaya Ceramics and Light Glass.
David’s son John was keen for Milford to gain more control over its product offering, prompting the company’s first acquisition: the Animo brand from Michael Virden Glass. This was followed by the establishment of Milford’s own glass-decorating production workshop in Wales.
Coppercraft
Milford then diversified into jewellery by acquiring Coppercraft: another long-established and well-respected family business. This venture proved so successful that Milford sought another acquisition to broaden the range, and in January 2025 it bought Lila Jewellery from Frank Ross – yet another long-standing family business.
Lila’s ‘hero’ product has long been its Poppy Jewellery range, and John has already expanded this collection with more than 40 new designs ready for the coming season. Milford is also proud to continue Frank’s legacy of donating 10% of all Poppy sales to veterans’ charity Combat Stress, with over £310,000 donated since the range’s inception.
Looking ahead
For 2026, Milford has come full circle, becoming UK distributors for a range of decorative metal Garden Tree Stakes made of solid steel and featuring various designs, including the new Woodland Creatures line.
Alongside this, John has developed Milford’s own ranges of ceramic trivets and coasters, Bug Bands (insect-repellent bracelets for the outdoor use), and an exclusive scented Candle Advent Calendar – reinforcing the company’s commitment to simple, well-designed, and affordable gifts.