HUSBAND and wife team Gabrielle and Rob Clamp set up Birken Tree three years ago to bring back the ancient Scottish tradition of extracting sap from birch trees for its health benefits. Gabrielle gave up her job as a chiropractor to focus on the company while Rob was a forester. The birch water is already sold in the Middle East and in the next few years there are plans to expand the business into China, Japan and Canada.

Names: Gabrielle and Rob Clamp

Ages: 32 and 52 respectively

Positions: Founders

WHAT IS THE BUSINESS CALLED?

Birken Tree

WHERE IS IT BASED?

Perthshire

WHY DID YOU SET UP THE BUSINESS?

Rob: It’s an old tradition that goes back 5000 years in Scotland as people knew spring sap is good for you. Many European countries are the same. It fell out of use in Scotland after the Highland clearances. I was aware of it as a forester – mainly for using sap for wine. Gabrielle is from France so she knew about it. The international market for birch water is worth millions of dollars and there are more than two million birch trees in Scotland.

Gabrielle: I was a chiropractor before this so I knew about human bodies. Birch is anti-inflammatory so I wanted to find ways to help people. It kind of came about naturally. We had about four to six weeks to prepare before sap rises from trees. We didn’t have time to think too much and bought tapping kits from the US and went for it. It has been a progressive learning journey. The soft drinks market in Scotland was my motivation. We mainly used our personal finances but we’ve had support from Scottish Enterprise and Perth and Kinross Council.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Gabrielle: People wonder what it is. In Scotland we are trying to sell water to Scots and make them understand why they should drink birch water over tap water. It has more aromas to it than taste. It has a silky texture like milk and tastes refreshing or nutty. Some people get vanilla or cucumber flavours. It’s more complex than water.

The National:

WHAT IS YOUR TARGET MARKET?

Gabrielle: We didn’t really know at the time. We tried to see if people like it and we realised the market was about provenance and the story so a high-end market. The target is high-end restaurants, hotels and shops.

Rob: Apparently birch water was originally used as a mixture for whisky in Scotland. In Russia it’s a hangover cure – it has minerals and enzymes.

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM COMPETING BUSINESSES?

Rob: It’s certainly unique in Scotland. What is good about Scotland is that there is lots of birch – which is part of the rationale for doing it. Birch can be really profitable.

IS SCOTLAND A GOOD PLACE FOR THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS?

Rob: It’s a great place. We are helping to contribute to the rural economy and putting Scotland on the map. We want it to be the same as whisky and salmon.

We work in remote areas and rough terrain and have to travel. That’s the biggest challenge. The business support network is patchy for Scottish start-ups.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT RUNNING THE BUSINESS?

Rob: Being in the woods when the sun is out. They’ve been here since the last ice age.

WHERE DO YOU HOPE THE BUSINESS WILL BE IN 10 YEARS’ TIME?

Rob: We are already exporting birch water to the Middle East, Japan, China, north US and Canada will be next. Gabrielle: At the moment we have two employees and seasonal help. We will have more employees in the next few years.

Rob: We’re trying to pioneer the use of birch by using both leaves and water. The leaves can be used to make a healthy tea and the sap can be used in natural cosmetics.

Gabrielle: There will be more products further down the line.