Plantmade, the fast-growing UK hair and skincare brand known for its plant-powered formulations and viral customer base, has confirmed the departure of its founder, Ama Amo-Agyei, following the company’s transition to new ownership earlier this year.
Amo-Agyei, who launched the brand in 2020 with just £100 during the pandemic, announced on LinkedIn that she is closing her chapter with the company after five years of rapid growth, operational hurdles and significant public visibility.
“After 5 unforgettable years, my chapter with PLANTMADE has come to a close,” she wrote. “What started as an idea in my childhood home with £100 became the best outcome I could have ever imagined. Together, we built something that changed lives, including my own.”
Administration and Change in Control
According to filings cited by The Times, Plantmade entered administration in June 2025 with about £1.8 million in debt, including obligations to banks, HM Revenue & Customs and private creditors.
The company recorded £5.3 million in revenue in 2024 but also posted a loss of £671,000 that year.
The business was acquired in a pre-pack sale by Crown Holdings, led by UK entrepreneur Toni Fola-Alade, for approximately £30,000.
The new owners reportedly invested additional capital to stabilize operations, fulfill outstanding orders and retain more than 15 staff.
Initial plans called for Amo-Agyei and her founding team to remain involved during the transition, but the company later stated this “proved unworkable,” confirming that she, her brother Fred and her husband Travis Hill are no longer part of the business.
Statement From the New Owners
In an Instagram post addressing customer concerns, the new Plantmade leadership shared that the brand “is and remains a wholly Black British owned company,” adding that the in-house, women-led production team continues to make the products.
“We’re committed to nurturing what was planted,” the statement said. “The roots remain the same and the branches are growing globally.”
The team expressed gratitude for Amo-Agyei’s role in building the brand and reiterated its intention to protect the formulations, expand access and strengthen operations.
A Breakout Brand Built From Necessity
Amo-Agyei’s departure marks a turning point for one of the UK’s most inspiring bootstrapped beauty stories. Plantmade rose quickly on the strength of organic social media marketing, word-of-mouth demand and community-driven storytelling.
Shoppe Black previously profiled the company’s rise in its feature Laid Off and Losing Hair, She Turned £100 Into Plantmade — a £12.5M Beauty Brand, chronicling how the business grew from kitchen counter experiments to millions in revenue, a 6,000-sq-ft warehouse and a global customer base across the UK, U.S., and beyond.
That piece detailed both the brand’s explosive growth and the challenges that tested its operations, including a costly trademark dispute that forced a three-month shutdown, rapidly increasing staffing costs, and cash-flow pressure associated with in-house manufacturing.
What Comes Next
Amo-Agyei said she intends to remain in the beauty and wellness industry and plans to publicly document her next steps.
While she did not reveal details about a new venture, she noted that the lessons from Plantmade have prepared her for what comes next.
“I’m proud of what we built, the people we’ve served, and the impact we’ve made,” she wrote. “Everything I’ve learned and every lesson along the way has shaped what’s coming next.”
Plantmade continues to operate under Crown Holdings, with the new leadership indicating that additional product releases and brand developments are underway.
