A BUSINESS launched after a woman’s battle with postnatal depression is celebrating its fifth year.

Melanie Lawson from Brighton started taking Omega 3 to help her overcome the illness after the birth of her second child.

She was buying it from Canada when she saw an opportunity for the UK market.

Brighton-based Business Bare Biology is now celebrating its fifth anniversary. It has swiftly become UK’s leading premium Omega 3 brand, doubling in size since it was launched in August 2013.

Melanie said: “The idea for the business came about while I was suffering from postnatal depression after my second child and started taking Omega 3, which I bought from Canada.

“Fast forward another child and several years later and I was still supplementing with Omega 3, finding the benefits amazing for my mental health but also overall wellbeing.

“I was discussing with my husband what I should do for work and came up with the idea to launch an Omega 3 business.

“I had £40,000 and decided to just go for it and invest all my savings in this. On my first trip to Norway I was nearly laughed out of the country as I bought just one barrel of oil and had it shipped back to the UK.”

In January 2014, Melanie attended the Liberty of London Best of British Open Call, in which Bare Biology was quickly snapped up.

Other stockists quickly followed, including Space NK, Whole Foods, Revital and Planet Organic.

The one barrel of oil produced 1,300 bottles of Lion Heart liquid with the company now using around 20 barrels a year.

Bare Biology now has four products. They are Lion Heart liquid, Lion Heart caps, Super Hero and Bump and Glory.

Melanie said: “Doing the research and development for the business was a real learning curve.

“It was something I hadn’t done previously and soon found myself researching bottlers, manufacturers and production companies to help get the business off the ground.

“I then had to develop and design a website and get active on social media. It was a tough six-month period but I loved the whole process, learned so much and was super proud when that first bottle of Omega 3 was delivered.

“I knew I had made the right decision when I had such amazing feedback from Liberty London and so many other leading stockists. We now sell all around the UK but our home is very much in Brighton.”

Lion Heart liquid has the approved health claim dose to help lower blood pressure.

Bare Biology is the first UK brand consistently receiving an International Fish Oil Standard five-star rating for every batch of fish oil produced.

Melanie said: “This is the highest accolade you can achieve and it’s testament to the purity, freshness and premium quality of the brand’s Omega 3.”

Bare Biology is joining the war against plastic and its packaging is 80 per cent plastic free with the team working towards becoming 100 per cent plastic free in the coming months. Melanie said: “We have a small team and we endorse flexible working which suits both employees’ lifestyles as well as customer needs and demands.”

The company is in Tower Point on North Road, Brighton.