A Northumberland luxury hamper company is gearing up for its busiest festive season with the help of a five-figure investment.
Alnwick based Heather & Bale sells handcrafted hampers and gifts to private and corporate clients right across the country, sourcing the majority of its products from independent producers across Northumberland and North Tyneside. The business was set up by co-directors Carolyn Wilson, Susan Smith and Laura Millar in spring 2020, and despite the pandemic restrictions the team managed to carry on fulfilling orders, helping customers across the 海角视频 to bridge the distance between friends and family when physical presence wasn’t possible.
Its first online product range sold out several weeks before Christmas and since then the business has continued to grow every year. The company has its own website and also features on online platforms including Not On The High Street, Yumbles and FodaBox, stocking hundreds of artisan products.
Read more: Food packaging firm Faerch Durham sees bumper profit growth
Now the trio has worked with Newcastle based regional fund management firm NEL Fund Managers to bring in a £50,000 investment from the North East Small Loan Fund – capital it needs to ramp up growth through the rest of the year and beyond.
The funds will be used to upgrade its digital marketing and advertising campaigns, to support job creation as the firm expands and to boost its presence in the corporate gifting sector, adding to clients which already include the likes of Paul Smith, Accenture and Broadchare Partners.
The Heather & Bale management team was introduced to NEL by Geoff Maclauchlan at the Rural Business Growth Service.
Ms Wilson, co-director at Heather & Bale, said: “Our commitment to delivering high quality products
Most Read
has always been central to our journey.
“We carefully select items that resonate with our own values, prioritise products that are a treat for the senses and maintain a shared commitment to sustainability.
“The success we’ve achieved so far speaks volumes about the effectiveness of this approach and underscores how this commitment to purposeful sourcing distinguishes us from others in our industry.
“When we first started this adventure, we didn’t fully realise how many amazing independent producers were on our doorstep. Collaborating with this community of artisans sparks our creativity, and is opening up many ideas and avenues that we’re eager to explore.
“We are now at the stage where we have developed a signature style and product range that resonates perfectly with our target audience.
“Our focus now is on unlocking the potential for growth within our business by attracting and retaining an expanding customer base.
“The support we received from the NEL team during the investment application process was invaluable, and as we prepare for what promises to be our busiest season, we are
Don’t miss
excited about the future that lies ahead.”
Jonathan Armitage, investment executive at NEL Fund Managers, added: “The product quality that Heather & Bale and its North East suppliers offer really make it stand out from the crowd and we’re very pleased to be working with a business that places such importance on our home region.”