Samworth Brothers – the pork pies to sandwich to Ginsters Pasties group – has announced plans to pump £10 million into the Higgidy brand.
Samworth, which recently took a controlling interest in the quiche, frittata and sausage rolls maker, is spending the money growing and improving the Higgidy base in Shoreham-by-Sea, near Brighton.
Flor Healy, chief executive of Leicestershire-based Samworth Brothers, recently told BusinessLive Higgidy – which has around 300 staff, and a £50 million turnover – was growing “ahead of the market”.
It has seen near 17 per cent growth in the last year, and has a 4.1 per cent share of the total savoury pasty market – and more than a third share of the “premium” savoury pasty market.
The investment follows increasing demand for its products, fuelled by consumers’ changing eating habits and the rise in flexitarian and vegan diets over the last 12 months.
Higgidy said it had attracted a further half a million consumers in the past year through a programme of innovative veggie and new plant-based products.
It also has more than a fifth of the growing vegan savoury pastry sector, and vegetarian food now accounts for seven in every 10 products it makes. By the end of 2022 that will grow to 75 per cent.
The investment will help Higgidy’s plans to double in size over the next five years.
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It will see new equipment brought into the “Higgidy Village”, on the south coast, with an expanded footprint for the site, and upgrades to its offices and other areas.
The brand was launched in 2003 by Camilla Stephens, her husband James Foottit, and his best friend from university Mark Campbell.
Mr Campbell, who now chairs Higgidy, said: “We are very proud to be part of the Samworth family and know that the values that both businesses have mean that we will continue to flourish.
“The Higgidy leadership team have created a compelling strategy for the next 5 years and the investment and support from Samworth Brothers means we can continue to build a strong culture, whilst keeping our entrepreneurial roots intact.
“Camilla, James and myself, as Higgidy’s founders remain as excited about the future as we did on day one, which is why we will be involved in the brand’s next phase of growth and continue on as minority shareholders”.
Flor Healy said: “Higgidy’s positioning means they are extremely well placed to meet consumer trends.
“With Higgidy becoming a B-Corp last year [meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability] this reinforces the synergies that already existed with Samworth Brothers also being a truly values led and purposeful business.”
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Mr Healy said Higgidy continued to bring new ideas to the vegetable and vegan categories with innovations including the first vegan quiche, vegan no-pork pies and the first pastry packed with vegetables with its “veg-packed pastry” quiches.
Since launching less than two years ago the business said its savoury muffins have achieved sales of £2.4 million.
Investment in marketing saw Higgidy launch its first paid media campaign in October, kicking off a year-long advertising push.
Camilla Stephens said: “When I started Higgidy it was always about more than just making delicious pies.
“I always wanted Higgidy to be food from the heart, packed with taste and an abundance of veggies so the growth within plant-based food has been both fascinating and really exciting to watch.”
Family-owned Samworth Brothers has four sites making millions of sandwiches and prepared salads for customers up and down the 海角视频.
The £1 billion-plus turnover business also owns Ginsters pasties and Soreen malt loaves as well as Dickinson & Morris and Walkers pork pies and Walkers sausages, among others.