The Original Cake Company is to break from its fruity roots with a new range of cakes, developed with the help of funding from Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network).

The new range, which forms part of its ongoing expansion plans, will feature non-fruit cakes, marking a change from the firm’s specialist area.

The Lincoln-based bakery already has a customer lined up for the new products, and is hoping to add two or three staff to its team as a result of the development, said general manager Simon Woodiwiss.

Food and Drink iNet awarded just shy of £7,500  in “innovation, advice and guidance” support for the development of the six-strong range of cakes, which the bakery is match-funding.

The firm used this to help with its new product development, the hosting of consumer review sessions and the packaging design and labels.

Food and Drink iNet has finance available this summer to provide match-funded support for eligible East Midlands projects in the food and drink sector.

Last month, The Original Cake Company acquired the Nottinghamshire firm Special Little Cakes. It has also recently invested £250,000 in a new factory, due to be up and running in the coming weeks.

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