Sales at free-from bakery brand The Gluten Free Kitchen have almost doubled following its expansion into a new 3,000 sq ft unit in Leyburn Business Park, North Yorkshire, earlier this year.
The move to a larger site, which contains a production space and warehouse facilities, has enabled the firm to meet rising demand for its gluten-free and soya-free bakery range which includes some items made without dairy or egg too.
Almost a year ago, The Gluten Free Kitchen received a six-figure loan from FW Capital (as part of the first Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund) to support its manufacturing relocation. The funding also helped expand the company’s workforce, develop new products, and revamp its website to be more user-friendly for consumers.
The brand recently unveiled a new festive range featuring gluten-free Christmas pudding and mince pies, as well as four new products exclusively launched with Ocado: chocolate crunch cakes, strawberry crunch cakes, goats cheese tarts, and cheddar tarts. Other products in The Gluten Free Kitchen range include sweet and savoury tarts, pies, scones, cakes, brownies, cheesecakes, cupcakes, and muffins. These are available for order online via its website or Ocado, or stocked at selected Waitrose stores, independent retailers, and farm shops throughout the UK.
“We’d never have done the move without FW Capital and we’re delighted to be in our new premises,” commented Sue Fleming, who founded The Gluten Free Kitchen in 2005.
“Our previous site was fit to burst, and we just didn’t have the space to meet increased demand and expand our ranges of treats. We’ve nearly doubled sales since we’ve relocated and brought in new people to support our kitchen and warehouse activities,” she added.
Fleming noted the brand was “going great guns with Ocado” while expressing hope of further expanding the team next year.
Lindsey McMenamin, portfolio manager at FW Capital, said: “I’m thrilled with the success that Sue and the team at The Gluten Free Kitchen are enjoying, and it is great to see the impact funding for growth can have.”
In March of this year, the British Business Bank launched the £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II covering the entire North of England. This aims to provide loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help SMEs including bakeries to start up, scale up, or stay ahead.
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