North Yorkshire-based The Gluten Free Kitchen has secured a six-figure loan to support growth amidst increased demand for its free-from bakery products.
The loan was provided by the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF), which is managed by FW Capital and supported by the European Regional Development Fund. The scheme aims to help SMEs in the North of England ‘move to the next level’ through debt financing of between £100k and £750k.
The Gluten Free Kitchen said it would use the undisclosed amount to move to a bigger production facility at Leyburn Business Park, located at the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales, around 23 miles southwest of Darlington. This will also lead to the creation of five new jobs.
The company product range includes cakes, tarts, scones, savoury pies and puddings, brownies, cupcakes, and muffins – all of which are gluten and soya free and either vegan, dairy free, vegetarian, or egg free, or combination therein.
These are available for purchase online and at its retail outlet in Leyburn, or at selected Waitrose stores, independent outlets and farm shops nationwide, and via Ocado.
Director Sue Fleming founded the business as Sue’s Gluten Free Kitchen in 2005 after noticing the challenges faced by people with coeliac disease when sourcing good quality food that is free from gluten. Starting out in the North Yorkshire village of Aysgarth, it has since moved to its current production site in Leyburn.
“Our ‘free from’ ethos is centred around flavour and quality,” commented Fleming. “The increased demand for our product ranges means we need more staff who will also be part of our expansion journey into larger premises.”
Fleming was introduced to FW Capital and the NPIF – which will launch a second round in March of this year – by TIG Corporate Finance director Barry Gill and consultant Karen Wyndham-Webb.
The gluten-free bakery market in the UK is said to be delivering strong growth, increasing 32% in value for the 12 weeks ending 6 August 2023 as per Kantar data.
Recent product launches in the category include gluten-free bagels by Donegal-based supplier Promise, while M&S Cafés have unveiled gluten-free toasties and sandwiches as part of its new menu for 2024.
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