Online hand-iced biscuit retailer Biscuiteers has secured £1.25m in crowdfunding from 784 investors in 31 countries.

The business launched its crowdfunding campaign on 4 October this year through online equity investment platform Crowdcube.

Having originally set out to raise £550k, Biscuiteers now has the second largest number of investors for a raise this size on the Crowdcube site.

As a result, it will now join the Funded Club of 44 companies who have successfully raised more than £1m since Crowdcube was established in 2011.

The average investment in Biscuiteers was £1,590 and the most common £100. The campaign was awarded a triple gold rating by crowdrating.co.uk, an independent guide to crowdfunding opportunities.

Biscuiteers said the money is to accelerate growth in marketing, manufacturing, infrastructure, retail and international expansion.

“We were overwhelmed with interest in our campaign – it was particularly lovely to have so many of our own customers among our investors,” said Biscuiteers founder and managing director Harriet Hastings.

“We are hugely excited by the new opportunities this has created for the business.”