Cheshire firm Haughton Honey targets growth with £80k crowdfunding bid

Cheshire-based Haughton Honey is seeking to drive the next stage of its growth strategy with the launch of an £80k crowdfunding bid.

Through the five-figure campaign, set up on crowdfunding platform Crowdcube, the honey brand hopes to attract the investment needed to recruit more bee farmers and ramp up its output.

Since it was founded two years ago, Haughton Honey has expanded steadily. Earlier this month, the company signed a new supply deal with North West food retailer Booths.

Crispin Reeves, the firm’s founder, said: “The honey market alone within the UK is worth £119.5m per annum, with healthy annual growth.

“Forget spreading the love. Loving the spread is more accurate at the moment. UK sales of jams, spreads and honey grew 5.9% in the year up to October 2015, with growth in honey sales alone between 2014 and 2015 increasing by £9.8m year-on-year.”

Speaking further, Crispin said that since 2014, Haughton Honey has established over 70 sales outlets in the North West and Midlands.

He continued: “During 2015 we packed and sold over 8,000kg of English honey and anticipate requiring more than double that amount during 2016.

“Now is the time to seek additional investment to support the growth of Haughton Honey so that we can take on more bee farmers, increase our honey production to satisfy our growing month-on-month demand, and hopefully achieve a listing with a second premium multiple retailer.”

Elsewhere, the company is exploring overseas markets in a new export drive led by Crispin’s wife Mel Reeves, who is the second director at Haughton Honey and fluent in Spanish and French.

Investment in the business made through Crowdcube will be up for Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes (SEIS) tax relief.