The Seed Fund calls for entries
The Seed Fund 2015 has launched its search for a food and drink brand with the growth potential to be the proud recipient of £100,000 worth of business, branding and marketing resources.
Designed to offer brand and marketing support, business and commercial advice and expert sector business mentoring, The Seed Fund is a fantastic springboard for future growth and specifically helps food brands find the right brand positioning and route to market. Now in its third year, the fund is a collaboration between three successful South West consultancies who have combined their food brand and business expertise to offer one up and coming, home grown food or drink business the support it needs to build and grow an engaging, successful and future-proof brand.
The Seed Fund 2013 winner, ethical, bird-friendly coffee brand Bird & Wild is now listed in Selfridges, Planet Organic and Wholefoods. Last year’s winner, Let Them Eat, a delicious range of gluten free baked goods using natural ingredients is currently in development and launches later this year.
To enter in 2015 applicants need to apply online before Tuesday, 7 April 2015 at www.theseedfund.co.uk and meet the following criteria:
- Be a South West UK based business (for county list please see www.seedfund.co.uk)
- Produce a brand or product within the region (distributors outside it are not eligible)
- Show evidence of at least two years’ trading history (existing brands needing support to grow can apply)
- Be the business owner or owners
The core Seed Fund team is food and drink creative brand consultancy The Collaborators, public relations, brand communications and social media agency purplefish; business planning, finance and accountancy consultancy FD Works.
The wider Seed Fund team includes sponsor and supporter, award-winning food magazine, Crumbs, and Taste of the West, which actively supports food producers in the South West through events, mentoring and initiatives as well as promoting regional food and drink brands to international markets.
Commenting on the programme, Seed Fund team member Rachel Wood of The Collaborators said: “Over the last two years we’ve demonstrated the incredibly rich food talent there is in fledgling food businesses here in the South West. It’s been our privilege to help two of them become fantastic brands that both punch above their weight in the marketplace and showcase what the region can do”.
Seed Fund team member John Sheaves, chief executive of Taste of the West, said: “The last two years has seen two fantastic food businesses benefit from the Seed Fund support. With the South West producing some amazingly innovative food and drink brands, many of which have gone on to become international brands the region is a hotbed of ideas and innovation in the food and drink sector.
“We’re looking for a good idea or concept from motivated, inspiring and entrepreneurial-minded people. The successful recipient of this year’s fund will have access to a fantastic portfolio of support and mentoring and Taste of the West is delighted to be a part of this great initiative again this year.”
Apply on-line at www.theseedfund.co.uk or visit The Seed Fund stand The Source event at Westpoint, Exeter on 4 and 5 February 2015.
