Stockport snack company lands £80k funding

Nutritious snack startup Real Handful is looking to drive growth and brand recognition after landing £80k in equity funding.

The five-figure boost was secured through the the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub’s Northwest Business Angels (NWBA) network.

Founded in May 2015 by husband and wife Joe and Carly Taylor, Real Handful manufactures healthy snack products from its base in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport.

Since its launch, the firm has secured listings with a number of national retailers, including online supermarket Ocado and health food chain Holland & Barrett.

After assessing Real Handful’s financial position and funding needs, Columb O’Shea, an access to finance specialist with the Business Growth Hub, helped Joe and Carly create an investment summary and prepare their pitch to the NWBA.

In July last year, the company received a startup loan from Business Finance Solutions, North West delivery partner of the government’s £150m Start Up Loans programme.

Real Handful co-founder Joe said: “Securing this level of investment has enabled us to hit the market with a stand out product and packaging.

“However, most importantly it gives us the time and funds to nurture and support the brand in the right way and build a team to drive the business forward.”

He added: “We’re incredibly pleased with the initial reaction, having secured listings in major retailers within the first few months of launch, with more stockists in the pipeline.”

The Business Growth Hub’s head of access to finance, Philip Hargreaves, said Joe’s previous experience and knowledge of the sector made him a “highly credible entrepreneur”.

Philip continued: “This together with an innovative twist and new recipes for the health conscious snack market made for a highly investable business proposal.

“With our support and coaching, the investor pitch attracted a lot of interest from the angel network and we are looking forward to seeing what’s in store for the company with the additional capital.”

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