Sugar rush at Yorkshire candy company as £250k investment drives growth

A Yorkshire sweets distributor has announced that it has seen “substantial” growth after receiving a £250k investment.

Candy Hero, based in Bradford, is an importer and distributor of branded sweets, snacks and drinks, and has created five jobs as a result of the investment.

The investment, which was for £250k, was from NPIF – Mercia Debt Finance, managed by Mercia and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).

Throughout 2020, sales at Candy Hero grew by 68 per cent and the company has said that figures are set to increase by a further 30 per cent this year.

Frank Dillon, co-founder of Candy Hero, commented: “It was a really simple process dealing with NPIF and David Wright of Mercia, and this loan has made a real difference to our business.

“We’re growing consistently year-on-year and the demand for our products has increased significantly during the pandemic, so it’s been important to keep that momentum going.

“Turnover has doubled over the past year and this loan has allowed us to take on more staff to manage demand, increase our range and push further into Europe with sales now across 25 countries.”

David Wright, investment manager at Mercia, said: “Candy Hero are a really successful business that has undergone major change across the past 12 months, with demand for their product range only going up.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with their talented team, creating jobs in what has been a difficult time for many people in the region, and I look forward to following their growth journey across the coming years.”