Eat 17 wants to double sales to £1m of its fresh own-label range over the next year, supplying delis and convenience stores.
The family-owned business told The Grocer it was now ready to partner with “like-minded retailers” to grow its fresh manufacturing and wholesale channel.
The London business currently supplies its four stores in Walthamstow, Hammersmith, Hackney and Bishop’s Stortford as well as Yardarm Deli in Leyton and the East London Sausage Company.
Eat 17’s five chefs produce more than 100 products in the business’ Hackney-based kitchen.
The team produces 1,000 sausage rolls (in a range of flavours including pork, marmite and Black Bomber cheddar) and sells more than 1000 portions of hummous (in a number of varieties, carrot and cardamom, balsamic roast beet) a week.
Owner Chris O’Connor said they now have the capacity to triple the quantities.
The convenience store chain makes its own bread from a bakery in Bishops Stortford, using that to make the sandwiches produced in Hackney.
A range of 12 fresh ready meals priced at £4.50 make up the food-for-tonight offer, all made with organic ingredients which change with the seasons.
The sandwich and salad range includes baked salmon and homemade tartar sauce and roast beef and celeriac.
Eat 17 recorded sales of £7.3m in the year ending April ’18, and this is expected to rise by 9.5% this year.
Sales of food supply were £500,000 for the same period.
“We have identified a gap in the market to sell good quality everyday sandwiches and salads at affordable prices,” said O’Connor. “We use the same ingredients you would use at home, and want to partner with like-minded retailers. We have gathered a decent list of potential clients over the past six months and are now ready to start supplying.”
An Eat 17 range of meat jams, including the original bacon jam, is also sold under licence at the likes of Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Ocado and Amazon.
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