Black Bee Honey has more than doubled a crowdfunding target as it seeks to expand and support newly won retail listings.
The business raised just more than £221k from 482 investors – easily clearing its £100k target – on the Crowdcube platform.
Founded by Paul Webb and Chris Barnes in 2017 after raising more than £100kin an earlier crowd round, Black Bee supplies a range of single-origin, unpasteurised honey, helping support British bees and beekeepers.
The business also counts Pieminister co-founder Jon Simon and Kabuto Noodles owner Crispin Busk as advisors.
It is currently in talks with two major mults for new listings and is already stocked by the likes of Ocado, Whole Foods, Planet Organic, Sourced Market and Amazon.
Paul Webb told The Grocer: “After a very successful year, with sales increasing 148% and new listings with Booths, the National Trust and Holland & Barrett online, it was the right time for Black Bee Honey to seek investment for its future growth.”
The company will use the investment for working capital to support the new listings, as well as funding its in-house packing facility, marketing and a brand refresh.
“In our opinion, high street honey is either cheap, blended imports or expensive varieties of manuka honey with very little in between,” the business said in its Crowdcube pitch.
“We’re a nation of bee lovers and beekeepers yet most honey sold has been imported. We offer great tasting, unprocessed British honey in contemporary eye-catching packaging to consumers who care about quality and want to know where their food comes from.”
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