Ding Dong Dim Sum has secured a six-figure sum to scale up the business, expand the range and take on more staff.
Thomas Greenwood-Mears and Maya Rodricks launched the London dim sum brand in 2021 and has since sold 70,000 boxes direct to consumer on its ecommerce website.
The funding was secured from the Greater London Investment Fund (GLIF) as part of a fundraising campaign advised by Accelve.
Ding Dong Dim Sum is now looking to add retail expertise to the board while continuing to secure follow-on equity investment to further accelerate growth over the next 18 to 36 months.
“We wanted to find a way of bringing authentic Chinese cuisine to every household in an affordable and sustainable fashion,” Greenwood-Mears said.
“We have been overwhelmed by the initial response from the public and are excited by the imminent launch of an everyday range, which will make our offering more widely accessible.”
Ding Dong Dim Sum sends customers a range of freshly frozen dim sum that can be steamed at home using a biodegradable cardboard steamer. Each box contains dumplings, gyoza, siu mai, bao buns, sticky rice, salad and dips.
Leo Brooks, investment manager for The FSE Group, which manages the £55m GLIF fund, added: “We were extremely impressed by the innovation shown by Ding Dong Dim Sum and the determination of the founders to grow rapidly.”
GLIF is a £100m initiative to help address the SME finance gap in Greater London, with £55m of debt funding available, via loans between £100,000 and £1m, to early stage and established SMEs looking to scale-up.
It is financed through the European Investment Bank, European Regional Development Fund, London Waste & recycling Board and Funding London’s Legacies.
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