A vertical farm-sourced sauce and dressing brand, mineral water brand and family-run fruit snack farm are among the challenger brands that have each secured a business support package worth £150,000 from TikTok.
Late last year, small businesses from across the UK submitted TikTok videos showcasing their locally produced products in a bid to secure a share of £750,000 in “dedicated support” from the social media platform, including featured promotions, PR and marketing support, training and mentorship.
“TikTok Shop is where small businesses without big budgets can be discovered by millions and grow their businesses at scale,” said Jan Wilk, head of TikTok Shop UK. “The winners of our Shop Local scheme showcase the best of British produce, with strong founder stories and clear potential to thrive with discovery-led shopping. We are looking forward to supporting these local producers as they scale on TikTok Shop.”
TikTok Shop has announced the five winning companies to be: Edge Tea & Coffee (@edge_tea_coffee on TikTok) a tea and coffee brand; Minerol (@minerol) a London-based mineral-based drink created by two doctors; Crate to Plate (@cratetoplate) which creates premium sauces and dressings using ingredients cultivated year-round in Canary Wharf indoor vertical farms and delivered to consumers within 24 hours of harvest; and Freddie’s Farm (@freddiesfarm) a family-run business in Kent making British fruit snacks from whole fruit and veg.
Each business will receive a bespoke support package worth over £150,000 to “start up and scale up” on TikTok Shop.
“Support like this makes a real difference to small businesses like ours, and we’re so grateful for the opportunity to grow and connect with families on TikTok Shop,” said Freddie’s Farm co-founder Laurie Fermor.
Minerol co-founder Kieren Horgan said: “We are hugely excited to begin working with TikTok Shop. We put real heart into our submission, so it feels incredibly rewarding to be recognised. TikTok is where culture is shaped right now, and we can’t wait to collaborate with the platform to take Minerol’s presence to the next level.”
The competition, which launched in October, was devised after research commissioned by TikTok Shop revealed that 83% of people said they would be more likely to buy British produce if it was more widely available, while 75% said they preferred locally sourced products over imports.
Reaching wider audiences via online platforms is “critical to the survival” of 84% small businesses in the survey.
TikTok Shop was launched in the UK in 2021, allowing users to “transition from product discovery to purchase in just seconds”, TikTok said. That involves video content posts with embedded ‘buy’ buttons, and the ability to make products shown in livestreams instantly shoppable.
Several fmcg brands are using it to sell products directly to users, among them Nivea, Britvic, Andrex, Free Soul, Wellgard and Ooh & Aah Cookies.
SMEs The Fat Butcher, The Chuckling Cheese Company, Dough Girl and The Veg Box Company are also present on TikTok Shop.
In February last year, Lidl laid claim to be the first supermarket to sell through TikTok Shop, with the launch of high-protein products for gym users.
Asda made its first foray into TikTok Shop last year too. Through a new initiative with breast cancer charity Tickled Pink, Asda created a bundle of nine “family favourite” products, with all proceeds going to the charity.
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