Mamamade brand rescued from liquidation by the Family Food Co

The Family Food Co has rescued the Mamamade brand out of liquidation in its second deal of the year, as part of ambitions to build a marketplace for healthy meals for kids.

The purchase of Mamamade assets from liquidators at Begbies Traynor follows the acquisition of Pots for Tots, a homemade babyfood delivery service, in January.

Mamamade collapsed in April after being battered by soaring costs and a downturn in demand for DTC since the end of lockdowns and the start of the cost of living crisis.

The deal secures a future for the brand, with plans in place to bring all the Family Food Co businesses together as one wider marketplace.

Family Food Co is run by founder Cherrelle Beckitt, who started the business in 2019 to offer healthy, nutritious, clean-label meals for kids. The business offers a range of meals, including mild chicken curry, fish pie, three bean chilli and mac & greens, delivered directly to customers.

Beckitt said the group remained “steadfast” in its commitment to providing healthier alternatives for children, despite the challenges presented by the cost of living crisis and escalating ingredient and overhead costs.

“We are well-prepared to navigate these obstacles, maintaining robust profit margins and experiencing continuous month-on-month growth” 

“This growth is driven by an increasing number of customers actively seeking healthier alternatives for their children, surpassing the current offerings found on supermarket shelves” she added.

Mamamade launched in 2020, growing its range of frozen plant-based meals for babies to 45 and building a community of more than 90,000 parents. It sold more than one million meals and generated annual revenues of £1.4m.

Founder Sophie Baron told The Grocer earlier this year that the company faced a number of challenges fuelled by inflationary pressures, the cost of living crisis and “a decimation” of the fundraising market, which “severely affected” a planned raise set to close at the end of the first quarter of 2023.

Baron, who is no longer involved following the liquidation, said in a LinkedIn post this week that Mamamade’s future was now “bright” thanks to the rescue deal.

“The brand is now entrusted to a capable and passionate team who share our vision for the future of child nutrition,” she wrote.

“With their expertise and dedication, we are confident that Mamamade will continue to thrive and make further strides in the market.

“While it is heartbreaking to step away from the day-to-day operations of Mamamade, we cannot deny the genuine excitement we feel for what lies ahead. We remain passionate advocates for the brand we built from the ground up and eagerly anticipate its continued success.”

Beckitt added: “Our overarching mission has always been to challenge the supermarket brands that have been making headlines with misleading packaging and sugar-laden meals and snacks. These unhealthy options have significantly contributed to the alarming rates of obesity and tooth decay among children in the UK.”