Organic baby food manufacturer secures £1m in funding

Liverpool-based Bibby Financial Services (BFS) has provided £1m of funding for a manufacturer of organic baby food.

Babease, based in London, said the financial injection will fund the growth of the business following an extensive period of investment into product development.

Established in 2016 by chef Tom Redwood, Babease uses organic vegetables to create healthy and balanced food for young children and babies from its rural factory in South Wales.

Since its establishment the company says it is the fastest growing baby food brand in the UK, having grown at more than
945% in the past year and has dedicated considerable time to securing contracts to supply high street retailers including Tesco, Boots and Booths, and online retailers including Amazon and Ocado.

Babease approached BFS after raising funding to acquire Brecon Foods in 2016, with a vision to make the business the UK symbol of excellence for baby food.

Since then, the company has focused its expenditure on R&D.

This investment led to the company achieving the award of ‘Best Baby Product’ in The Grocer for 2017.

BFS is supporting the business with funding that will be used to fund the volume of orders that Babease needs to meet high street demand.

Tom Redwood, director and founder at Babease said: “Working with the corporate team at BFS has allowed us to reach the next stage of our business development.

“As a business specialising in baby food it was very important to us to spend time and resources on developing the very best products.

“We needed to seek a funder that would enable us to expand our range and production to meet the demand for our new products on the high street.

“Their expertise in the food manufacturing sector was comprehensive and they understood our business direction and growth trajectory.”

He added: “We are excited to continue growing our business with the support of BFS, which will help realise our objectives to become the UK’s favourite baby food brand, working with farmers we know and trust and producing products in our own factory.”

Dan Burton, head of corporate sales – North, Bibby Financial Services said: “Tom and his team are very passionate about their business and products and have shown a real ability to develop high quality produce that is generating attention from major retailers.

“In two years the business has grown quickly – from developing a new product range, marketing and establishing production facilities, to delivering orders.

“We are thrilled to be working with a dynamic manufacturer like Babease and to help the business go from strength to strength as it turns years of hard work into high street sales.

“As a relatively new business aiming to be a high street supplier, we were impressed with the dedication that Babease has shown towards its product strategy.

“The funding we have provided Babease will enable them to meet demand for a high-quality product.”