The investment from Jamin – a chain of stores in the Netherlands – followed a £50,000 loan facility from the company.
Ice Kitchen founder Cesar Roden told FoodManufacture.co.uk that most of the investment would be used to purchase branded display freezers to offer to potential retail customers.
“Our Dutch customers purchased 50 Ice Kitchen display freezers and placed them in their candy stores across the Netherlands,” said Roden.
‘Response was fantastic’
“The response was fantastic and led to lots of new enquiries – both from businesses, who had seen the freezers and tasted the lollies – and from consumers who had loved the taste and spread the word.”
Roden hoped to build the brand by placing similar freezers across the country, offering a “refreshing genuine alternative” to the mainstream brands on the market.
“We will also be doing a big marketing push at the [International Food and Drink Event, held at the ExCell centre from March 19–22] and Farm and Deli show trade shows this year,” added Roden.
Ice Kitchen has a range of 11 artisan lollies that are hand made in London. Flavours include: Earl Grey tea, rose and pistachio, mojito poptail and peach and hibiscus.
Gap in the market
The brand was launched in 2013, after Roden saw a gap in the market for artisan ice lollies.
The lollies are available at the upmarket frozen ready meal firm Cook’s stores nationwide, selected Whole Foods stores, as well as a number of independent delis and farm shops across the UK.
The UK brand is stocked in more than 70 Jamin stores across the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, in other frozen confectionery financial news, Oppo ice cream has secured more than £200,000 in investment, following a second successful crowdfunding campaign launched last month.
The company – whose backers include the world’s number one tennis player Andy Murray – hoped to raise £300,000 from investors, to fund new product development and marketing.