Cheese maker seeks crowdfunding to escape closure
The firm is asking for £40,000 to help manage the fall out of the lockdowns enforced in response to the outbreak of COVID-19. The situation was exacerbated by a recent investment in larger premises just before the virus swept the nation.
Owner Gary Bradshaw said: “Due to COVID-19, times are tough and the future is uncertain and like many we have seen our business disappear overnight.
‘Keep the business afloat’
“We are looking to try and secure funds that will keep the business afloat until spring 2021. We have worked really hard to pull our resources to keep bills paid and most importantly keep cheesemaking alive – no stock in the maturing room, no business in the future. We now need help to survive.”
When this article was first published, Hamm Tun Fine Foods had raised just over £8,300 towards its cause through the website Crowdfunder. The fundraising campaign has 26 days remaining to meet its goal.
A number of food and drink businesses have turned to crowdfunding as an alternative to seeking investment.
Crowdfunding in food and drink
Alcoholic tea brand Noveltea spurned an £80,000 investment from the dragons on BBC TC programme Dragons’ Den in favour of a crowdfunding campaign. The campaign eventually netted them £340,000 for a much smaller share of the business.
Similar to Hamm Tun Fine Foods, a group of Kintyre dairy farmers turned to crowdfunding in a bid to save a local creamery from closure by its owner First Milk. However, the campaign failed to raise the money in time.
Meanwhile, Gluten-free noodle manufacturer Mr Lee’s Pure Foods has smashed its £1.75m crowdfunding target in less than a week, as it set its sights on further international expansion.
