UK-based halal baby food manufacturer ‘for aisha’ has secured a seven-figure investment in its business.
The company stated that injection of funds, from infrastructure and private equity investment firm The Foresight Group, will help it develop its domestic and international expansion plans, bolster its management team, and support its investment in trade and consumer marketing activities.
for aisha was founded by Mark Salter in 2015 and claims to be the only halal baby food in the UK. It sells a range of pouches and tray meals, with the brand popular amongst Muslim parents.
for aisha has enjoyed a consistent 30% YoY growth since it launched and is one of the UK’s fastest growing baby food brands. It’s currently sold in Sainsbury’s and Asda and online via Ocado and foraisha.com.
Salter has already strengthened the company’s management team with the addition of Martin Clarkson as Director of International Sales & Brand Licensing and Jonathan Burr – ex Plum Baby – in the role of non-exec director. He’s also investing in a broad range of marketing activities over the next 12 months, including PR, sampling, point of sale, event activation, sponsorship and advertising.
The group revealed that Clarkson’s first remit has been to oversee the international expansion of for aisha to key Muslim markets including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and develop the brand’s European opportunities in France, Germany and Holland.
In its domestic market, for aisha recently signed a deal with Petty Wood to handle all sales enquiries, and help fulfil its roll out to independent and convenience stores across the UK. The first major launch is with six-strong chain, PAK foods, this month.
“for aisha is aimed at all parents who want to feed their children nutritious meals with real ingredients,” said Salter.
“We have a wide variety of meals on offer…They’ve been developed to help broaden the taste palates and repertoire of little ones, to encourage them to eat a wider variety of foods as they grow.”
NAM Implications:
- ‘for aisha’ have obviously secured the innovator’s advantage…
- …and now additional funding to optimise potential.
- Target markets are obvious, at home and abroad.
- All means that financial performance will be an important KPI in the coming years.
- In terms of competition, an opportunity for pro-active NAMs that can calculate cost and demonstrate value in terms of the customer’s P&L.
- For speed and convenience re assessing financials and calculating relative competitive appeal see NamCalc
