Pictured above: Simon Woodiwiss, general manager, of the
Original Cake Company
Lincoln-based Original Cake Company is developing a new range of
cakes as part of its expansion plans, thanks to support from the
Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network).
The business, which specialises in fruit cakes, is diversifying
into baking a selection of non-fruited cakes.
It already has a customer lined up for the new products and
hopes to create two or three new jobs as a result of the
development, said general manager Simon Woodiwiss.
The Food and Drink iNet has awarded £7,437.50 Innovation
Advice and Guidance support for the development of the six-strong
range of new cakes, which the Original Cake Company is match
funding.
"The Food and Drink iNet support is very welcome, as it's made
it easier for us to fund the project and meant that we have been
able to bring it forward," said Simon Woodiwiss. "We have an
existing customer for the range, and it may possibly create two or
three new jobs, depending on how successful the new range is."
The Food and Drink iNet, which is funded by East Midlands
Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development
Fund (ERDF), is one of four regional iNets that operates across the
region. It has a pot of finance available this summer to provide
match-funded support for eligible East Midlands projects in the
food and drink sector, which could be focusing on new products,
accessing new markets or looking at new ways of working.
Richard Worrall, Food and Drink iNet director, said: "One of the
Food and Drink iNet's roles is to support firms in new product
development and to help them create new markets. We are pleased to
support the Original Cake Company as it diversifies with a new
selection of cakes."
The Original Cake Company, with more than 30 years of baking
experience, used the funding support to help with new product
development, holding consumer review sessions, and the design of
packaging and labels. It hopes to launch the new range later this
month (July).
The Food and Drink iNet aims to build on the tradition of
innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping
to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to
help research, develop and implement new products, markets,
services and processes. It is managed by a consortium, led by the
Food and Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday,
Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the
University of Nottingham.