Nurture Brands, a notable player in the UK food and beverage industry, has strategically divested another asset by selling its vegan confectionery line, Doisy & Dam. This follows closely behind the recent sale of Indie Bay Snacks to Kestrel Foods, which highlights a trend in the food and drink business towards focused brand management.
Food Thoughts, an ethical organic ingredients supplier based in Reading, Berkshire, is the new owner of Doisy & Dam. Specializing in organic cocoa and cacao powders, Food Thoughts also offers vegan chocolate chips made with oat and rice milk, as well as dark chocolate chips. The acquisition enhances their portfolio, which already includes a commitment to ethical chocolate production.
Founded in 2012 by Richard Wilkinson and Ed Smith, Doisy & Dam has made a name for itself in the ethical chocolate market with its plant-based brands, including D&Ds, Ballers, Good Eggs, and Clusters. Nurture Brands acquired the company out of administration in 2022 for an undisclosed amount. However, the details of the financial agreement with Food Thoughts also remain confidential.
In a recent statement Nurture Brands’ Managing Director Adam Draper emphasized that the company is now shifting its focus to its core brands, which include Emily crisps and the drinks Rebel Kitchen and Jax Coco. This realignment comes after selling Indie Bay Snacks and is part of a broader strategy to optimize performance.
Draper noted that Nurture Brands has experienced a “run-rate” turnover approaching £11 million ($14.2 million) over the last three months, reflecting a robust growth rate of 17%. Notably, Rebel Kitchen saw a significant 42% increase in sales, while Emily snacks achieved a 39% growth rate. Despite being “marginally loss-making,” Draper expressed confidence that profitability is on the horizon for the next year.
Additionally, Food Thoughts is under the ownership of Fairtrade Ltd., located in Stockport, northwest England. Recent filings indicate a management shift, with Mark Gould taking over as a director. He succeeds Fiona Esom, the company’s original founder and CEO, who is now engaged with her own consultancy, Esom Enterprise.
In his statement, Fairtrade’s Managing Director Gould remarked, “Doisy & Dam is synonymous with great tasting, ethical plant-based chocolate and is a brand with a loyal consumer following across the UK and EU.” He added, “Incorporating Doisy & Dam into our Food Thoughts brand allows us to strengthen our offering in the plant-based chocolate sector, covering both snacking and home-baking markets.”
Doisy & Dam products are readily available through various retail channels, including Ocado, Amazon, Planet Organic, and stores like Boots and Holland & Barrett. As Nurture Brands consolidates its resources around its key brands, Draper expressed his enthusiasm for Doisy & Dam’s future under Fairtrade’s stewardship, wishing them continued success.
This evolution in Nurture Brands’ strategy not only captures key food and drink consumer trends but also positions both companies for enhanced growth within the competitive landscape of the food and beverage industry.
