The Cookie Dealer is seeking a strategic business partner to help accelerate its growth while supporting the development of a new wholesale distribution operation.
Founded in 2020 by husband and wife David and Agate Sawyer, the brand makes New York-style stuffed cookies from a bakery converted from a former stable block at David’s parents’ home in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. Its distinctive products reflect several food and beverage industry trends, including premium indulgence, inventive formats and demand for differentiated bakery products.
The company recently began searching for a new manufacturing partner after its previous producer withdrew from a supply agreement only weeks before a planned Aldi launch. Following coverage in British Baker, the business received an “overwhelming level of interest”. However, David Sawyer said discussions with several production sites were still ongoing and no agreement had yet been completed.
“We are continuing to explore potential solutions and remain focused on finding the right manufacturing partner who can consistently deliver the quality and product specification our customers expect,” commented Sawyer.
“Unlike traditional flat cookies, our distinctive shape and stuffed construction require specific production capabilities, and we have found that relatively few UK facilities currently have the necessary expertise and equipment.”
The search for support has since expanded beyond manufacturing. In a LinkedIn update, the co-founders explained that they are now looking for a business partner capable of contributing experience, expertise and commercial ambition as the brand develops.
“We’d rather own 50% of a huge brand than 100% of a smaller one,” wrote Sawyer. “We believe the next stage of The Cookie Dealer’s journey needs more than just hard work and enthusiasm. It needs the right partner, with the experience, expertise and ambition to help us unlock the brand’s true potential.”
Sawyer stressed that the opportunity was not simply an appeal for capital. “We’re looking for someone who shares our ambition, believes in what we’ve built and can bring something to the table that will genuinely help us grow,” he added.
The company’s product range includes Milk Choc Chip, Milkybar, Cookies & Cream, Caramelised Biscuit, Kinderella, Armadillo, made with Biscoff and Daim, Peanut Butter Jelly, Double Chocolate, Velvetella and Buenotella. These varieties demonstrate the role of food and drink industry innovation in creating premium products that stand out in a competitive bakery market.
While the search for a manufacturing partner continues, The Cookie Dealer has entered into an agreement with Baked Up, a recently established direct-to-store distribution company.
York-based Baked Up was founded by distribution specialist Craig Lonie. The business is currently supplying 10 of The Cookie Dealer’s best-selling products to independent retailers in York and Leeds. It plans to extend its coverage across Yorkshire and the North of England before gradually expanding further.
The arrangement reflects wider food distribution trends, with specialist wholesalers helping emerging brands reach independent retailers and other foodservice channels. Baked Up is targeting coffee shops, bakery cafés, farm shops, delis, restaurants, pubs, gyms and a broader range of hospitality and foodservice operators, alongside traditional independent stores.
“Having spent more than 20 years in van-sales distribution, I know how important it is to have a product you genuinely believe in. The Cookie Dealer ticked those boxes,” said Lonie.
“My experience has taught me that getting products onto shelves is only the beginning. The real success comes from getting those products into consumers’ hands, generating repeat purchases and building lasting relationships with retailers.
“That’s exactly what we’re setting out to achieve with Baked Up,” he expressed.
More than 20 wholesale customers across Yorkshire now stock the premium cookies, and several have already reordered. The early performance provides an encouraging indication of demand among independent retailers, where food and drink consumer trends increasingly favour distinctive, premium and social-media-friendly products.
“This early response is a fantastic indication of the demand for our cookies within the independent retail sector, and we are excited to build on this momentum as we expand our distribution across the UK,” commented Sawyer.
As The Cookie Dealer evaluates its next manufacturing relationship and expands its wholesale reach, the business will also need to navigate wider food manufacturing trends, evolving food processing technology and changing food and drink regulations. Its future growth may also depend on effective food and drink packaging, targeted food and drink marketing, and continued attention to food and drink sustainability as the brand moves towards broader UK distribution.
