Ember to ramp up campaign against factory farming as it hits £800k crowdfunding target

Sustainable meat snack brand Ember has beaten a £800,000 crowdfunding target to help dial up its campaign to end factory farming.

Founded three years ago by brothers Harry and Jack Mayhew, the business has currently raised £945,000 from 244 investors, including ASOS CEO Nick Beighton, with the Seedrs round closing next week.

Ember makes a range of biltong and charcuterie, working directly with farmers committed to using high welfare and regenerative practices to improve soil health and encourage wildlife on their farms.

It will plough the new funds into three new supermarket listings, adding to 2,000 distribution points across the UK with Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado.

The brand, which grew sales 59% to £1.8m in 2020 (+59% growth year on year), is also stocked by Brakes, Pipers and pub group Stonegate.

As well as marketing campaigns to highlight the practices of factory farming in the meat industry, Ember will also seek changes in food labelling to ensure claims such as ‘grass fed’ are accurate.

“The [crowd] response has been incredible and brings us closer to achieving our mission to end factory farming and educate consumers about the importance of regenerative farming practices,” Harry Mayhew said.

“We’ve developed our products with the health of our customers and the health of our planet front and centre and will continue to do so. We’ve got some exciting announcements to make over the coming months and a good deal of NPD development in the pipeline so we’re looking at a bright future.”