Frozen waffle brand Griddle has secured almost £500k to help it undergo a rebrand and launch several new products.
Its new investors include former CEO of St Pierre Bakery David Wagstaff, who will become non-exec chairman. Former St Pierre marketing director Megan Harrison will also join the board as a non-exec director.
The pair will join co-founders Ella Harland and Sophie McGregor, who set up the business in 2019 as a premium brand in frozen bakery.
Harland said the money would help the business accelerate its growth and support new product launches later in the year.
Griddle has five products so far – Original Wholegrain, Blueberry, Choc Chop and two protein SKUs – all of which are non-HFSS and stocked in retailers including Tesco, Asda and Ocado.
It recently expanded into around 300 Tesco stores and said it was on track to more than double its sales this year.
“Frozen food is becoming more premium and there is a gap for a brand like Griddle in a sector that has traditionally been devoid of innovation and brand loyalty,” said Wagstaff.
“The success of their products to date, proof of concept and expansion plan is impressive, with a growth pipeline of NPD, new customers and future investment.”
Harrison added that the company had made significant progress but must now “futureproof its positioning”.
The boom in frozen food cooled last year, with sales up a more modest 1.6% in 2024 compared with 15% the year before. Savoury baked goods and desserts both continue to perform well, with volumes up 3%.
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