Pots for Tots pushing for retail growth with six-figure funding

Healthy children’s food brand Pots for Tots has raised £400k to expand its offering further into retail and spearhead a campaign for “real” food in the category.

Owned by The Family Food Co, the brand sells a range of premium frozen meals for babies and toddlers, such as cottage pie, chicken korma and mac & cheese, which are all made from responsibly sourced ingredients.

Cherrelle Beckitt started Family Food Co in 2019 with a goal to offer healthy, nutritious, clean-label meals for kids.

The business acquired Pots for Tots in early 2023 and followed up with a deal to buy the collapsed Mamamade brand out of liquidation in the summer.

Pots for Tots’ handmade meals are developed by children’s dietitian Lucy Upton and aim to replicate home cooking, with up to three of a child’s 5 a day.

The DTC brand is expanding its offering into retail, with distribution in a growing range of independent stores, delis, farm shops, soft play centres, cafés, country parks and private members clubs.

“We’re really excited about our new retail partners,” said Beckitt. “It means that parents can now pick up our meals on their way home from work or feed them something super-nutritious whilst out and about.

“I know first-hand how busy parents can be and we need to be able to fall back on convenient food sometimes. We want parents to be able to do so without being misled by packaging or compromising on their children’s health.”

Pots for Tots raised the £400k from high net worth individuals and angel investors. It follows an earlier £150k raise by Family Food Co in 2021.

The company registered growth of 103% in 2023 and is aiming to generate revenues of £1.3m this year thanks to its omnichannel strategy. It has also moved to a bigger manufacturing facility in southeast London, with staff numbers increasing to 21 last year.

Upton added: “Getting nutrition right is arguably most important in the early years, so providing our babies, toddlers and young children with balanced, nutritious and diverse meals is paramount.

“As a busy mum and dietitian, the value of having something quick, but with the peace of mind you’re still offering the nutrients they need – and in a meal they will eat – is immeasurable.”