A natural lolly business in London has been handpicked by the Government backed Start Up Loans Company as one of six ambassadors
- Business to attend launch event at Houses of Parliament on 8th June
- Start Up Loans has delivered almost £70million to the Capital’s businesses bringing its lending total to more than £210million in the country
An all-natural frozen lolly brand, launched by two mums who met at playgroup, has been chosen to represent successful UK start ups by the Government backed Start Up Loans Company (SULCo) with the launch of its Ambassador Programme.
Claudi & Fin is one of six start ups that will be showcased as one of the top success stories and inspiring businesses. The business will be honoured at a dedicated launch reception on 8th June, at the Houses of Parliament in London.
The Westminster reception will begin with a panel discussion chaired by Start Up Loans Company’s CEO Tim Sawyer. Tim will be joined by senior Ministers, who helped launch SULCo in 2012, alongside local MP’s and representatives from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
Claudi & Fin was founded in London in May 2014 by friends Meriel Kehoe, 42, and Lucy Betterton, 42, with the support of a £14,000 Government backed Start Up Loan. The all natural frozen lollies are made from 100% Greek-style yoghurt and real fruit, with current stockists including: Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Ocado and Budgens, as well as Dunnes and Supervalu in the Republic of Ireland. The healthy brand has also developed an exclusive mini-variant of its products with Tesco, which is stocked in over 440 stores nationwide. Last year the mum-friendly brand generated retail sales of £750,000, which looks set to increase to 1.4 million in the next twelve months.
Lucy Woodhouse, co-founder of Claudi & Fin, said:
“Support from the Start Up Loans Company was essential in enabling us to set up our dream business. It’s an honour to be recognised by an initiative that has helped so many innovative and hardworking people turn their dreams into reality. Through my role as ambassador I’ll be working to encourage like-minded would-be business owners to take the first steps towards becoming their own boss.”
Tim Sawyer, CEO of Start Up Loans Company, said:
“The launch of our Ambassador Programme is an opportunity to pay tribute to those entrepreneurial individuals who have taken the steps to launch their own businesses. Starting out on your own is no mean feat, but businesses like Claudi & Fin are proof that it can be done. What budding business owners in the UK need to remember is there are multiple support networks out there to make it a far less daunting experience, and provide the guidance and support necessary to help you make your start up goals a reality.”