12 food and drink start-ups join The Seed Fund Academy 2018

Seed Fund 2018 Class

Ready to embark on a summer of learning led by respected mentors from across the food and drink industry, 12 ambitious start-ups have just been named in this year’s Seed Fund Academy, supported by The Collaborators and Great Taste.

Following an unprecedented level of entries, with 200 applications received in 2018, the philanthropic Seed Fund will now take its delicious dozen through an intensive programme of seminars, workshops and one-on-one sessions, covering everything from funding, law and HR to branding, PR and social media.

Bringing together a diverse group of entrepreneurs aiming to turn their big ideas into big business, this year’s Academy will include the UK’s first ever sparkling tea, a natural alternative to refined sugar, small batch products made from foraged ingredients and a range of premium bar snacks designed to be paired with drinks. Pudding pots, fermented drinks, cakes, rum, sea salt, organic soups, alcoholic sorbets and a cold brew coffee spirit complete the line-up, making up The Seed Fund’s Class of 2018:

  • Black Twist, Waterford, Ireland – cold brew single origin coffee and Irish whiskey spirit
     
  • The Bridge Lodge, Dee Valley, North Wales – foraged wild garlic leaf product
     
  • Dorset Sea Salt, Portland – hand harvested sea salt from the Jurassic Coast
     
  • Green Lady, London – sparkling green tea
     
  • Loving Foods, Hale Barns near Altrincham – organic, raw, naturally cultured, fermented foods and drinks
     
  • Made for Drink, Wokingham – premium bar snacks inspired by different drinking cultures from around the world
     
  • Norty Puds, Bristol – handmade pudding pots, free from gluten, dairy, soya and refined-sugar
     
  • Pep & Lekker, London – organic plant-based soups
     
  • Pura Panela, Sheffield  – 100% natural dehydrated raw sugar cane juice
     
  • Rathlee Distilling Company, Lostwithiel, Cornwall – Latin American rum blended with pure Cornish water
     
  • Sloshed Sorbets, London – artisan alcoholic sorbet
     
  • Wild Flour Cake Company, Bath – wholesale fresh cake company

Working with top names in food and drink, including Renée Elliott, founder of Planet Organic, John and Tortie Farrand from the Guild of Fine Food, Camilla Barnard from Rude Health and Guy Tullberg from Tracklements, these fledgling food and drink brands will benefit from the advice and guidance of established industry heavyweights, as well as sharing their own ideas and experiences with the Academy.

Attending a programme of sessions held at No. 42, the Guild of Fine Food’s London home near Borough Market, and The Collaborators’ HQ near Bristol, culminating in a much anticipated meet the buyer event, one eventual winner will also be announced at the Great Taste Golden Fork Awards Dinner in September, receiving a further year of support.

For more information on The Seed Fund, please visit www.theseedfund.co.uk.