The Primal Pantry, a specialist in healthy snacks, has landed a GBP3 million investment from NVM Private Equity for a minority stake in the brand.
Primal Pantry says it is creating a ‘real food revolution’ with its range of natural award winning snack bars, which are made with only a handful of carefully selected ingredients. The company has also launched a new and enhanced range of protein bars, which, rather than relying on whey, contain 15g of plant based protein instead. Included in their latest brand extension is a Double Espresso High Protein Bar, which, in addition to 15g of protein, boasts 146mg of caffeine.
NVM’s investment will be targeted at growing retail distribution and in store visibility, along with driving brand awareness through consumer marketing channels; in particular social media, PR and sampling. NVM’s backing will allow the brand to continue to innovate and reach an increasing number of consumers who are conscious about the impact their food choices have on themselves and wider society.
As part of The Primal Pantry’s growth plans, the business has expanded its leadership team. Hash Alsaidi joins as Sales Director bringing with him a wealth of experience across roles at Mondelez, Kraft Heinz and Unilever, amongst others. Nathan Griffiths, joins as Head of Marketing with a strong background in customer and trade marketing, born out of his time at Perfetti Van Melle.
The Primal Pantry products are sold in over 7000 distribution points in the UK including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, The Co-operative and WH Smith Travel. International sales currently account for 35 per cent of turnover and will continue to be developed by Co-Founder Dominic Maxwell who will also lead the company’s innovation pipeline.
Founder of The Primal Pantry, Suzie Walker, says: “We are incredibly delighted to be welcoming NVM on our journey to becoming a leading and trusted real food brand. With their backing we can take The Primal Pantry to the next level, ensuring more consumers have the opportunity to try our products and encouraging them to make better food choices.
“Led by impulse shopper and consumer needs, the healthy snacking category is finally finding its own space in store, but there is a lot more work to be done. With this investment we want to further support the category growth through insight, true innovation and shopper marketing to bring the fixture to life.
“At The Primal Pantry we are as committed to our values today as we were four years ago when we started. We believe food products should be made with real wholefood ingredients, keeping it simple and tasting fantastic.”
Charlie Pidgeon, Investment Manager of NVM Private Equity, says: “The Primal Pantry is an exciting premium branded food business which has grown rapidly since inception. In a short period of time the business has built a strong and recognisable brand and has accumulated an impressive roster of retailers stocking the business’s products. Having been impressed with the team’s achievements to date, we believe the business has the potential to become a category leader in the rapidly growing healthy snacking sector. We are therefore extremely excited at the prospect of backing Suzie, Dom and the wider team in the next stage of The Primal Pantry’s development.”
