Norfolk company’s recipe for success leads to UK Business Awards finals

Posh Pastry and Chic Chocolate:

Online sales are key to Food Angles’ rapid expansion

Food Angles, the Thetford-based food wholesaler importing upmarket chocolate and pastry products from the Continent, has won through to the national finals of the UK Business Awards 2013.

The awards, organised by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), are designed to highlight the importance of small businesses, to recognise excellence and celebrate their success. Food Angles is the East Anglia finalist in the Micro Business category (fewer than ten employees).

The FSB describes the UK’s small businesses as ‘the motor of Britain’s economy,’ and ‘key to UK recovery.’ Food Angles exemplifies this: created by husband and wife team Godfrey and Rosemary Pratt in 2007 to take-over an existing food wholesaler, the business has grown by 20 to 30% every year since they started, and has moved twice to keep pace with expansion – much of the success being down to selling chocolate and pastry online.

In order to represent East Anglia at the awards finals, Food Angles had to show how it stands out from the crowd, not only in terms of its track record and success, but also by demonstrating that the business performance is sustainable in the long term.

“We saw the potential for food sales online and focussed our resources there,” says Godfrey. “The company we acquired was an old-fashioned business – before we took over, online sales were zero. While sales through traditional routes have grown fast, online has just rocketed. It now accounts for over 50% of our business, and that figure continues to grow rapidly.”

Food Angles imports a wide range of pastry cases and chocolate products from the Continent, supplying them to over 4,000 customers nationally. They include food manufacturers, cash and carries, caterers, pubs, hotels and private customers. “We focus on quality, not only in terms of the products themselves but also storage and distribution – by investing in modern warehouse and packing facilities we can ensure the best possible quality is maintained right through to the point of delivery to the customer.”

The company’s recipe for success will be judged at a Gala event on 18 April at Glaziers Hall in London, where the overall winners will be announced. National category winners will not only win the prestigious award title, but will receive £4,500, a trophy, a publicity drive and a professional marketing and PR consultancy package to promote their success.

For more information visit www.foodangles.com, email sales@foodangles.com or call 0845 2415 245 (lo-call) or 01842 820420.

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UK Business Awards Finalist.docx – Apr-13

Press Enquiries:

Toni Turner or Alison Haynes at The Publicity Works:

01263 761000; teaboy@publicityworks.biz

Godfrey Pratt at Food Angles: 01842 820420; sales@foodangles.com

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