Serious Sweets Company extends portfolio with Nom Bites acquisition

Harrogate-based confectionery firm, the Serious Sweets Company (SSC), has extended its portfolio in confirming it has acquired the share capital and branded interests of Nom Bites Ltd, writes Neill Barston.

As the company explained, the deal – which is for an undisclosed sum – also includes the Lexi’s range of mallow and protein bars, targeting the  healthier, allergy-friendly treats’.

According to the firm’s new owner, its latest addition now enables SSC Brands to offer customers a broad range of treats, from the purely indulgent to the more healthy snack meeting a full range of consumer needs.

Lexi’s is an award-winning supplier of mallow crispy rice treats and protein bars, with availability across D2C, Ocado, Amazon and Foodservice channels.

SSC, which is expected to be among attendees at this year’s World Confectionery Conference, being held in its home town of Harrogate on 5 October,  manufactures and supplies premium own-label treats to all major retailers in the UK together with a successful international business, and has established SSC Brands to manage its branded interests.

In 2022 SSC acquired Mighty Fine, the premium honeycomb brand, and Mr Stanleys, the quintessentially English gifting confectionery brand, to its stable. Earlier this year it also acquired Mallow and Marsh, the UK’s leading marshmallow brand, and the wholesale manufacturing arm of John Bull, now re-named the Real Candy Co.

Rob Whitehead, Cheerleader and MD at SSC, commented “We’re delighted to bring Lexi’s into our family and continue the journey that Alexei and Shama have brilliantly led. Gluten, dairy and nut free bars fit perfectly into our stable of current brands, enabling us to offer customers a combination of indulgent treats and more healthy treats, ideal for consumers with specific dietary needs, or those looking for a healthier snack. We will be sharing the range with our customers over the next few months and look forward to developing Lexi’s alongside all our brands over the next few years.”

Alexei Khatiwada, founder (‘Captain Crispy’), said: “This acquisition marks an exciting milestone for Lexi’s, as we capitalise on the growing demand for our award-winning treats. I’m proud that Lexi’s has helped deliver more inclusive treats to a mainstream audience and it’s been a pleasure to see the growth of the brand, which started in my home kitchen and has now sold millions of treats across the UK. I’m delighted to see SSC’s ambition and desire to grow the brand further and continue this exciting journey.”

A committed food industry lifer, Rob Whitehead has had a successful career buying, developing and growing several food businesses for the last 25 years.

As the business added, in 2014, Rob realised the craft food movement was in full swing, not just at farm shops and independent retailers, but increasingly through major supermarkets in many food categories. At the same time, he felt premium sweets were missing from this growth opportunity, as he has previously discussed with Confectionery Production.

Driven by memories of wondrous childhood treats yet huge frustration with the ‘unacceptably miserable face of boring sweets’ dominating so many shop aisles, Rob set up SSC. His aim was twofold – to retain crafts skills and small batch passion which are the hallmarks of quality English confectionery, and bring investment for new thinking & innovation back into the market.