British brand goes to new markets
22 August 2011 – Hampstead based confectioner The Gourmet Candy Company has been taking its classic British brand ‘Mr Stanley’s’ to new markets with help from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).
The company has been developing, producing and marketing its own products for the last two years.
“We wanted to be in charge of our own destiny, do things our own way, and control the process from initial idea to sales and distribution” says business development manager Jaime Waring. “Part of that was approaching our products in a brand led manner – a lot of confectioners are distributors of brands that they don’t own or control.”
The company’s biggest success, and main focus for international expansion, is Mr Stanley’s – a traditional British confectionery brand, featuring luxury fudges, toffees, honeycombs and liquorice. With the core range made in the UK, the brand’s British heritage is a strong selling point.
The products are supported by the story of Old Mr Stanley, a fictional 19th century confectioner who travelled around Britain and the rest of the world to source the best ingredients, and conjured up new recipes in his kitchen. Mr Stanley tells his confectionery stories through his detailed packaging, website and a growing social network following on Twitter. The range has been successful in the UK market, and is stocked by high end retailers including John Lewis and Selfridges.
“We knew our products had export potential, and had taken a few international orders in an ad hoc way. As the number of overseas enquiries increased, I felt we needed to be more pro-active in exploring exporting opportunities, but didn’t necessarily know how to go about it,” says Jaime.
The company had heard of UKTI through a customer who had used its services, but it was at the Speciality Fine Food Fair in London in September 2010 that Jaime met David Hallam, an International Trade Adviser with UKTI’s London International Trade Team. David suggested that the company sign up to Passport to Export, UKTI’s 12 month programme of support for inexperienced exporters, and helped them devise a plan of action.
David advised Gourmet Candy to make use of UKTI staff based in the UK’s global network of diplomatic posts to support their expansion plans. As part of the Passport programme, the company went on a sales trip to Paris, with the aim of getting into top Parisian department store Galeries Lafayette.
“David advised us to speak to UKTI staff at the British Embassy in Paris. We knew from experience that if you approach a market on your own, it can be difficult to get the right people to take notice. They don’t know what the brand has to offer, or even if you are a serious business. The embassy arranged a meeting with the key buyer in Galeries Lafayette, and even provided a translator. The service was fantastic – it really broke down a wall for us and best of all, resulted in an initial order.”
Through Passport, the company was also able to internationalise its website, creating a stand alone page for the Mr Stanley’s brand.
“Having the dedicated website really helped to profile Mr Stanley’s as a distinct brand. We saw our international orders increase, and the ability to track where our visitors were coming from helped us see where interest was building.
“UKTI has definitely opened doors, enabling us to see the potential of what’s abroad; while, at home, we found a UK based consolidator through a UKTI ‘Meet the Buyer’ event. In foreign markets, the support of the posts in making contact with key industry professionals reassures potential buyers and gives us credibility. We definitely could not have got into export markets as quickly as we have without UKTI’s help.”
International trade is playing an increasingly important role in the growth of the business. Prior to working with UKTI, exports accounted for 2 per cent of overall turnover. This year, it is forecast to be five to six per cent, with a forecast of between eight and ten per cent in 2012. One year ago, Mr Stanley’s was stocked in two countries, this year it’s nine.
“We have seen a clear increase in demand for products with a British feel over the last six to nine months, which ties in very well with Mr Stanley’s positioning. We’ll be looking to use UKTI’s support to explore this even further, and are planning to exhibit at the ISM (International Sweets and Biscuits) fair in Cologne with their assistance.”
The company’s international trade adviser, David Hallam, says, “Working with UKTI gives companies access to a global network of support. As International Trade Advisers, we can help signpost these companies to the best advice, and the local market knowledge available in posts can really make a difference.”
