A Cornwall seafood business that started life selling crab and lobster sandwiches from a trailer has evolved into a growing wholesale supplier of premium shellfish, with the help of £33,000 of funding from the Start Up Loans programme.
Tim and Abi Werger launched Got Crabs in Newquay after spotting demand for high-quality crab and lobster sandwiches. But as the business grew, they identified a bigger opportunity: supplying restaurants, fishmongers and hospitality businesses with sustainably sourced Cornish crab and lobster meat.
Funding from the Start Up Loans programme, delivered by SWIG Finance, has enabled the couple to invest in specialist equipment, including a larger filtration tank that helps keep shellfish fresher for longer.
Tim and Abi Werger started Got Crabs in Newquay as a purveyor of quality crab and lobster sandwiches.
Start Up Loans is part of the British Business Bank and offers personal loans of up to £25,000 per director and offers free mentoring to help anyone start or grow a new or early-stage business. SWIG Finance is the Bank’s Business Support Partner for the government-backed programme in the South West, and last year alone delivered £8 million in Start Up Loan funding to over 400 new and early-stage businesses.
Tim and Abi moved to Cornwall from London in 2022 for some post-lockdown fresh air. “We were interested in hospitality and wanted to start our own business,” said Tim. “We saw a gap in the market for really good crab sandwiches and lobster rolls at a reasonable price – people love them.”
Selling from a trailer in St Merryn and via a Newquay bakery, the Wergers made superior sandwiches for two years, doubling trade each year. As they grew, they realised that achieving the standard they wanted meant taking control of the entire process, from how shellfish is sourced and stored to how it’s prepared.
“We realised the only way to achieve the quality and care we wanted was to buy direct from dayboat fishermen landing in Newquay and Padstow and process it ourselves,” said Tim.”
Owner-operated day boats are a vital part of Cornwall’s fishing industry, providing fully traceable seafood and supporting sustainable fishing practices. Brown crab is caught in the waters between St Ives and Padstow and is typically landed on the same day. Undersized crabs and egg-bearing females are returned to the sea.
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In the kitchen, the crabs are cooked modern and picked traditional: the meat is steamed and chilled with top technology, but hand-picked with methods as old as the fishing industry in Cornwall. “It’s a labour intensive job,” says Tim.
Even so, having learned on the hoof from their suppliers and chef contacts, the Wergers turned out to be naturals. The sandwich trade took a back seat as they found themselves shipping succulent crab and lobster meat to restaurants in Cornwall and beyond for use in high-end menu dishes.
Four years later, they have just hired their fifth employee. Tim said: “Today, we supply exceptional Cornish crab and lobster both online and to chefs, restaurants, and fishmongers who value provenance and consistency.” He hopes “the best crab sandwiches in Cornwall” will make a return in summer 2027, and in the meantime says the couple have felt very supported by the Cornish community.
“It feels like if you start a new business in Cornwall, people are more likely to give you a go – it’s more community focused,” he says.
Owner-operated day boats are the beating heart of Cornwall’s fishing industry, with traceability and sustainability guaranteed.
When it came to funding, fishing contacts in Padstow steered Tim in the direction of the Start Up Loans programme. The business borrowed £33,000 in two tranches. Subject to eligibility, borrowers may be able to apply for a second Start Up Loan to support further growth.
“The interest rate was fantastic,” says Tim, “and the process was great, especially the due diligence. Like us, it was all about doing things properly.”
Jules Burton, Start Up Loans Officer for SWIG Finance, adds: “I was impressed with Tim and Abi’s resilience in an industry which can be impacted by circumstances beyond one’s control. They’ve shown an aptitude for learning and pivoting the business in order to respond quickly to new opportunities and customer need.”
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SWIG Finance is a people-based lender that provides loans and support to help smaller businesses in the South and West Country grow. We base our lending decisions on potential rather than collateral, which means that we can often support businesses when others can't.
We’re growing every year. In 2025/26, we lent £18.4m to 506 businesses, helping to create and secure over 1,134 jobs and generate £95.2m in social impact. Download the report here.
If you’d like an informal chat about your funding requirements, get in touch with our friendly and professional team to see how we can help: info@swigfinance.co.uk / 01872 227 930