Valued at an estimated £104.4 billion, the UK food and drink industry is the largest manufacturing sector by turnover; bigger than automotive and aerospace combined. The sector has grown by 18% over the past decade, and many of the South West’s most successful small enterprises supported by organisations like SWIG Finance come from this thriving niche, creating everything from coffee to cocktails, beer to bagels.
Humans will always be tempted by something delicious, and entrepreneurs are drawn to an industry that serves this constant demand. Of course, it’s not all gravy, in the 12 months to March 2025, production costs in food and drink manufacturing rose by 4.5%, while retail prices increased by only 2.7%. Business owners must also contend with scaling production, managing staffing, and meeting ever-tightening compliance standards. All while staying on top of trends.
Here we profile some of the South West’s most inspiring food and drink businesses; owners who’ve shown remarkable resilience and achieved impressive growth with the help of tailored funding that unlocked their potential.
What’s Driving Growth for Food and Drink Manufacturing Businesses?
Nicola Parker, SWIG Finance with Helena & Simon Hills, Founders of TrueStart (@JonCraig_Photos)
TrueStart Coffee, Bristol
In 2015, keen triathletes Helena and Simon Hills set out to develop the world’s first coffee with a stable, predictable caffeine content. By 2024, they had built a B Corp-registered company with a diverse product range, from instant coffee to cold brew. Funding helped the business double its team and seize new retail opportunities. TrueStart is now stocked in Ocado, Costco, Co-op, Morrisons, and Asda. In October 2025, their first ever TV ad aired daily during ITV Breakfast nationwide.
There have been many achievements over the years, but entering the grocery market has been a real turning point. Fundamentally, SWIG provided us with the funds we needed at a key inflection point for the business. It enabled us to invest in the stock and the people to meet rapidly increasing demand for our brand and products.
Since then, the business has grown by at least 6x, profitably. We are super grateful for their support and understanding of our business growth plans and vision.
Simon Hills, Managing Director, TrueStart Coffee
Read the original story here.
Bar Buoy, Devon
Exmouth cocktail manufacturer Bar Buoy was founded by events veteran Tim Ball and his wife Ria, an accomplished marketer. The idea began in lockdown, when Tim perfected a margarita recipe, which is still one of the brand’s top sellers.
Funding in 2023 enabled Bar Buoy to scale up production and invest in branding. The results are clear: the business was named Brand of the Year at the 2025 Food Lifestyle Awards and launched its canned range on QVC, reaching more than 8.6 million viewers each month.
The funding was a key factor in the speed of their success: “If we’d used cashflow, growth would have taken far longer and we’d have missed opportunities,” said Ria.
Read the original story here.
Mike Mason, Founder of Mason Brewing Co
Mason Brewing Co, Cornwall
Mike Mason, an avid homebrewer, turned his passion into a business when he launched Mason Brewing Co on the Threemilestone Industrial Estate near Truro. Funding helped him purchase his own kegs and casks, as well as hire his first team member.
Mike celebrated a year in business in style by hosting a free music festival in May 2025.
“SWIG Finance helped my business take a big step in being successful, and I’m really grateful for their support,” Mike said.
Read the original story here.
Grandbars Snacks, Gloucestershire
Mary Merheim developed Grandbars, nutritious snack bars for older people, while caring for her father, who was living with dementia. Her research showed how loss of appetite is common in later life due to health conditions and medication.
A small funding boost helped Mary redesign the website, produce new packaging, and expand the product line. Today, Grandbars are made in a dedicated facility, with orders arriving from across the UK.
“SWIG Finance bought into what we were doing and why, and were incredibly supportive,” Mary said. “We already believed in ourselves, and it was nice to have them backing us.”
Read the original story here.
Pulpt, Somerset
Jim Wakefield and Al Collar founded Pulpt to create eye-catching cider brands using only freshly pressed apples from Somerset and Devon. Funding allowed them to invest in new equipment, including a more efficient press and larger fermentation tanks, enabling them to supply national contracts with Ocado and Tesco.
“SWIG cared about what we were trying to achieve and looked at us through the lens of a small business trying to grow,” said Jim. “They showed an interest in us as our business, rather than a profit opportunity, and the rates were clear and transparent.”
Read the original story here.
Little Bagel Co Owner, Wesley Thompson (@JonCraig_Photos)
Little Bagel Co, Bristol
Self-taught baker Wesley Thompson started making bagels during lockdown and has since built one of Bristol’s most talked-about food brands. After opening his first shop in the university quarter in 2023, funding enabled him to launch a second branch on Baldwin Street in 2025.
His bagels are fermented for 18 hours, boiled in bicarbonate and malt syrup, and baked to perfection. They now sell out daily.
“Because we’ve only been open for two years, traditional lenders aren’t really interested,” Wesley said. “It feels like SWIG has our welfare at heart.”
Read the original story here.
Single Variety Co, Bristol
Family-run Single Variety Co produces award-winning small-batch preserves from its factory in Warmley. The 2024 funding helped founder Nicola Elliott expand kitchen capacity to meet rising demand.
The brand now has over 500 UK stockists (including Selfridges), as well as a thriving online store. In April 2025, Single Variety’s Amalfi Lemon Marmalade won Double Gold at the World Marmalade Awards, topping more than 3,000 entries from 30 countries.
Nicola felt SWIG Finance’s approach suited small businesses perfectly: “We were fed up with getting ‘computer says no’ responses from the bank. With SWIG, we felt supported all the way through the process.”
Read the original story here.
Celebrating a Thriving Food and Drinks Manufacturing Sector!
Across the UK, around 474,000 people work in food and drink manufacturing, with over 20,000 small- to medium-sized enterprises accounting for 99% of the industry. The stories we’ve highlighted demonstrate the creativity, resilience, and determination that define the South West’s contribution to this success.
At SWIG Finance, we’re proud to have played a small part in these journeys by providing the right support at the right time, helping ambitious businesses take their next step.
Explore how we might be able to support your food and drink business here.
Discover success stories from across the region
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About SWIG Finance
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 2024/25, we lent £14.8m to 501 businesses, helping to create and secure over 1,272 jobs and generate £75.7m 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