Heart Distribution’s Growth Scheme Benefits Producers

Producers who have worked with Heart Distribution for more than 12 months are eligible to take part in the scheme, as are other producers on a special case basis.

Under the scheme, five producers will be given a £5,000 loan every quarter to be paid back according to a repayment scheme chosen by the producer.

Caoire Blakemore, commercial manager at Heart Distribution said,  “The loan scheme is aimed at helping the British food and drink producers in Heart to grow their businesses – they may have a great product that is commercially viable but just need a little investment to get it going. Heart offers these producers a loan that they might otherwise find difficult to obtain from the bank, especially without a high interest rate. We hope that the scheme will be mutually beneficial for both Heart and its producers. By providing funding that enables producers to expand their product ranges, Heart in turn should be able to strengthen the range of products it offers to retailers.”

The Flavoured Butter Company joined Heart Distribution in 2010 and last month received a loan of £5,000 which has allowed her to purchase new machinery and help automate the production process. The money has also provided the funds for a commercial fridge and freezer, plus outer-case packaging to be used as a display unit by retailers.

Emma Cardwell of The Flavoured Butter Company said, “The loan I received as a result of Heart’s Producer Growth Scheme has really helped my business to grow. The new equipment and fridges I have invested in have enabled me to speed up my production process and I am now able to use some of the freed up time to develop my business. The new packaging I have invested in will make my product more attractive to customers and therefore help me to grow sales. Because I already have an account set up with Heart, the loan was also incredibly easy to set up.”