Sweet success for Bon Bon Buddies as it celebrates Queen’s Award for Enterprise

CAERPHILLY, Wales - Aug. 7, 2013 - PRLog -- The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are in recognition of outstanding achievement in innovation, international trade and sustainable development by UK businesses. Winners are announced on the Queen’s birthday every year. This is one of the UK’s highest accolades for business success.

 

The award for international trade is given to companies who have shown outstanding achievement in international trade, resulting in substantial growth in overseas earnings and commercial success over three years. 

 

Celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year, Bon Bon Buddies is led by founder and managing director Chris Howarth who identified a niche in the market for branded confectionary. Sales grew to £13 million by 2003 and were further bolstered when shortly after the company launched into export markets. Sales continued to grow rapidly year-on-year, rising to £39 million in 2012. 

 

Employing 155 staff, Bon Bon Buddies now has eight dedicated European sales and logistics facilities with further distribution in Central Eastern Europe, the Middle East and China. The company also owns its own chocolate factory which produces for both Bon Bon Buddies and major confectionery brands.

 

Bon Bon Buddies product range includes confectionery with characters such as Disney Princess, Cars and Minnie and Mickey Mouse, Spiderman, Moshi Monsters, Barbie, Monster High, Super Mario Bros and One Direction, plus more recently the company has developed its own specialist kids confectionery brands such as the super sour brand ‘Bran Blasterz’.

 

The company has also capitalised on its own supply routes into major European retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Carrefour, Leclerc, Bedronka and Metro by handling the exclusive distribution of major brands including PEZ, Ritter Sport and the Jelly Bean Factory into a number of its markets.

 

Mr Howarth said: “We are thrilled to have received this accolade which celebrates outstanding achievements in UK businesses. Winning a Queen’s Awards for Enterprise is an honour for the company and great recognition of our continued success and sales in the overseas confectionary markets as well as recognition of the exceptional work of our team.

 

“The past three years have seen significant growth for Bon Bon Buddies. We now export to 40 countries including the majority of EU countries and in 2012 we entered a number of new markets including Finland, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and the Middle East.

 

“Looking forward, our strategy is focused on increasing our market position as Europe’s leading supplier of every day and seasonal licensed character and branded confectionary. We aim to further grow sales over the next five years to in excess of £80 million and the proportion of non-UK sales from 57% to over 75%.”

 

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise judging panel said: “Bon Bon Buddies has adjusted particularly well to international markets through strong levels of adaptability supplemented by regular in-depth research.

 

“New product development is also highly integrated with sales to ensure adaptation to demand, individual market tastes and changes in the marketplace, particularly where they have to adapt to regulation/restriction requirements such as labelling.”

 

Bon Bon Buddies is one of only two companies in Wales to be featured in the Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 League Table, which ranks Britain’s fastest growing international sales performers.

 

ENDS

For more information please contact Lisa Durston or Chris Latham on 029 2054 5387 or email lisa.durston@freshwater-uk.com (https://bbb-mail3/owa/redir.aspx?C=4664998ac74d4ddb84c34b...) / chris.latham@freshwater-uk.com