The company has won contracts to supply branded coffee to a number of new clients including a national financial organisation, regional farm shops and independent stores, coffee shops and individual firms across the UK.
The coffee is being bagged in different-sized packs with tailor-made labels for the customers, who are then using them as promotional material, as part of hospitality services or selling them as a branded product.
In addition, Cherizena has recently picked up a new contract caterer customer.
The new business has totalled more than £6,000 over the past six months.
“We are delighted with how much extra business we have generated as a result of investing in our new labelling printer and by increasing our sales efforts, which included exhibiting at the Federation of Small Businesses’ conference in Leicester in March,” said Kate Jones, who runs Cherizena, which is based at Wartnaby near Melton Mowbray.
“The labelling equipment has given us the flexibility to supply all our coffees in our clients’ branded packaging, ranging from 60g sachets up to larger packs.
A lot of companies are looking for something eye-catching and useful that they can give away as a promotional tool at events and so on, and branded coffee fits the bill perfectly.
“Exhibiting at the FSB conference in Leicester really helped us to promote ourselves and the services we offer to companies from across the UK.”
Cherizena, which produces and supplies premium, speciality and flavoured coffees, invested in the new equipment, as well as a new webshop, in the summer of 2012.
It was supported by the Food and Drink iNet, which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and run by business organisation the Food and Drink Forum.
The iNet provided a match-funded grant of just over £3,000 to help with the innovation.
Since then, Cherizena has embarked on a sales and promotion effort to raise awareness of the company’s products and services.
“We have supplied branded coffees to trade customers for some time but the new equipment has given us much more flexibility and improved the quality of the labels,” said Kate.
“We expect that these latest orders will help us to increase turnover significantly over the next few months.”
One of Cherizena’s latest trade customers is 5* country house accommodation and event venue Vale House Belvoir, near Grantham, which has ordered sachets of ‘Vale House Belvoir’ coffee for its bedrooms and plans to provide personalised coffee for special occasions.
“Guests really appreciate the personalised and individual touches, and we were very pleased to find a local coffee supplier that could provide high quality coffees in Vale House Belvoir branding that we could put in our guest bedrooms and also personalise for special occasions such as birthday parties, weddings or hen parties,” said host Lara Young.
Cherizena sells to consumers, via mail order and at fairs and events, and to trade customers, including retailers, caterers and others in the hospitality trade.
It produces more than 20 flavoured coffees and also offers around 30 single-origin coffees and blends. It can supply coffee as beans or ground, regular or decaffeinated.
For more information about Cherizena contact 01664 820111 or visit www.cherizena.co.uk
Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk
