Yorkshire-based healthier jam start-up, Fearne & Rosie, announces that it has secured £450,000 to support the next stage of its development and take its reduced sugar jam offering mainstream.

The fundraise shows strong investor confidence behind the business, and will be deployed to help grow the Fearne & Rosie team, invest in product innovation and marketing, as well as build retail distribution.

The investment round comprises core investor TwinklHive, the investment arm of Twinkl, a respected global leader in education resources, alongside a number of other key investors.

Launched in 2019, the business is on a mission to spread goodness, and provide healthier jam alternatives to families across the UK. Fearne & Rosie jams are bursting with more fruit and less sugar. Each jar is made up of 70% fruit[1], and 40% less sugar than an average jar of jam[2]. Made from all natural ingredients and no hidden nasties, the jams are designed to help families make healthier choices and reduce unnecessary sugar intake, without compromising on taste or quality.

The healthier jam business is striking a chord with both retailers and consumers. Growing +400% in the past 12 months and on track to hit £5 million turnover by 2025, the brand over-indexes with young adults and families, helping drive new users into the category. Fearne & Rosie’s Strawberry Jam is one of the fastest growing jam SKUs on Ocado[3], and the jams can also be found in Waitrose, with recent listings secured in Amazon, Booths and select Morrisons stores. Successful charitable partnerships have been forged with BBC Children in Need and FareShare, aiming to support vulnerable children across the UK.

Founder, Rachel Kettlewell, says: “With obesity rates in both reception-aged and year 6 school children showing the highest annual rise since the National Child Measurement Programme began[4], something needs to be done to turn the tide. Offering families healthier alternatives is a must. As the only challenger healthier family jam brand, Fearne & Rosie is in a unique position to try and effect change. This fundraise will help us achieve our goal of nationwide distribution of Fearne & Rosie jams across key channels, retailers and schools, as well as begin to build a targeted school support programme.”

Kettlewell continues: “I’m delighted to have the backing of such amazing investors. I’m excited to be working with them on driving the strategic development of Fearne & Rosie, helping propel the business from challenger brand into the nation’s favourite jam brand. All our investors share our vision of wanting to make a positive impact, and I believe the next 12 months will be truly game-changing.”

Jonathan Seaton, co-founder and CEO of Twinkl and Director of TwinklHive, says: “We are delighted to be supporting Rachel and Fearne & Rosie with their funding round as they look to provide a healthier option for families. Rachel’s hard work and passion is clear and we are excited to see how the business will grow over the next 12 months.”

Support for Kettlewell's raise also came from female-focused angel investment community, Obu. Obu’s co-founders, Sarah King and Claire Dunn say: “Rachel's start-up story inspired us and the Obu community from the get-go. Fearne & Rosie is a great example of a purpose-led, innovative, commercially strong female-founded business - the type of business that, as we increase the number of diverse angel investors in the UK, has an opportunity to really flourish and grow.”

Serial FMCG entrepreneur and investor in Fearne & Rosie, Giles Brook says: “I’m delighted to be helping Rachel shape the future of healthy spreads through Fearne & Rosie, bringing incredible taste and health in unison through her HFSS compliant, more fruit, less sugar, family focused proposition. Performance is already well ahead of buyers’ expectations, which makes this even more exciting as a B Corp insurgent brand.”