The confectioner says it was inundated with demand for its private label products in Christmas 2014 as they proved a huge hit with consumers and retailers.
Retro classics and childhood favourites
The gift range, available from this month, will consist of 150g Gold and Silver milk chocolate baubles and Reindeer Fudge (150g) and Bah! Humbugs (170g) stocking fillers.
Philip Courtenay-Luck, managing director, Bonds Confectionery, told ConfectioneryNews, it is not just limiting its private label range to Christmas time.
“We do all year round confectionery for a number of companies on top of all the seasonal lines. Seasonal is increasing in its importance to Bonds and the biggest season for our business is Christmas which is where the majority of seasonal private label work comes from,” he said.
“Due to the demand from own label customers we weren’t doing anything for the Bonds brand seasonally last year. This year thanks to the move to much larger premises we are able to do a couple of lines under our own brand which we are really excited about.”
The firm moved to larger premises in July this year after sales of its retro classics and childhood favourites soared.
More than £350,000 was invested in the move from Fulwood Rise to Hamilton Road in Sutton-in-Ashfield, UK. The 48,000sq ft site is more than double the size of its old premises.
“The demand for private label was so huge for 2014, that it took the whole of Bonds’ capacity last year. The recent relocation to larger premises has allowed Bonds to create a greater capacity this year allowing them to reveal their own label gifting range,” added Courtenay-Luck.
“We were getting great opportunities but needed larger facilities for more bespoke hand-packing plus increased automated packaging capacity to meet requirements.
An alternative to traditional chocolate coins
“Considerable investment has been made in 2015 to achieve this. At the new site, we are able to experiment with packing techniques to make sure we’re at our best.”
Talking about the new range, he said the baubles are made with real milk chocolate as an alternative to traditional chocolate coins and their design gives them a luxury feel, which makes them ideal for the Christmas dinner table, or as a tree decoration.
The humbugs are an alternative to candy canes and he said fudge has proven popular amongst mid-size multiples and convenience stores during the Christmas period in previous years, which inspired Bonds to launch the festive-themed Reindeer Fudge.
Bonds enjoyed one of its most profitable periods during the year ending December 31, 2014.
The confectioner's turnover increased by 12.2% year on year to £15.58m, which brought with it an increase of 75.4% operating profit to £461,000 and earnings before interest, increased by 41.5% to £706,000.
The company attributes its continued success to partnerships with major retailers, the creation of Bonds' own confectionery line and entering the American sweet market.