Furniss of Cornwall Celebrates Bumper Year despite Recession - Iconic Cornish Company sets Ambitious Target for 2010 -
Furniss of Cornwall Celebrates Bumper Year despite Recession- Iconic Cornish Company sets Ambitious Target for 2010 - Renowned Cornish biscuit manufacturer, Furniss of Cornwall, has had its most successful year since the company was rescued from administration by Proper Cornish Food Company in 2006. Three years on the tables have turned - the firm has achieved a turnover of £2 million and believes that it has the right strategy for continued growth, setting an ambitious turnover target of £3 million for 2010. Despite the tough economic climate, Furniss has managed to grow due to a sound strategic approach. From a turnover of £1.2 million and 20 staff in 2007, the company has steadily built up the business year on year to reach the £2 million mark and now employs 30 people. It feels that the 2010 target is attainable, despite the current recession. Managing Director, Chris Pauling, comments: “2009 has been a particularly successful year for us at Furniss. We have stuck to our simple strategy of expanding the Furniss brand and concentrating on the export market at a time when the pound is weak. This has proved successful and we are now exporting biscuits to a total of 9 countries, including Australia, Ireland and Germany.” A key part of this export market has been a new range of savoury biscuits created in collaboration with celebrity chef, Rick Stein – a move which has proved to be a big success. This is the first time the company has produced a savoury biscuit and it worked closely with Rick to create a range of three flavours; Cornish Sea Salt, Davidstow Cheddar and Thyme. The oat based biscuits were launched in May 2009 and have since gone into Waitrose and Tesco stores across the UK, as well as in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand where Rick Stein is well known. Another part of the 2009 sales success can be attributed to an upsurge in visitors to Cornwall. The trend for ‘staycations’ has had a clear knock on effect for Furniss, as Chris explains: “The Furniss brand, and particularly the traditional Cornish Fairing biscuit range, is very well suited to the souvenir and tourism market. People tend to try these Cornish classics on holiday and then bring packs home as gifts. We have seen a clear uplift in sales over summer 2009 compared to 2008 and I believe this is a direct result of the increased visitors to the region.” Other strategic decisions have included an investment in new product development and the technical department, as well as the creation of an additional 20 products over the last three years. These include a West Country Biscuit Collection, a range of fudges and seasonal products such as Christmas biscuits. Chris adds: “We have focused the core business on biscuit manufacture and aimed to bring value back into the Furniss brand. We have also harked back to the company’s roots with the re-introduction of a fudge range. Success has come via introducing new products to easily accessible markets, such as targeting the more generic ‘West Country’ collection at retailers throughout the South West region.”
Looking ahead to 2010, the company plans an even greater emphasis on the export market, but will also be targeting independent retailers such as delis and farm shops with premium lines. Sales Director at Furniss, Matthew Bowern, explains: “We feel that there is a wealth of opportunity within the smaller retailers for the likes of our Rick Stein biscuit range. We will also be attending a number of consumer exhibitions and events in order to get the public tasting our biscuits. As always our concentration will be on service, quality, choice and increasingly value for money.” New products due to be launched in 2010 include a range of giant cookies, snack packs and ‘Grab and Go’ lines. These will be specifically targeted at the food service sector. In addition, Furniss is also planning to strengthen ‘own label’ production which makes up 60% of the business. For example it will be working closely with Tesco to extend its range of ‘Tesco Finest’ biscuits. Matthew sums up: “We have set ourselves a tough target for the coming year but strongly believe we have the right strategic approach to succeed in 2010.” - Ends -· For more information, interviews or images contact:Kate Kerss on 01225 470329 / 07771 658172 or kate@katekersspr.co.uk Abby Richardson on 0117 9441045 / 07876 378733 or abs_richardson@yahoo.co.uk
