Member Article

Leeds confectionary producer Morris & Son secures £3.25 million finance package

Leeds-headquartered confectionery producer Morris & Son has secured a £3.25 million finance package from HSBC’s West Yorkshire Commercial team to support future growth.

The company operates two main divisions; Morris & Son (Leeds) Ltd and Stockleys Sweets Ltd. Morris & Son specialises in wholesaling clearance food and drink that is short dated or is excess stock from the original manufacturer to small independent retailers, discount stores and the main discount chains in the UK.

Stockleys produces a wide range of boiled sweets and fudges, including lemon sherberts, herbal candy, cinder toffee and pear drops, supplying high end retailers as well as traditional sweet shops and hamper companies. The business is also looking to expand its current international sales into new global markets.

The company moved its full business banking to HSBC in a deal led by Senior International Commercial Manager David Sharp, and the funding has been allocated from HSBC’s £500 million fund specifically for SMEs in Yorkshire and Humber.

Morris & Son was incorporated in 1999 and now generates sales of over £17 million a year. The company operates out of sites across Leeds, Stockport and Blackburn, and employs 90 people. Stockleys Sweets was acquired by the company in 2009 and has a turnover of around £3 million.

Andy Needham, Morris & Son managing director, said: “I met Richard on a trip he’d organised to China with local businesses and Huddersfield Town AFC and he was praising HSBC and the service he’d received. I then spoke to another HSBC customer, which reaffirmed the views I’d formed of the bank following my meetings with David and his team.”

“The funding will help the company’s growth plans and gives us the flexible working capital we require as we expand. The growth of discount retailers has created huge demand for our type of products, so we are excited about the future.”

Mike Hemingway, West Yorkshire Area Commercial Director, said: “Morris & Son has experienced strong growth over the past 15 years and has carefully developed the business through strategic acquisitions and expanding its distribution facilities. This funding package gives the company capacity for further expansion.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .