The Company and Our Investment

In March 2007, Octopus invested £5m of expansion capital financing into Sweet Cred, a branded children's novelty confectionery business based in Sidcup.

Sweet Cred has a number of product ranges which combine sweets with toys. The products are all branded with one of the five cartoon characters in the Sweet Cred gang. The entire range is manufactured in China and sold in the UK, through the major multiples, garage forecourt stores and independent retailers, and internationally via distribution partners.

The Sweet Cred brand has been developed entirely in house and, as a result, the Company does not need to pay any licence fees to the likes of Disney, as the majority of Sweet Cred's competitors do. The brand has global, mass market appeal and it should be extendable into other product areas such as accessories, clothing or even television.