Fudge maker Calico Cottage secures coronavirus loan from bank

Calico Cottage was established in 1989 and is one of the world’s largest providers of fudge making ingredients and equipment, selling its systems to customers across the UK and Europe.

With June its busiest production month in anticipation of the Christmas market and with many of the retailers it supplies closed due to the government’s lockdown measures, the manufacturer was facing a shortfall in cashflow.

Its sister business, The Cambridge Confectionery Company, manufactures and sells handmade chocolate from a second factory in Cambridgeshire.

Nigel Baker, managing director of Calico Cottage, said: "We’re all experiencing and living through an extremely unusual set of circumstances. Many of our seasonal customers are closed or operating a reduced online offer​. 

"As a manufacturer of chocolate and fudge making ingredients, we rely on income from people visiting shops and seasonal peaks like Christmas.​ 

"Thanks to the quick response and support from Lloyds Bank, we now have the flexibility to start focusing on long-term orders, including Christmas, and ensure that we can hold stock whilst working with customers to help them re-start and plan for Christmas​."