Ice cream makers scoop some big investors

Wednesday 26 October 2016

Four big online players are investing in a cool local idea brought to the market by two Jersey mums wanting to create a healthy but tasty ice cream for their children.

Simon Nixon, Founder of Moneysupermarket.com; Simon Perree and Richard Goulding, Co-Founders of Play.com; and Aaron Chatterley, Founder of online beauty retailer feelunique.com are all backing Minioti.

The company was co-founded earlier this year by Anna Boletta and Natasha Dowse, friends who are passionate about the importance of healthy eating. After struggling to find a healthy treat to give their children, they decided to make their own.

The health conscious pair set to work on launching their range of sugar and gluten free strawberry, vanilla and milky chocolate ice cream made from pure Jersey milk.

feelunique.com 's Founder Aaron Chatterley said: "This was a very easy investment to make as it solves a problem for me. As parents who only want the best for their children, and to reduce their sugar intake as much as possible, an alternative to their favourite snack that contains no added sugar, is something that I believe every parent would take given the choice. Minioti ice creams fit that bill perfectly. My seven-year-old twins can’t taste the difference between them, and normal sugar laden ice creams."

Moneysupermarket.com's Co Founder Simon Nixon said: "As someone who tries to live a sugar free lifestyle, I was really excited by the prospect of an ice-cream with no added sugar. Once I then tried Minioti, I knew that it was a product with huge potential, so I was very excited to be offered the opportunity to invest in the brand."

The new team join Minioti's existing investors, Jersey Dairy, Bob Jones and John Davey.

Mrs Boletta said: "We are delighted that such a high profile group of investors see the potential of the Minioti brand. They were attracted to the taste, and the unique features of our ice creams. Although this is a crowded market, when it comes to ice cream, no other product currently offers what we offer."

The ice cream is now being exported to China and launched this summer in Genesis Cinema, an independent upmarket cinema in London's Whitechapel. 

Play.com Co Founder Simon Perree who also founded venture capital company NetCap said: "Netcap is delighted to be investing in Minioti at such an exciting period for the company. The founders have made great progress this summer, and we are excited to be able to partner with them for their next stage of growth."

Thanks to the new investment the two mums plan to expand the Minioti brand further into the UK market.

Mrs Boletta said: "The new investor group feels that we could enjoy another strong wave of growth from the UK, complementing the strong interest we are currently receiving from Europe and China."