Healthy alternatives hit a high

Metcalfe’s Food Company has reached forth place in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list. The annual list ranks Britain’s fast growing private companies by sales.

Metcalfe’s Food Company was launched by food entrepreneur Julian Metcalfe (best known for Founding Pret a Manger and itsu). The company looks after two brand ranges; Metcalfe’s skinny (gourmet popcorn and other lighter corn based snacks) and itsu grocery (Asian inspired healthy snacks for retail).

Managing director Robert Jakobi says: “For the first time in 20 years the grocery market has fallen into decline. However, there is increasing pressure on retailers to offer healthier alternatives in snacking and we are lucky to be such a category with growing demand.
“We are almost always first to market with our products and we have diversified our products range to stay ahead of the market. Good fortune may play a part but so does calculated risk taking. We spent a large sum of money trialing our new itsu crystal noodle [cup] range to ensure it ticked all the boxes of convenience, health and restaurant quality taste. We only take such risks when we believe we have a ‘game changing’ product that can challenge the market.”