Profit at Jamie Laing’s Candy Kittens slashed after major change
Profit at Candy Kittens, the cat-shaped confectionary brand owned by Radio One DJ and Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing, has been slashed after it made a major change in 2024.
The business, which specialises in vegetarian and vegan sweets, decided to switch focus to distribute more to grocers in the UK at the end of 2023 and signed deals with the likes of Selfridges, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose.
As a result, its revenue increased in 2024 from £12m to £14.8m, according to new accounts filed with Companies House.
Candy Kittens said its turnover had surged by 23 per cent “due to a continued focus on increasing distribution with key grocers in the UK and an increased rate of sales”.
From the sale of sweets, the firm’s revenue increased from £10.9m to £13.6m in the year while export sales also rose from £412,623 to £621,379.
However, online sales declined from £678,610 to £607,332.
The results also show Candy Kittens’ pre-tax profit was cut from £136,939 to £51,108 in 2024.
Jamie Laing’s Candy Kittens marks ‘positive impact’ of strategy change
Jamie Laing, who rose to fame on reality show Made in Chelsea and now presents a Radio One show, started Candy Kittens with partner Ed Williams in 2012.
The reality star is the great-great-grandson of Sir Alexander Grant 1st Baronet, who in 1892 invented the McVitie’s digestive biscuit.
In 2022, the company became the UK’s first sugar confectionary brand to get a B Corp certification.
A statement signed off by the board said: “The directors have considered the company’s future prospects, particularly in light of the impact of the shift in its strategic focus at the end of 2023 towards the distribution of its products through grocers in the UK, which has had a positive impact on its current trading results.
“Therefore, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company will have adequate resources to continue operating on a going concern basis.”