Heck receives £1m equity funding to grow its sausage brands

The Northallerton-based firm received the funding from Panoramic Growth Equity - its first investment in a Yorkshire company.

Heck manufactures two brands of sausage, The Harrogate Sausage Company and the Heck range, for supermarkets including Morrisons and Asda.

The company was founded by Yorkshire farmers Andrew and Debbie Keeble who previously built the premium sausage brand, Debbie and Andrew’s. At its peak, the brand represented 26 per cent of the UK’s premium sausage market. Established in 1999, the business was sold to JJ Tranfield in 2005. The Keebles founded Heck in 2012.

Three of the second generation currently work in the business alongside the couple.

The company, which employs a team of 20, achieved £3m revenues in its first year of operation and has forecast revenues of £6m for the current financial year.

The aim of the funding is to increase sales by building awareness of Heck’s premium sausage brands through enhanced marketing.

Panoramic Partner Stephen Campbell will join Heck’s board. He said: “We share their vision and determination to grow their brand into the UK market leader in its space.”

Mr Keeble, managing director, added: “Panoramic brings a great deal of business experience, connections and financial firepower to the table but we remain in total control of our production process. It was imperative that we were able to work with external investors in that spirit.”