96. Claudi & Fin

Founders: Lucy Woodhouse and Meriel Kehoe
Founded: July 2012 (Launched May 2014)
Website: www.claudiandfin.co.uk

Unable to find any healthy lollies for their children in the local supermarket, Lucy Woodhouse and Meriel Kehoe set to work creating their own at home. Several trial recipes later they had a winner: a Greek-style frozen yoghurt lolly made with natural ingredients.

Named after their children – the brand’s first taste testers – Claudi & Fin claims its strawberry and mango lollies have fewer calories than an apple and less sugar than the 30 top-selling rivals in the supermarkets. After winning the PitchUp with Sainsbury’s competition and securing the supermarket as its first ever customer, Claudi & Fin launched in 250 stores nationwide in 2014. The company now distributes to 450 stores, as well as 180 Waitrose stores, 30 Budgen’s – and, most recently, to 450 Tesco’s. Outside the UK, the brand exports to Supervalu and Centra in the Republic of Ireland.

Claudi & Fin has big plans for the future, with two new “healthier-for-you” products currently in development and meetings to pitch to its two biggest customers already secured. A move outside the world of retail into the food service sector is also in the pipeline, with chains such as Wetherspoons and David Lloyd gyms interested in stocking the product. With the government estimated to spend an estimated £5.1bn a year on obesity-related illnesses, Claudi & Fin is well placed to capitalise on the growing demand for healthier treats.