4. Pip & Nut

Founder: Pip Murray
Founded: June 2013 (Launched January 2015)
Website: www.pipandnut.com

Pip & Nut‘s start-up story is an astonishing one.

In the crowded nut-butter market, and in the space of a mere three years, the business has launched in over 5,000 stores in the UK and Europe.

Stockists include Sainsbury’s, Tesco, ASDA and Morrisons in the UK, alongside major supermarket chains in the Netherlands, Ireland and Norway.

Founded by keen marathon runner and 2017 Young Gun Pip Murray in 2013, the business operates on the basis that health food should never be boring.

But how does it ensure it isn’t? With innovative flavour combinations.

These combinations have helped it create its much-lauded Coconut Almond Butter (which won a Grocer new product award), a constantly rotating cast of limited edition flavours and a variety of sizes, from 30g squeeze packs up to 1kg tubs.

It also has a range of almond milks sweetened with honey and vanilla, which no other brands are yet to create.

In a traditional industry with a number of established players, Pip & Nut – which won the Women in Business Award at the Startups Awards 2016 – stands out with “youthful, playful and emotive design-led” branding. This branding hasa helped it win partnerships with Nike and Made.com, and secure more than 130,000 social media followers and counting.

It’s not unlike any other start-up though in that’s its had to weather some storms. Murray says Brexit and a weakening pound forced her to increase prices, but she remains determined and has recently secured new UK manufacturing partners and a stronger supply chain.

Targeting £7.3m in sales for 2018, Pip & Nut will look to strengthen it existing listings in the UK and Europe over the next few months and will invest heavily in digital to boost its online sales.

Behind it all is the inspiring Murray who’s no doubt brought the perseverance needed for marathon training to bear on building and growing a successful start-upsthat has all the makings of becoming a household name.