Rebrand positions Melting Pot for faster growth in Britain

Melting Pot Fudge is the new identity of a successful UK confectionery business that is aiming to grow its market share in Britain and increase sales abroad.

Melting Pot, originally a fudge brand developed by Blackthorn Foods in Belfast, is now the company's corporate identity. The artisan business, owned and managed by three sisters - Dorothy Bittles, Jenny Lowry and Cathy Johnson - specialises in handcrafted fudge produced using traditional techniques. The fudge has won a series of UK Great Taste Awards. The sisters formed the business in 2004.

The Belfast company teamed up with Design by Country, a brand design and management consultancy with offices in Birmingham, London and Shrewsbury to create the new corporate identity to help in accelerating sales in its key markets.

In addition to supplying customers in the UK, Melting Pot has business for its handmade fudge in the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia. The existing product portfolio includes gluten-free, soya-free and non-dairy fudge

Dorothy Bittles explains: "We saw a need to refresh our brand to help us in growing the business. A key requirement for us was to remain true to our artisan roots, and so it was important to us that the new branding should reflect this feature of our business.

"Design by Country was chosen by us because of its extensive experience in working with other artisan food industry clients such as Peter's Yard and Lost Tea. They recommended that we should rebrand as Melting Pot Fudge with the strapline 'Sisters doing it themselves' and refreshed our packaging emphasising the essential artisan nature of our business.

"We are delighted with our rebrand by Design by Country because it captures everything that is important to us. We've always felt a total commitment and passion about our business and where we want to take it. The rebrand gives us a fresh new look which should be enormously beneficial as we seek to grow our business especially in Great Britain, our most important market and one that's easily accessible for us.

"They've succeeded in their objective of creating a living brand, emphasising the fun, joviality and childhood memories associated with our fudge, which is based on an original recipe which has been in the family for generations. It gives Melting Pot Fudge a colourful and homely personality," she adds.

The branding features striking cartoon illustrations from Marylou Favre of the three sisters making award winning fudge together. In addition to designing attractive new wrappers for the fudge bars, Design by Country has created gift boxes focusing on the new corporate identity.

Melting Pot's range of fudge products continues to this day to be made and wrapped by hand. The company, which is distributed in Britain by Cotswold Fayre, Hider and Crest, employs 10 people at its manufacturing operation near Belfast city centre. Recent business successes include an important order from the globally recognised Titanic Exposition Centre in the city.