Liverpool-based spice products manufacturer Spice Kitchen is aiming to double sales to £2m and create at least three new management jobs following a £20,000 grant from Made Smarter, the technology adoption programme.
Family-run Spice Kitchen, based in Speke, has invested £40,000 in a cloud-based software solution which will integrate and automate manual and disconnected systems to drive efficiency and productivity.
Spice Kitchen is one of 60 Liverpool-based SME manufacturers who have secured grants worth £1.2m towards technology projects which are worth £4.2m after contributions by the businesses themselves. Collectively these investments are forecast to create 385 jobs, upskill more than 375 roles and boost the economy by £52m.
Sanjay Aggarwal, Co-founder of Spice Kitchen, said: “Made Smarter’s support has been extraordinary. They have helped us create a digital roadmap, analyse our existing skills, create a plan for workforce development, and accelerate our investment in a much-needed technology solution.
“This investment will have an immediate impact by improving the quality and consistency of our business operations, but crucially, it will embed a scalable operational, commercial and manufacturing platform for future business growth.”
Spice Kitchen has grown from selling homemade tins of spice mix at artisan markets 10 years ago to an award-winning £1m business which has appeared on TV’s Hairy Bikers today. It is currently focusing on international wholesale sales into US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the Gulf Region, as well as growing online sales via Amazon and the website.
After engaging with Made Smarter through a Digital Transformation Workshop, Spice Kitchen identified that technology investment, focused data and systems integration were a priority.
The new cloud-based system will integrate to Cin7 inventory management software, and Shiptheory, a shipping management platform, to help the business connect and access real-time production, stock, shipping, and sales data.
This will allow it to increase scale and complexity and maintain quality by embedding new systems in its factory in Liverpool, which currently supports manufacturing of almost 700 different products and sells across 10 platforms.
The new system will transform the workflow, improve efficiency and enhance and improve quality and traceability. It will also empower the 15-strong workforce to be self-sufficient and make data-driven, real-time decisions.
Donna Edwards, director of Made Smarter’s North West Adoption programme, said: “Spice Kitchen is a fantastic example of a manufacturer which recognises the benefit of using technology to scale the business. The outcomes of this technology project are far reaching, from creating growth and new high value jobs, but also laying the foundations for more technologies.
“Spice Kitchen is among hundreds of manufacturers in the region grasping the opportunities offered by Made Smarter which include expert, impartial technology advice, digital transformation workshops to help take that first step to transform a business, and support with technology investment. I would encourage other SME manufacturers to do the same.”
