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Two digital agencies merged to create a full-service business for their expanding client bases.
The founders of Fresh Digital, based in Spennymoor, County Durham, and Peachy Digital, based in Northallerton, have decided to merge their businesses having worked together on projects for the last two years. Going forward under the Fresh Digital brand name, the agency will offer services including web design and development, SEO, social media management, content marketing and PR.
The company will keep both offices, allowing the enlarged business to grow its presence across the North and beyond, adding to clients already based around the UK. Digital director Ashley Henderson said: “We have worked closely with Peachy on so many projects and have found our ethos and values to be identical. This move enables us to continue with that work all under one roof, improving the customer experience and enabling us to capitalize on the skills both businesses offer – with exciting opportunity for growth.”
Lizzie Turner, PR and content director, said: “Ashley and her team are superb to work with and it just felt natural for us to take this step. We have a huge amount of synergy and have already welcomed new clients who are thrilled by the news. The existing Fresh team have an incredible skillset and range of experience, so I’m excited to start this new phase of our mutual journey.”
North East education support services firm The Edwin Group was acquired by a US company in an undisclosed deal. The Newcastle based group – which is made up of eight companies which work nationally with schools and multi-academy trusts to recruit and retain leaders, teachers and support staff – has been snapped up by American specialist education investor Quad Partners, to support it on the next stage of its growth.
The deal marks an exit for LDC, the private equity investor which is part of Lloyds Banking Group, more than three years after it made a significant investment to back a management buyout. Established in 2008, the group has grown to become one of the UK’s largest providers of supply teachers to primary, secondary and special educational needs schools across its Vision for Education, ABC Teachers and Smart Teachers brands.
In the last year the group has recruited over 11,000 teaching and support staff, and it saw turnover more than double to £72.5m in most recent accounts covering 2022, while gross profits more than trebled to £21.6m.
Liam Roberts, CEO at The Edwin Group, said: “With the team at LDC’s support, we are now better equipped than ever to meet schools’ and multi-academy trusts increasingly complex needs. Importantly, we’ve been able to grow the business and expand our range of products and services without losing sight of our values or our commitment to excellent customer service. We’re looking forward to embarking on this next chapter, working with more schools and multi-academy trusts, to positively impact the lives of young people.”
Growing doughnut and coffee company Deep North signed up for as unit at a forthcoming leisure destination in Sunderland. The independent food firm, launched by Phil King and Tom Clark in 2022, already operates popular sites in Tynemouth and Newcastle city centre alongside a regular presence at markets, events and pop-up locations around the region. Now the company, which sealed investment from the North East Small Loan Fund in February, has become the latest name to sign up for Sheepfolds Stables, the regenerated Grade II listed venue opening next to the Stadium of Light this summer.
Deep North – which produces a fresh batch of its doughnuts each day following a 24 to 36 hour process of making and proving dough, rolling, frying and decorating – will launch its Wearside venture in one of two new-build kiosks at Sheepfolds. The building is based in one of the courtyard areas, and is designed to look like a similar structure that would have stood in its place in the 1880s when the site was a working stables yard.
Owner Mr King said: “We can’t wait to bring Deep North to Sunderland. Having seen the growth and development of the city over recent years, we have been looking for the right opportunity for us and Sheepfolds Stables fits perfectly for us. There is loads going on in the area and we are excited to be part of that. We have popped up at markets and events in Sunderland over the last 12 months and we’ve loved how well we have been received.
North Tyneside brand agency B7 is set to grow and create new jobs after securing investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II. The Cobalt Business Exchange-based company was launched four years ago by David Broom as a solo practice, focusing on management and business growth consultancy for a number of business owners, later adding marketing services in-house to boost solutions on offer to clients.
The company has now secured an undisclosed investment from the NPIF II – NEL Smaller Loans, which is managed by NEL Fund Managers and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II. The investment marks the first deal completed in the North East since the launch of the £660m fund in March this year.
Mr Groom said B7 will use the investment to recruit three more team members over the next six to eight months, doubling its team size. The increased headcount will allow the business to specialise in specific marketing functions and capitalise on new business opportunities. A proportion of the investment will also be used to invest in new equipment, technology and tools, while also exploring early stage plans to expand its geographical footprint through expansion into the US.
He said: “Our business has grown organically so far, but the NPIF II funding will enable us to scale up our ambitions much more rapidly. This investment will not only help us expand within the UK sector but also adapt and venture into new industries like AI and advanced technologies. We are excited to unlock a new realm of potential for B7, now made possible thanks to the support of NPIF II.”
A County Durham firm that had hoped to pioneer the use of CBD – the active ingredient in cannabis – for wellbeing products was sold in a pre-pack administration. Dodd Heres in Consett was set up in 2018, but after a lengthy research and development phase only, began trading last year and was said to have struggled to get a Food Standards Agency (FSA) licence that would allow it to sell CBD products which could fight pain and help regulate conditions such as type two diabetes.
Insolvency experts at FRP, who had been first been consulted by the firm four years ago, say that with no licence to sell, the business turned to hemp products and tried to sell CBD-HQ products on a business-to-business basis. But that did not generate sufficient orders to lead to turnover and profit growth.
Administrators Steven Ross and Allan Kelly were appointed to the business and subsequently set up a fast-tracked marketing process which resulted in three bids. Along with the business and assets of Dodd Heres, State of Mind Food Supplements Ltd acquired intellectual property developed by the firm surrounding its ‘accelerated oxidisation process’ which is used to get CBD-HQ from cannabidoil.
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