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14 Dec 2021

UK Enterprise Fund helps nappy company clean up planet

We feature one of the forward-looking British businesses backed by Coutts clients through an exclusive fund we set up with growth capital investor BGF.

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A Coutts fund that enables select clients to invest in innovative, fast-growing British businesses has backed a nappy brand that’s helping protect the planet’s future.

The UK Enterprise Fund (UKEF) gives Coutts’ clients the opportunity to invest in a diversified portfolio of carefully selected British businesses with rapidly rising revenues. We set it up with the UK’s most active growth capital investor BGF, allowing our clients to co-invest alongside them in every new deal they do.

BGF has invested £13 million, including co-investment from UKEF, to help Bambino Mio expand faster in the UK and internationally.

Founded by husband-and-wife team Guy and Jo Schanschieff in 1997, the company is committed to reducing plastic waste by producing long-lasting, affordable, reusable nappies.

Disposable nappies are the third biggest contributor to landfill in the UK, according to a UN report published earlier this year – ‘Single-use nappies and their alternatives’. Around 90 billion of them are thrown away globally each year, and they’re among the top 25 products found in the ocean.

Growth opportunities

Hans Prottey, Head of Strategic Solutions, Coutts, said: “This is a great example of the kind of growth opportunities UKEF investors can access, enabling them to support entrepreneurs across the UK.

“The fund supports British businesses with huge potential looking to scale-up. It gives Professional Clients of Coutts – who generally have experience of corporate transactions such as private equity and M&A – an exclusive opportunity to back companies revolutionising their industries. There’s a strong focus on businesses that have a positive impact on our planet and society too.”

Hans added that the UK was “a great place to invest right now – we’re seeing lots of brilliant businesses looking to grow”.

The UKEF closed in September, but we’re considering launching another fund in 2022. If you’re a Coutts’ client and would like to know more about the fund, please speak to your private banker.

“The UK is a great place to invest right now – we’re seeing lots of brilliant businesses looking to grow.”

Hans Prottey, Head of Strategic Solutions, Coutts

A global leader in sustainable, reusable products

 

Bambino Mio’s turnover has significantly increased year-on-year and it was given a Queen’s Award for Enterprise last year for international trade – now trading in over 50 markets worldwide.

It has a range of award-winning products as well as reusable nappies, including potty training pants, swimwear products, change bags and all essential change-time accessories.

The Northamptonshire-based business has grown rapidly, mostly because of global concerns around single-use plastic and the subsequent rise of more eco-conscious consumers. More generally, the reusable nappy industry is expected to become a £1 billion market globally by 2025, according to the UN report.

“This further investment means we can continue to work towards our ambition of becoming a true global leader in sustainable and reusable products in the FMCG sector,” says co-founder Guy Schanschieff MBE.

“We want to continue to positively disrupt the nappy industry and shift consumers and new parents to a sustainable and environmentally friendly nappy for their children that has tangible benefits to their baby, their wallet and our world.”

James Syrotiuk, investor at BGF, added: “We regard Bambino Mio as a leading brand in the growing global reusable nappy market, and are thrilled to be backing a purpose driven management team who are passionate about improving the environment through the reduction of single-use plastics.

“Bambino Mio is already established in Europe and, with a growing global footprint, there is significant opportunity to increase market share in all territories by supercharging the brand and product development worldwide.”

 
find out more about the uk enterprise fund
 

The value of investments and the income you get from them can fall as well as rise, and you may not get back what you put in. Past performance should not be taken as an indication of future performance.

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