Oakdale-based sweet maker Bon Bon Buddies has reported steady turnover of £39.1 million for 2015, latest company accounts show.
Despite a slight decrease from £39.8m in 2014, the company has said it is on course for a record turnover during its current financial year.
The company, based at Oakdale Business Park, is one of Europe’s leading branded confectionery providers.
If you were lucky enough to get an Easter egg this year with your favourite Disney or Marvel character on it, then it would have been manufactured by Bon Bon Buddies.
According to recently filed accounts at Companies House for parent company Bon Bon Buddies (Holdings) Ltd, turnover was £39.1m in the year ending April 30 2015 – down from £39.8m in 2014. Pre-tax profit fell slightly to £772,000 from £1.1m the previous year.
In its accompanying report, the business said the drop was down to market conditions.
It said: “[The decrease was] predominately due to sterling strengthening against the major currencies in the year. The effects of the strong pound also had the effect of devaluing the Euro sales made in the year. Core commodity prices, to which the group is exposed, also continued to rise.”
The report also highlighted the company’s strategy of focussing on year-round sales, instead of seasonal events like Easter and Christmas, having a positive impact.
It read: “The economic prospects for 2015 are continuing to grow in strength and the directors believe the group’s strategy leave it well positioned for future growth.
“The directors are pleased to report that the company has traded strongly since the year end.”
Indeed, Finance director Joanne Manfield recently told Business Insider that the company was headed for a record year in terms of turnover.
She said: “Historically, we’ve been a predominantly seasonal business. Easter and Christmas were the key periods with sales of Easter eggs, advent calendars and such.
“We found this was putting a huge stress on the business so we developed a strategy to increase year round sales.”
International sales also remain key for Bon Bon Buddies, with exports accounting for half of the company’s sales, and the firm, established in 1993, is continuing to expand into new markets.
A profit of £772’000, not bad for shamelessly selling sugary sweets to young children, will they now be paying back the £27’360 given to them by the Welsh Government to promote it’s company – no I thought not, so how can a company that turns over £39million be given free money to promote it’s business in the first place.