Where to get funding for your UK food or drink brand

If you’re a food or drink entrepreneur, you’re likely juggling a million things…
…perfecting your product; growing your audience; figuring out how to make your branding pop on Instagram and your packaging fit on a shelf.

One major hurdle that often looms large…funding.

Whether you’re still stirring your first batch in a rented kitchen or scaling up to stock the shelves of a major retailer, access to capital can make or break your next move.

So where can you go to find funding? We’ve put together a starter…

Government Grants and Support

Gov.uk – Government Funding & Grants Portal
A good resource listing several different finance and support schemes.

Innovate UK
Great if your food or drink brand is doing something a bit different – think sustainability, technology, health innovation.

Regional Growth Funds

Many local councils offer grants or loans for start-ups and scale-ups – especially if you’re creating jobs or boosting the local economy.
Find your local one here.

Start-Up Loans

If you want to keep control of your money a short-term or an unsecured business loan could be an option.

British Business Bank
Government-backed personal loans for early stage brands plus free mentoring and business advice.

SME Loans
Strive to help new businesses reach their full potential by working closely with a panel of top UK lenders.

iwoca
A range of short-term and unsecured business loans

Shire Funding Solutions
Flexible approach to borrowing that provides instant cash without using valuable assets 

Equity Investment

If you’re confident your product could fly, and you’re okay with giving up a slice, equity investment might be your route.

Angel Investors

Typically high-net-worth individuals investing their own money, often at the very early stages of a business.

Angel Investment Network
Connects UK companies seeking investment with UK investors who have the capital, connections, and expertise to drive them to success.

Seedrs
Great for consumer-facing food and drink brands with a strong story and community appeal.

Venture Capitalists

VCs represent investors who pool their money to create a larger fund, typically investing in later-stage, more established scale-up brands.

Seedcamp
Octopus Ventures
Jam Jar Investments

Accelerators & Incubators

Accelerators don’t just offer money – they give you access to expert mentorship, office space, networking, and often investment at the end of the programme.

Bread & Jam
A brilliant network and event series, they’ve just launched a funding accelerator.

Mission Ventures
Have a range of Accelerators depending on size and type of business

Virgin Start Ups
Helping founders in the UK start and grow the businesses they’re passionate about.

Unrest
Supporting the next generation of founders determined to leave this world better than they found it.

Crowdfunding

An increasingly popular way of funding, especially if you’ve got a great brand story and a loyal customer base.

Kickstarter
Indiegogo
Crowdcube
Fundable

Final bit of advice?

Before you dive into any funding route, make sure you know what you need – and most importantly do your research.
Is it cash, mentorship, distribution support, or all of the above?

And don’t be afraid to start small. Many great UK food and drink brands bootstrapped in the beginning, built a loyal following, and used that momentum to raise funds later.

If your product is as good as you think it is (and we believe you!), there IS money out there to get you off the ground.

You just need to know where to look – and now you do!