A family-run smokehouse in Breckland has been granted £50,000 by Breckland Council as part of its recent round of Business Growth Grants.
Managing Director Thomas Hunt founded Hope Seafood around two years ago using sturdy but second-hand cutting machines to get him started. The thriving rural business, also trading as Hunt’s Smokehouse, has quickly taken off and now has global customers that include high-end London hotels and international airlines, but the growing demand is outstripping what the existing equipment can handle.
The business, based near Shipdham, currently produces around five tonnes of smoked salmon each week, but that figure is set to rise to about 20 tonnes thanks to the new equipment which has been part-funded by the grant alongside the business also investing in the new kit. This growth will help secure the business’s future, create new jobs for local people, and contribute to a thriving local economy.
Mr Hunt was encouraged to apply for the grant after reading an article in the council’s Your Breckland magazine, which highlighted the range of support on offer to local enterprises.
The Business Growth Grants scheme, delivered by Breckland Council, provides capital funding to help rural businesses start up, grow, or diversify. It is supported through the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), which is funded by the UK Government to boost productivity and prosperity in the places that need it most, particularly by addressing the unique challenges faced by rural areas.
Thomas Hunt, Managing Director of Hope Seafood, said: “Without this grant from Breckland Council, I wouldn’t have been able to buy the machines I needed to grow my business, so it has been a real game changer for us.”
Cllr Paul Claussen, Executive Member for Economic Development and Growth, added: “We are proud to award Hope Seafood with one of our Business Growth Grants as part of our commitment to supporting rural businesses throughout our district. I’m delighted to see the difference this funding is already making and look forward to seeing Hope Seafood go from strength to strength.”
