Sweet success for Wakefield TikTok candy business

A confectionery start-up, launched in lockdown by a Wakefield husband and wife who were out-of-work due to Covid-19, has won a national business award from Lloyds Bank and is set to exceed £1m in turnover in its first year.

Sophie and Ryan Taylor started their business, Candy Works, last October after being inspired by lots of start-ups in America advertising on social networking platform TikTok.

Sophie said: “We saw a gap in the UK market and had always wanted to start our own business. We were both unemployed at the time, with our two children at home, and just thought there’s no time like the present.”

The couple borrowed £400 from a family member and put it all into posting their own adverts on TikTok and setting up supply chains with contacts in the UK, Spain, America and Mexico. They received more than 1,000 orders within the first few days, operate from premises in Leeds and have been named a winner in the Lloyds Bank Small Business of 2021 awards.

Sophie said: “Much of the last year has been a blur, everything’s just gone so fast. We’ve relied on going with the flow really to this point, so the mentoring will help us to take stock, stay on track and plan for the future.”

Source: Sweet success for Wakefield TikTok candy business | Wakefield Express