Nottingham-based Barmies, producer of an innovative baked beer snack that has revived the tradition of brewers and bakers working together, will unveil a fresh new look this month following its time in The Seed Academy.
A culmination of many months working with the philanthropic organisation’s network of mentors, in areas such as marketing, distribution, finance and retail, the new brand has been designed to tell the story behind these unique fermented snacks.
Having graduated from the School of Artisan Food in 2016, founder Sophie Wood created Barmies using the age-old tradition of making bread from the surplus yeast of beermakers, known as beer barm.
Collaborating with different breweries for each flavour, each pouch represents part of the Barmies story, from the cheese and sesame with Portland Porter, brewed just around the corner from the School of Artisan Food at Welbeck Abbey Brewery, to the olive tapenade with Moonshine Pale Ale, brewed by craft beer pioneers Abbeydale Brewery, based in Sheffield where Sophie was born.
Designed by Bristol-based branding and marketing consultancy, The Collaborators, the new packaging has the brand’s heritage at its heart, featuring a baker and brewer entwined in the logo, holding tools to represent their crafts.
An illustration on the back of each pouch explains how the beer barm is fermented and worked into the dough before baking, bringing to life a traditional process that is being used for the first time in the snack category.
The Seed Fund
Sophie said: “It’s incredibly exciting to be launching the new Barmies brand just 18 months after I baked the first batch, and I’m so grateful to The Seed Fund for all its support. The academy unravelled everything I thought about my business, product and brand, and put it back together with a clear strategy of how to move forward, as well as filling those crucial gaps in areas such as finance and distribution.
“The Seed Fund’s founder, Jayne Noblet, believed in me and my brand from the beginning, and the organisation has been true to everything it represents, bringing together a wonderful group of start-ups to share knowledge, experiences and ideas, supported by some top mentors in food and drink. From day one, you’re no longer on your own and I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without their support.”
The new-look 30g pouches of Barmies will be available from Monday (April 16) and come in three flavours: cheese and sesame with Portland Porter, olive tapenade with Moonshine Pale Ale, and smokey chipotle with Harvest Pale Ale.
• The Seed Fund 2018 is open for entry until Monday, April 30. To apply, visit www.theseedfund.co.uk
