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Srsly Low Carb emerged when Andy Welch, an avid endurance sports enthusiast, recognised the benefits of transitioning to a low-carb/high-protein lifestyle for his body and health. Despite the positive changes, he still craved everyday essentials like bread, rolls, wraps, and pizza. This led him to create Seriously Low Carb, a brand that fills the gap for those seeking low-carb alternatives to traditional favourites.
The uniqueness of Srsly Low Carb lies in its designation as a “Game Changer,” a term coined by customers impressed with the brand. The success is attributed to the alignment with global independent medical research, supporting the effectiveness of natural food for various people and needs. Srsly Low Carb focuses on producing tasty, weight-loss savvy, and keto-friendly food, allowing customers to enjoy everyday convenience while embracing a healthier lifestyle.
The brand’s breakthrough resonates with the growing awareness of low-carb lifestyles endorsed by celebrities, doctors, and the NHS. Seriously Low Carb has gained recognition from multiple charities and sports colleges and has started collaborations with the NHS. The brand taps into the significant market of individuals trying various diets, with 80% of its consumers expressing interest in purchasing products for weight loss.
Getting Started
Andy Welch’s decision to launch Srsly Low Carb stemmed from personal experience during his journey into keto for endurance sports in 2019.
The initial focus was on creating light, fluffy, scalable bread to meet the demands of a low-carb lifestyle. The turning point came when a surge in popularity, triggered by positive reviews and influencer support, propelled Srsly Low Carb from selling a few loaves a day to thousands. This marked when Welch realised his venture’s potential and impact.
The most challenging aspect Welch faced was managing cash flow, a common hurdle for ambitious startups experiencing rapid growth. The excitement of surging online sales during lockdown led to substantial investments in product innovation, staffing, and logistics. However, sustaining the same scale of online sales became challenging as the world transitioned back to normal. This taught Welch the importance of balancing ambitious expansion with financial prudence.
Before launching Srsly Low Carb, Andy Welch held well-paid roles in international FTSE 250 companies across diverse sectors. The decision to venture into Srsly Low Carb was driven by a desire to make a real difference in everyday lives and create a venture that brought pride and fulfilment.
COVID had a dual impact on Srsly Low Carb. On one hand, the pandemic boosted online sales and revealed a latent demand for tasty, low-carb options. On the other hand, the rapid growth during the pandemic posed challenges in adapting to the evolving business landscape.
Business highs included:
- Becoming the fastest-growing keto/low-carb bread company in the UK.
- Dominating Amazon’s bestseller in the fresh bakery category.
- Expanding into international markets.
- Aligning with the sugar movement.
Challenges included a missed opportunity with a high-street retailer due to the pandemic’s impact on product ranges.
Looking ahead, Seriously Low Carb aims to make breakthroughs in the mainstream and food service sectors, with plans to create a pasta that outshines other low-carb alternatives.
Srsly Low Carb believes it stands out as the perfect starting point for keto enthusiasts in a highly competitive marketplace. The brand caters to well-informed foodies seeking weight loss or managing type 2 diabetes. As the range expands, Srsly Low Carb aims to transition from the foodie fringes to an alternative eating mainstream.
Andy Welch’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs emphasises the need for resilience, an appetite for overcoming setbacks, and a passion for challenging the status quo. He encourages entrepreneurs to embrace change and challenges while believing in their ability to make a difference.
PRODUCT BENEFITS
There is a wide range of benefits to a low-carb diet, showcased on their website; they have a great range of products, the website is easy to navigate, and all the nutritional information for each product is readily available.
“Our amazing Seriously Low Carb Loaf has a fraction of the carbs. Standard bread is 45-55g of carbs per 100g. Our Seriously Low Carb bread has just 3.3g of net carbs per 100g, which means that two slices of our bread are 1.4g of carbs. Perfect for your favourite sandwich! And at 290g, that’s many sandwiches for not many carbs”.
Customer reviews are also very positive. The website has many customers leaving positive messages about the service and products.
One customer left a glowing review about their low-carb rolls.
“These rolls have been an absolute lifesaver in my low-carb weight loss journey, and I’ve tried several other low-carb suppliers, but these are the best. It is perfect for cold fillings and hot breakfast sandwiches, so I still enjoy a lovely sausage or bacon sandwich. I recommend it for anyone wanting to lose weight or reduce their Hba1c levels”.
Current Projects
Recently, the health food pioneers have been making waves in other areas. Last year, a successful cron funding campaign allowed for more expansion and growth.
Srsly Low Carb successfully reached its £200k crowdfunding target on Seedrs to facilitate the expansion of its product range in the retail channel. Over 200 investors participated in the campaign, contributing £240k at an overall valuation of £8.1m. The funds will provide immediate capital for ongoing discussions with retailers, with a larger fundraising round planned for the following year.
The brand has achieved £6.5m in revenues, and recent successes include securing a contract with NHS England and receiving its first retail order in the US for frozen pizzas.
Andy Welch expressed that the Seedrs campaign aims to support the brand’s transition from being a B2C pioneer to an export and supermarket mainstay. Ongoing discussions with three leading supermarkets are underway, and the goal is to establish Srsly Low Carb as the long-awaited low-carb custodian in the UK market.
Funds raised through the crowdfunding initiative will be allocated to prioritise product innovation, expand exports, implement a full sales rollout following the NHS contract win, and transition from direct-to-consumer (DTC) to physical retail outlets. This successful round comes after the brand secured £500k earlier this year from the East of England Regional Growth Loan Scheme.
Srsly Low Carb’s achievements and commitment to quality are further recognised as the brand finds itself shortlisted for the upcoming New Product & Packaging Awards, particularly for its seeded artisan loaf. They are doing big things in the health food market and are only going from strength to strength.
