Brand Hatchers Wins King's Award for International Trade
Brand Hatchers has been awarded the King's Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
Founded by Emily Griffiths and her father Chris Howarth, Cardiff-based Brand Hatchers has grown from a family-led startup into a global business, now selling products in more than 36 countries. Its flagship brand Brain Blasterz is the leading sour candy brand across Europe and the Middle East, while its fast-growing e-commerce brands – Nurture by Nature (self-care and wellness) and Guitar Lab (musical accessories) – are category leaders on Amazon UK, US, and EU.
'Winning the King's Award is a huge moment – not just for us as a business, but for the people and values behind it,' said Emily Griffiths, co-founder and CEO. 'We built this company with an international mindset from the start, and to now be recognised at this level is an incredible honour.
'I'm incredibly proud to lead a company that proves ambition, and compassion can go hand in hand. Our flexible workplace policies don't just support our team – they make it possible for me to juggle leadership and family life too. We're showing that you can grow internationally without compromising on people, culture or purpose.
'This award is also a testament to the hard work, creativity and dedication of our amazing team in Cardiff. Every success we've had has been driven by their energy and belief in what we're building – I'm incredibly grateful to work alongside such talented and passionate people.
'Working with such a wide variety of markets and clients is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do,' Emily said. 'It keeps us learning, evolving, and pushing forward.'
The King's Awards for Enterprise, formerly known as the Queen's Awards, are the highest official UK awards for British businesses. As a recipient, Brand Hatchers will now be entitled to use the King's Awards emblem for the next five years – a mark of outstanding achievement in international trade.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
4 hours ago
- Wales Online
ATOL protection - what to do if your travel company goes bust
ATOL protection - what to do if your travel company goes bust There are various measures in place to protect consumers Things can go wrong (Image: Liam McBurney/PA ) Berkshire-based travel company Great Little Escapes collapsed earlier this week, leaving thousands of holidaymakers in limbo. When a travel company goes bust, suddenly people who were looking forward to their escape abroad are left facing a confusing and stressful situation. When booking a holiday, the last thing on your mind is the possibility that your airline, hotel, or cruise company could collapse. Unfortunately, it happens - and when it does, the result can be both stressful and expensive. This is where end supplier failure comes into play. What happens when a travel company goes bust - end supplier failure Chris Payne, compliance expert at Total Travel Protection, explained: 'End supplier failure refers to the insolvency or financial collapse of a travel service provider - such as an airline, hotel, ferry operator, car hire company, or cruise line - that was supposed to deliver a part of your travel plans. If they cease trading, you may be left without the service you paid for." What to do if your travel firm goes bust The first thing you should do is check if you booked a package holiday - known as ATOL Protected. If you booked a package holiday through a UK travel company and received an ATOL certificate, you're in luck. The ATOL scheme, run by the Civil Aviation Authority, protects you if the travel company or one of its suppliers goes bust. Did it happen before travel? You should get a refund. Already abroad? ATOL will arrange for you to return home. ATOL only applies to air travel packages sold in the UK. Article continues below Did you pay by credit card? Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, if you paid £100–£30,000 using a UK credit card, the card provider is jointly liable for the failure of the supplier - even if you booked through an intermediary. You can claim a full refund from your card issuer if the service isn't provided due to insolvency. Look for ABTA protection. If you booked land- or sea-based travel (e.g., coach tours, cruises, rail), and the company is an ABTA member, you may be entitled to refunds or alternative arrangements under their protection scheme. ABTA does not cover flight-only bookings. Contact the insolvency practitioner. In cases where ATOL, ABTA, or the Consumer Credit Act doesn't apply, you can contact the administrator or liquidator handling the collapsed supplier's insolvency. They may be organising limited refunds or arrangements. Article continues below What if you're already abroad? Chris said: 'If your end supplier fails while you're away, you should reach out to ATOL or ABTA if applicable. Contact the UK consulate or embassy if you're stranded with no support.' More help and advice can be found at:
South Wales Argus
7 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Expanding Horizons acquires three South Wales care homes
Cwmbran-based Expanding Horizons secured the homes following its takeover of Enable Care Services (South Wales) Ltd. The acquisition was funded by a £3.25 million investment from NatWest. Ellis Jenkins, director at Expanding Horizons, said: "At Expanding Horizons, we care deeply about the quality of care our service users receive. "We seek to not only support individuals but empower them to be the best versions of themselves. "The fact that so many people in Wales are living with disabilities and severe mental illness underscores the critical need for tailored support which helps them gain or rebuild their independence. "Residents of South Wales deserve the highest quality of care, and we are thrilled to announce the acquisition of Enable Care Services as we continue to grow and expand our network. "NatWest has been exceptional throughout the process, demonstrating a deep understanding of our industry and our goals and we are incredibly grateful for their support." The deal includes two care homes in Cwmbran and one in Argoed. Expanding Horizons provides personalised support for people with learning disabilities and severe mental illnesses. The company marks its 20th anniversary this year. Part of the funding will go towards the acquisition, while the remainder will support refinancing and infrastructure improvements to ensure regulatory compliance. The expansion is aimed at meeting the rising demand for residential and supported living services across South Wales. According to Public Health Network Cymru, around 900,000 people in Wales live with a disability. This represents 27 per cent of the population, compared to the UK average of 22 per cent. Neil Williams, senior relationship manager at NatWest, said: "The work that Expanding Horizons does is absolutely invaluable to its service users and is the exact sort of community benefit that we look to support at NatWest. "We look forward to continuing our partnership and are excited to witness Expanding Horizon's continued growth and evolution." Expanding Horizons said the acquisition will improve its ability to deliver high-quality care across the region. The company currently operates a portfolio of care homes and supported living services in South Wales.
BBC News
9 hours ago
- BBC News
Allied Steel and Wire pension campaigners call for surplus to be used
Pensioners from a plant in Cardiff who lost their pensions when it went bust more than 20 years ago have called for surplus money to be used to compensate from Allied Steel and Wire got 90% of their pensions back, but that has been eroded because payments are not linked to rising of them, John Benson, said "retirement dreams" had been "destroyed" but that using a small portion of a £13bn surplus in the Pension Protection Fund would be enough to fully restore the UK government said it was considering the matter but warned "these are complex matters requiring a balanced approach". Pension protections were strengthened after the Maxwell Scandal, when newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell stole more than £400m from the pension funds of his Mirror newspaper group to prop up his ailing pensioners lost half of what they had paid in. As a result of his action, the Financial Assistance Scheme was set up as a safety net to protect pensioners when the companies they worked for went bust. It was this scheme that helped bail out a group of Welsh workers from Allied Steel and Wire (ASW) in Cardiff who lost out when the company went under in 2002. Although the ASW workers got 90% of their pensions, their value has fallen since that time as they are not linked to rising prices. 'It's destroyed me' Mr Benson, from Dinas Powys, Vale of Glamorgan, has led a long campaign asking the government to make up the shortfall, which he said has had dire consequences."It's destroyed retirement dreams. Some colleagues have had to downsize," he said. "One lady who was seriously ill herself couldn't afford a funeral after her husband died, and a couple of months later she died herself. "It's soul destroying. It's destroyed me. "There are some horror stories, too many to tell." Now a cross-party group of Senedd members has written to the prime minister urging him to pay the pensions in full, among them the former Conservative leader in Cardiff Bay Andrew RT Davies."This is a massive injustice that's been inflicted on ASW pension holders and other pension holders across the UK," he said."Through no fault of their own, they've lost their entitlement to a full pension which they paid into, and we believe the system should be corrected and that's why we've signed this letter."It has been revealed that the scheme which replaced the Financial Assistance Scheme, the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), has a surplus of £ Benson said paying a tiny amount of that money to him and his fellow pensioners to make up the shortfall would not be a hardship, but would make all the difference to them."This money, this surplus in the PPF, should be paid to restore our pensions in full."They've got a £13bn surplus in the PPF – use it!"Stop making excuses that it's public money – it's our money. This money is meant for us, not other government policies." 'Any hope?' The matter was also raised with Pensions Minister and Swansea West MP Torsten Bell at a meeting of the Commons Work and Pensions Committee earlier this chair Labour MP Debbie Abrahams asked: "I cannot understand the reason for not making a decision to enable them to spend the last few years of their life in some comfort, can you give us any hope around this?"Bell replied: "It does need to be looked at properly."It needs to be considered in the round of those wider impacts, as all public policy matters are, but I am absolutely aware of the issues."I am also aware of the average age of the people that are affected."The best thing I can do is to say that I am aware and I am looking at it, but the public finance implications are more complicated than you set out."In response, concerning its £13bn surplus, the PPF said it deliberately had what it called a reserve to protect it from future claims or in case people live longer than Department for Work and Pensions said it recognised members' incomes may have been eroded in recent years."However, these are complex matters requiring a balanced approach," it said."The government is continuing to consider what we have heard from the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme members on this issue."More on this story on BBC Politics Wales at 10:00 BST on Sunday 22 June
