A Walsall based business producing a one-of-a-kind chicken crackling product has been awarded a £12,000 funding boost to innovate and generate employment opportunities.
Little Bobby Jebb Foods has received a £12,000 donation from Walsall Business Support to fund the fabrication of a bespoke oil pump and filtration system to efficiently extract chicken oil and fat to create new products for the retail market.
Established in 2017 by Robert Jebb, Little Bobby Jebb Foods founded The Original Chicken Crackling at their factory on Wall End Close in Bloxwich. The chicken crackling is the world’s first and only high protein snack and crumb made from sustainable chicken skin byproducts.
Funding from Walsall Business Support will enable the business to purchase a bespoke pump and filtration system to extract oils and fats from the cooking process to launch a new range of edible oils and innovative products to the retail market.
As a result, the business will employ three additional members of staff to run the edible oil production.
Formed by leading local business figures to distribute funds collected from the legacy of Walsall Chamber of Commerce, Walsall Business Support provides grants to applicants who want funding for projects to enhance business life in the borough.
Walsall Business Support board member John Murray said: “We are pleased to be able to provide Little Bobby Jebb Foods with the funding they need to innovate and grow their business.
“As an organisation that supports businesses in Walsall to grow, create employment and training opportunities, Little Bobby Jebb are a great example of a thriving employer in the region.”
Little Bobby Jebb Foods owner Robert Jebb commented: “The Walsall Business Support grant has come at the most perfect time for Little Bobby Jebb Foods Ltd.”
“We have spent many years building our own machinery and bringing our factory slowly up to BRC standard, with tiny budgets to work with, trial and error has turned into growth and opportunity.
“With proof of concepts, we now need to accelerate our growth into 2024. This grant has meant this is possible due to the hardware we can buy to take new products to market at the volumes required.”
Walsall Business Support provide grants and a free training needs analysis to businesses looking to generate growth, create employment or shape training opportunities for the borough of Walsall. Using an online form on the WBS website, bids can be submitted by businesses needing investment in a new project or a company wanting to improve skills.
