A Dorset-based cannery dedicated to premium canned British fish is expanding thanks to a total of £78,600 in funding from the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme, with support from its partner SWIG Finance.
Sea Sisters was founded during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 by couple Charlotte Dawe and Angus Cowen. During their fortnightly lockdown shopping trips for store cupboard goods – including canned fish – they noticed that none of the products they could find were canned in England or used British fish.
That sparked the start of their canned food journey, and the business was created with a focus on preserving high-quality British fish using traditional methods, while supporting sustainable, low-impact fisheries, female fishers and UK aquaculture.
With the support of SWIG Finance, which manages the Start Up Loans programme in the South West, the couple received two initial Start Up Loans of £25,000 each. Having partially paid these off, the couple were then able to access a total of £28,600 through two second loans, designed to offer an affordable way to continue building a business. The investment has helped Sea Sisters establish its cannery, extend its range of preserved British fish products and create 15 local jobs.
Based in Bridport, Sea Sisters produces a range of handcrafted British conservas using seasonal British seafood, including Cornish sardines, Norfolk whelks, Welsh cockles and oak-smoked rainbow trout. Products are prepared and preserved by hand in small batches using carefully developed recipes inspired by ingredient-led cooking.
Angus, previously a chef at London restaurants including Trullo and Rochelle Canteen, said the business was built around quality, provenance and flavour. “From the beginning we wanted to celebrate British seafood and create something that combined traditional preservation techniques with modern flavours and clear provenance. It has been a huge journey building a craft cannery and developing our own range of British conservas here in Dorset. The support from Start Up Loans and SWIG Finance has been a vital part of that.”
The company says sustainability is central to its approach, with seafood sourced from fisheries using low-impact fishing methods from abundant stocks and all its plastic-free packaging is fully recyclable.
The name ‘Sea Sisters’ was inspired by the founders’ two daughters and the importance of family, sisterhood and togetherness.
The couple secured investment with the help of SWIG Finance, the not-for-profit lender, which has been championing South West small businesses since 1989 and last year delivered £8m in Start Up Loan funding to more than 400 businesses across the region. Sea Sisters worked closely with SWIG Finance Senior Start Up Loans Manager Jo MacEachan during the application process.
Charlotte said: “Jo has always supported us and helped us to become the success that we are. Without her help and that of the wonderful SWIG Finance team in general, we would not have been able to build the cannery and employ our brilliant team.”
Jo shared: “I’m so fortunate to be small part of Charlotte’s and Angus’s journey. From the outset, their passion, commitment, and dedication to having a positive impact on the fisheries industry oozed from them. Compliance, sustainability, quality and credibility have been at the forefront of their minds. They’ve embraced and chased every opportunity, and their workforce family are something special. Sea Sisters will always be an application I remember with fondness and I can’t wait to see what they do next.”
Sea Sisters products are available online at www.seasisters.co.uk and through a growing network of independent retailers, delis and food outlets across the UK.
For more information about SWIG Finance and the Start Up Loans programme, visit www.swigfinance.co.uk or call 01872 227 930.
