A West Yorkshire marshmallow business, which supplies luxury outlets including Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, has secured £70,000 worth of funding.

The Marshmallowist, which has a production facility at Springfield Mills in Farsley, Leeds, will benefit from the cash injection, which is from ‘NPIF II – BEF Smaller Loans’ (managed by the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II)).

Funding also came from BEF’s Community Investment Enterprise Fund 2 (CIEF2), backed by Lloyds Bank and Better Society Capital.

The investment will establish a new bakery facility and create five new jobs, as well as securing seven existing positions at the Leeds site.

A spokesperson said: “Founded by renowned chocolatier Oonagh Simms in 2011, The Marshmallowist pioneered the UK’s gourmet marshmallow market.

“Combining traditional confectionery techniques with bold flavours, the brand uses premium ingredients like fresh fruits, organic herbs, fair-trade sugar, and boutique alcohols.

“All products are egg-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free, catering to diverse dietary preferences.”

Ms Simms’ journey began at the age of 18 when she moved to Paris to train as a pâtissier and chocolatier.

Four years later, she returned to the UK to launch The Marshmallowist from a stall at Portobello Road Market.

In 2014, her sister Jenny joined as a director.

After securing a contract with a growing chocolate brand, the sisters set their sights on upgrading their production facility at Springfield Mills.

They were introduced to BEF by David Baggaley, a business advisor at Leeds City Council, who contributed to securing the funding and grants for their expansion.

Ms Simms said: “This investment marks a significant milestone for us.

“With the new bakery facility, we can expand our production to meet the growing demand and continue pushing the boundaries of what a gourmet marshmallow can be.

“We’re thrilled to take this next step in our journey and bring more of our innovative flavours to our customers.

“It’s not just about growth; it’s about keeping our passion for quality and creativity at the heart of everything we do.”

The purpose of the NPIF II is to drive “sustainable economic growth” by “supporting innovation and creating local opportunity” for new and growing businesses across the North of England.

The NPIF II aims to increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for the North’s smaller businesses.

BEF specialises in delivering smaller loans between £25,000 and £100,000 to businesses in Yorkshire and Humberside.