Local brand Born & Bred, an online and high street store that showcases modern Irish homeware and gifts, has acquired a substantial new warehouse facility with the support of Ulster Bank following a year of surging online sales.
Located on the outskirts of Belfast city centre, the new premises are five times larger than Born & Bred’s current operations and will serve as a springboard for future growth as the business continues to expand its independent retail network across the island of Ireland.
The investment comes off the back of record online performance with Born & Bred reporting that its e-commerce sales doubled in the last financial year as demand for its joyful giftware collections rises in domestic and international markets.
Based on Ann Street, Born & Bred was founded in 2018 by owner Linzi Rooney who set up the business to bridge the gap between the high street and local producers.
“This investment, supported by Lee and the team at Ulster Bank, gives us great headroom to continue growing the Born & Bred brand while staying true to our roots. The extra capacity will allow us to ramp up the manufacturing of our own authentic ranges and nurture fresh new partnerships with local makers.”
Ulster Bank business development manager Lee White said: “Linzi and her team have crafted something that really resonates with both the local consumer as well as overseas visitors, resulting in strong performance year-round. We’re fully committed to ensuring local entrepreneurs have the means to grow and recognise the real value of supporting businesses like Born & Bred whose ethos is one that feeds an even wider ecosystem of local producers.”
For more information, visit wearebornandbred.com. To learn more about Ulster Bank business banking, visit ulsterbank.co.uk.