Edinburgh-based The Drinks Bakery scores place in top business programme

With a line-up intent on shaking up the shopping basket philanthropic project The Seed Fund, set up to help fledgling food and drink businesses to grow and flourish has announced its Class of 2019, including The Drinks Bakery in Morningside alongside 13 other ambitious entrepreneurs.

Biscuits from The Drinks Bakery pair perfectly with your favourite tipple.

The bold biscuiteer will now undertake an intensive summer programme run by top mentors from across the industry, designed to transform big ideas into big business.

Founded by Andy Murray (not that one) in 2016, The Drinks Bakery has created a range of savoury snacks that are flavour-profiled to complement some of the nation’s favourite alcoholic drinks.

This carefully curated collection of ‘drinks biscuits’ includes Parmesan, Toasted Pine Nuts & Basil, Mature Cheddar, Chilli & Almond, Pecorino, Rosemary & Scottish Seaweed and Lancashire Cheese & Spring Onion, with all four products coming with pairing suggestions for a number of beers, wines and spirits.

The biscuits are stocked in over 200 Sainsbury’s stores across the UK plus a number of independent food and drink outlets including IJ Mellis, Montpeliers bars, Stewart's Taproom, Vino Wines and the Bier Hoose on Leith Walk.

Andy travelled Europe in a campervan with his foodie-obsessed family every summer as a child eating in cafes, bars and brasseries. He started baking at 10, was a self-proclaimed "decent" cook by 14 and a sommelier by 19.

He’s since owned restaurants, a gastro pub and a wine business and continues to eat and drink his way around the world, fuelling his desire to create a more thoughtful link between the worlds of craft, premium drinks and the common snack.

His budding business will now embark on a game-changing series of workshops, seminars, industry visits and one-on-one sessions with mentors including Renée Elliott, founder of Planet Organic, the Guild of Fine Food’s John Farrand, Camilla Barnard from Rude Health and Emma Murphy of Sourced Market.

Run in partnership with Great Taste, the world’s most coveted food awards, the Academy will cover branding, funding, finance, PR, social media, law and more, during a comprehensive accelerator programme designed to help new products find space on the crowded shelves.

Following a summer of learning and development, a brand new investment Pitch Day will be held at Piper Private Equity in Notting Hill, London, where the business owners will have an opportunity to secure funding for their brands.

One eventual Academy winner will also be announced at the Great Taste Golden Forks Dinner in London this autumn, awarded a further year of business support and brand development, estimated to be worth over £100,000.