A Somerset ice cream maker is serving up export growth in the Middle East after securing a £103,000 funding boost delivered by SWIG Finance on behalf of the British Business Bank.
Gelato Bros in Weston-super-Mare has made its entry into the export market by securing a contract with a supermarket chain in Saudi Arabia; this complements its growing list of UK clients, which includes independent health food stores and grocery apps in large cities.
Start Up Loans worth a total of £41,000 and a South West Investment Fund loan of £62,000 enabled company owner Osama Rashed to invest in a larger ice cream machine and fulfil the huge increase in orders for his plant-based choc ices, which travelled 3,000 miles to hit Saudi shelves in August. 
Start Up Loans is part of the British Business Bank and offers personal loans of up to £25,000 per director at a fixed rate of interest and offers free mentoring to help anyone start or grow a new or early-stage business.
Osama initially received a £25,000 Start Up Loan in 2022 and, after repaying part of that loan, secured a further £16,000 Second Loan in 2026 to support the continued growth of the business. A Second Loan allows an existing Start Up Loan recipient to apply for additional funding as they repay their first loan, provided their total outstanding Start Up Loans balance does not exceed £25,000.
In the South West, Start Up Loans are delivered by the Bank’s Business Support Partner, SWIG Finance. Last year, SWIG Finance delivered £8 million in Start Up Loan funding to more than 400 businesses across the region.
The South West Investment Fund (SWIF) offers a range of commercial finance options with small loans from £25,000 and equity investment up to £5m. The fund covers the entire South West region including Bristol, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
“Osama demonstrates tenacity and flair for flavours; it really comes across when working with him,” said Suzy Lowe from SWIG Finance. “The Start Up Loan scheme has been able to support this business from conception and now in its next phase of growth – a wonderful success story for Osama with a world of potential to grasp. I’m excited to follow his progress.”
“It is great to be able to help a local business to fund their next stage of growth,” added Jim. “Osama has shown great belief and determination to get his business to where it is today where he’s now getting orders from home and abroad for this great product. Osama was a pleasure to deal with throughout the process, and I wish him continued success.”
Lizzy Upton, Associate Director at the British Business Bank, said: “Gelato Bros is a great example of how different British Business Bank programmes can work together to support an ambitious business as it grows. Osama has taken a business he started during lockdown and built a distinctive product that is now finding customers thousands of miles away.
“By combining Start Up Loans and the South West Investment Fund, the business now has the finance needed to significantly increase production and help turn that export opportunity into further growth.”
The purpose of the South West Investment Fund is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West. It offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25k to £100k, debt finance from £100k to £2m and equity investment up to £5 million.
The fund is increasing the supply and diversity of early‑stage finance for South West smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance.
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