Craft Focus - Dec 2017/Jan 2018 (Issue 64)

Tell us a bit about the company and how it all began? My parents Joe and Mary Clements started the business in 1948 working from home making filter coffee bags. They then expanded into making piping tubes, bags and aprons for the catering trade. The business expanded further when we saw a gap in the market for sugarcraft tools and cake decorating equipment, and took the decision to develop this market, and we haven’t looked back! FMM Sugarcraft celebrates its 70 th anniversary in 2018. What makes the company withstand time and stand out from other companies in the sugarcraft sector? From the very early days of the company, we quickly realised that to build a sustainable business we needed to offer superior customer service. Putting customers at the heart of our business has been the cornerstone of our success. Listening to their needs and responding in a timely manner are all essential elements of our core values. In addition to this, it’s important to bring new and innovative products to customers to stay ahead in this competitive market. Are there any planned celebrations for 70 years in business that you can share with Craft Focus ? Lots of things are in the planning stage at the moment to celebrate this milestone year so I can’t say too much at this stage, but retailers should keep an eye on our social media channels for details as they emerge! Is it important to the company that most of your products are made here in the UK? What important role does this play of the product quality? Designing and manufacturing in the UK gives us greater control of the whole process from ensuring that the initial drawings are clear all the way through to checking the first sample that comes off the production line. Any issues or problems can be picked up straight away and addressed immediately. Because everything is done on site in the UK, we can ensure consistent quality of our products and that the range is in constant supply – and no-one has to wait for a boat to arrive from China! For those retailers who don’t know, explain what products you can offer retailers? We offer an extensive range of sugarcraft tools and equipment designed to make cake decorations quicker and easier for bakers and cake decorators. Over the past year, we’ve noticed that many people working with clays are using our cutters to cut the shapes for jewellery, gift tags and other decorations for greeting cards and even fridge magnets. In response to this demand, we’ve created a new brand FMM FunCraft, which offers a range of tools and cutters for crafters. We’ve even launched our own bright and light air-drying clay. Grace Clements, Managing Director of FMM SugarCrafts, explains how the company has been able to stay ahead of the cake decorating game celebrations with cakes 42 craft focus