Area served Global Founder James William Middleton Type of business Private | Website www.boomf.com Founded November 2013 Headquarters Reading, London | |
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Industry Personalised confectionery Founders James Middleton and Andy Bell | ||
How to make good boomf
Boomf is a UK company that delivers marshmallows personalised with photos by post. The company positions itself as an alternative to sending flowers or chocolates.
Contents
Boomf unboxing video
Background
Boomf was founded in November 2013 by James Middleton and Andy Bell. Middleton had previously founded Nice Cakes, which specialised in personalised cakes. Bell had previously founded Mint Digital, which created StickyGram (now Sticky9), an Instagram magnet company which sold to PhotoBox. Boomf combines elements from both businesses.
History
In 2014, Boomf raised over $1m and is backed by a number of angel investors, including Nick Jenkins, founder of Moonpig, Duncan Jennings and Matt Wheeler.
Boomf launched in November 2013 without mentioning Middleton's involvement, to allow for a low profile launch. In January 2014, Boomf announced Middleton's involvement, believing that it would be impossible to keep it secret long-term.
The initial reaction to Boomf was incredulity; in the Bluff the Listener section of NPR's Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me, one listener believed it was more plausible that Vladimir Putin had a brother Igor who had invented a pill to stop old people smelling, than that the Duchess of Cambridge's brother has launched a personalised marshmallow company.
Nevertheless, Boomf shipped 2 tons of marshmallows in its first year and made £100,000 ($168,000) in sales in its first three months.
Boomf launched a real-time personalised marshmallow service on a reconditioned Pashley's tricycle in the department store Selfridges, as part of Selfridge's Meet the Makers pop-up season. For Valentines, Boomf created a S'mores pop-up, allowing customers to roast their ex.
In July 2015, Boomf launched a nationwide search for a new marshmallow designer. The winner was Bournemouth University student Izzy Burton.
It was reported in August 2015 that the company had raised £1million in funding.