Plum Baby

Plum Baby, a UK-based company, was a notable entrant in the premium organic baby food market, founded in 2004 by Susie Willis. A former chef and mother of three, Willis was driven by a vision to create "real food for babies, not just baby food," after being dissatisfied with existing options. The company officially launched in February 2006 with an exclusive deal with Sainsbury's, and within a year, its products were available in 2,500 supermarkets.

The business positioned itself at the high end of the market, offering a range of over 50 products including purees in pots and pouches, cereals, and snacks. A key differentiator was the avoidance of traditional rice bulkers and starches, instead using ingredients like quinoa. Plum Baby's products were 100% organic and packaged in resealable, BPA-free pouches that utilized a layer of aluminum between plastic to preserve the food with minimal processing. This approach helped the company capture a 4% share of the UK baby food market, valued at £11 million at one point.

In May 2010, the founders sold the company to Darwin Private Equity in a deal valued at £10 million. Following the acquisition, founder Susie Willis remained as Creative Director. The company continued to operate and expand, and in January 2013, Plum Baby Ltd was sold to the US-based Plum Organics, a similarly named but previously unconnected company. This merger created a multinational entity with over 150 products and retail sales exceeding $120 million. Subsequently, in June 2013, the combined entity was acquired by the Campbell Soup Company. However, following a series of product recalls in 2013 due to packaging seal failures, the UK-based Plum Baby ceased trading in August 2014.

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