Food and drink manufacturers can use trade finance to buy ingredients and packaging before retailers pay, with funding decisions often made in three to five days.
Food and drink production ties up cash in ingredients and packaging long before a single order ships. Raw ingredients are bought in bulk to hold pricing or because they are seasonal, packaging is ordered ahead, and then retailers and distributors pay on thirty to sixty day terms once the product is on the shelf. A letter of credit can secure an overseas ingredient supplier while the rest is funded as a facility.
That covers the supplier when the order goes in, so a manufacturer can take on a supermarket listing or a large wholesale run without its own cash being swallowed by ingredient bills. The facility repays as the finished product sells and the buyer settles. That lets a manufacturer say yes to a listing it could otherwise not stock.
Food and drink manufacturing puts money out early and brings it back late, and short shelf lives add their own pressure to the cycle. The familiar squeeze points repeat across the sector:
Tando keeps funding personal, so a food and drink manufacturer deals with a dedicated account manager who knows the gap between buying ingredients and getting paid by a retailer. Decisions usually land in three to five days, the brokerage is NACFB accredited, and lending partners are FCA-regulated. A bumpy credit history is not a barrier on its own.
A drinks manufacturer winning a national retail listing could use a facility to buy bottles, labels and ingredients ahead of the run, then repay once the retailer pays for the first delivery. When those retail invoices sit unpaid, invoice finance can free up the cash tied in them.
Direct funding for the cost of goods based on a confirmed customer order.
A globally recognised guarantee of payment to your supplier upon verification of shipping documents.
Optimising cash flow by allowing you to pay suppliers early while extending your own payment terms.
Yes, that is the core use. The facility pays your ingredient and packaging suppliers when the order is placed, so production can run ahead of the retailer settling. You repay once the finished product has shipped and the buyer pays on their terms. It means a large listing no longer has to be funded entirely from your own working capital.
It suits seasonal buying well. When a crop or ingredient is only available at certain times, trade finance lets you buy the volume you need while it is on the market, then repay as the finished product sells through the year. Your account manager sizes the facility around the buying window rather than a flat monthly schedule.
Often, yes. Tando places food and drink firms with bad credit or a past bounced payment that many brokers avoid. The retail order and supplier terms matter more than an old setback. Funding goes through FCA-regulated lending partners who look at how the business trades today, so a difficult period in the past does not automatically rule you out.
Facilities usually run from 75,000 to 500,000 pounds, sized to your ingredient and packaging spend and the orders you are fulfilling. Firms turning over 200,000 pounds or more a year are the typical fit. The right figure tracks how much you need to buy ahead of a listing rather than a fixed limit applied to every business.
Usually within three to five days, and sometimes within hours when a supplier deadline is tight or an ingredient window is closing. A dedicated account manager handles the case directly instead of an automated queue, so urgent buying can be turned around quickly enough to keep a production schedule and a retail delivery date on track.
Typically recent accounts or management figures, the retail or wholesale order being supplied, and quotes from your ingredient and packaging suppliers. The account manager keeps the paperwork light and tells you exactly what your case needs. Because the decision rests on the order, documents are usually gathered quickly once a listing or run is confirmed.
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Draw funds when you need them, repay when you can, then draw again.
Tando Capital provides a range of tailored funding solutions to meet diverse business needs:
One of Tando Capital’s core priorities is speed. We offer:
Tando Capital stands out by prioritising human expertise over automated bots:
While criteria vary by product, Tando Capital generally considers:
Our application process is designed to be quick and transparent:
Tando Capital is committed to full transparency—there are no hidden fees:
Tando Capital Limited (trading as Tando Capital), registered at Suite 74 Paycocke Road, Basildon, SS14 3HX . Tando Capital is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and can only complete non-regulated introductions. We work with a Panel of Lenders whose particulars will be supplied upon request. ICO Number ZB748553- We will receive commission from lenders. Different lenders pay different amounts depending on different commission models. For transparency we work with the following commission models: percentage of the amount you borrow and rate for risk (this is based on the risk profile of the business). Further details of the commission model, calculation and amount will be disclosed to you throughout your customer journey.’
