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If you’ve been watching Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars, you’ll have seen budding entrepreneurs battling it out to win a £150,000 investment from the celebrity chef to set up their dream food business. Seeing Victoria (with her plantain-based snacks business) crowned the winner may have inspired you to reconsider your own food business dreams. We sought out some other entrepreneurs who’ve turned their food passions into careers without the help of a TV competition….

Lizzie Langdon, Home to Home, North Somerset

Working as a nurse, Lizzie dreamed of setting up a family-friendly café in her countryside garden. “After a heart to heart with my husband I decided to quit the NHS to follow my dreams.”

Despite lacking experience of the food industry she dived in headfirst, quickly developing her business skills while working in the kitchen. “It ran for three years but sadly had to close – ironically due to its popularity and outgrowing the premises.”

Lizzie returned to healthcare, working as a private carer. Then she had a realisation; there are lots of people who can't cook home-cooked meals for themselves. Some are physically unable to, while others are simply just too busy with hectic schedules limiting their time in the kitchen. Regardless of the reason, they don’t want to resort to ultra-processed ready meals.

Her idea was to create frozen meals using locally sourced ingredients and distribute them direct to customers and via retailers. She teamed up with Katie, who came with a nutrition degree and Cordon Bleu training.

When Covid hit, the launch was brought forward, “to help provide the community with meals and to ease the stress of shopping in lockdown.”

Starting a business when there were food shortages (they too struggled to buy flour and pasta) wasn’t easy, and they both had to juggle childcare with work. However, stepping up for a community in need paid dividends for the business. They attracted a loyal fanbase who order direct, and have also established a network of local stockists. They’re now hoping to expand the business further, while growing more of their own produce for the meals.

Lizzie’s top tip: keep innovating. “A friend told me that the constant of all successful businesses is change – continually adapting to new needs, new market players and new situations.”

Rhiannon Abbott, The Epsom Bakehouse, Surrey

When Rhiannon became disillusioned at work, she took comfort in baking. It was so enjoyable that she embarked on a training programme to set up a micro-bakery business in her own home. Things quickly escalated.

“I started by holding a market stall one weekday lunchtime. I sold 70 percent of the freshly baked bread that I’d brought along that day and made some great local connections.”

Starting a family made Rhiannon re-evaluate the direction of the business. It simply wasn't practical to spend days at a market stall, so she focused on teaching breadmaking classes every weekend. As her children grew, so did the business and she started expanding her teaching courses.

When lockdown arrived, Rhiannon took her business online. It’s now a full-time job and doesn’t just stop with teaching. To reach new audiences and keep growing the business she blogs, produces YouTube videos and runs live videos.

And she’s eager to keep pushing forward. “If you’re growing and adapting your business – there’s always something that you need to find out or learn,” she says.

Rhiannon’s top tip: network. “Networking with other small business owners has been invaluable for support in running my business. There are often common issues and questions, and it’s useful to share advice and support.”

James Chant, Matsudai Ramen, Cardiff

In 2019, James had become known within his friendship circle for making ramen. “I don't think anyone quite understood how obsessive I'd got,” he jokes.

So, when his friend was arranging a pop-up event in Cardiff, he asked James if he’d like to sell his ramen there. It was perfect timing; James had lost his job and was not enjoying the freelancing life. His stall was such a success that he sold out.

James decided to put on more pop-ups, ticketed events which he advertised on social media. “The first sold out in an hour, then it was 45 minutes, then half an hour. Soon they were selling out in about three or four minutes.” He registered his new business and took over a venue for Valentine’s.

When lockdown came, he began selling meal kits from his kitchen and dining room, delivering them locally. Soon he found a courier and began delivering nationally.

Once lockdown ended, he decided to get back on the road for a tour – but this time instead of playing music, it was making ramen for eager crowds. After gaining more fans, he’s signed a lease in Cardiff and is set to launch a restaurant.

James’ top tip: take the leap. “If you're in a position where you're doing something which isn’t making you happy and you can see a path to happiness elsewhere, do it! It's so easy to ignore your own logic and advice, but you’ve just got to follow it.”

Elaine Rémy, Vie’s Jamaican Rum Cakes, Lake District

Elaine was an established coach and trainer living in Paris. But then, everything changed. “In May of 2018 my mum died, which led to me coming back to live in the UK. I had to literally start from scratch. I decided to turn my loss into a legacy and to start a cake business. I wanted to reproduce and recreate the rum cake my mum used to make when she was alive.”

Growing up, Elaine’s house was always filled with the sweet scents of cakes. Her mum was a keen baker, and her rum cake was a hit. It continued to be a source of comfort as an adult too: “I lived in France for 20 years and when I’d visit home, there wasn’t one time she didn't give me a cake to go back with.”

Elaine decided early on to outsource production of her mum’s recipe to a bakery in Kendal. She carried out extensive market research, not only on the cakes themselves, but how people described them and how that could impact the product names.

In March 2020 she started selling the cakes. Just two weeks later lockdown brought things to a halt, so Elaine set up her website to sell the cakes online. She used the time to think how she could expand the business in future, crowdfunded and got her finances in place. Elaine’s planning on expanding to the corporate world and selling her cakes alongside bottles of rum (she’s already got her personal licence in place).

Elaine’s top tip: get support. “See what organisations are available to offer support and help. I received business advice from the Cumbria Chamber, and it was invaluable.”

Samantha Couzens, London

Samantha always loved food and as a hobby, posted her own recipes online. “I’d started taking pictures of the recipes, first with a phone and then with an entry level camera. I’d also started following other food photographers on Instagram and watching how-to YouTube videos to improve my skills. I realised that my love for food might be the very thing I needed to build a business of my own.”

So, in late 2019, Samantha took a big gulp, handed in her notice and decided to follow her dream.

“Setting up the business, was terrifying! I didn’t feel ready at all, I don’t think you ever do.”

“A lot of the early days were filled with networking and outreach, emailing brands and telling them about the work I did. I would walk into restaurants and cafes and introduce myself. I would attend events and hand out my card. Anything I could to get my name out there.”

Samantha’s now a full-time food photographer. “I work primarily with businesses who are committed to making positive change in the food industry with sustainable, ethical and innovative products,” and she’s able to do all her work from her home studio.

Samantha’s top tip: make yourself accountable. “For the first year, I’d have a phone call with my dad every week to update him on what I’d been doing. I treated it like an investors meeting, gathering my figures together and taking notes of what to work on by the following week.”

From admin worker to confectionary producer

Rebecca Eggleton, The Practical Parent, Cornwall

Rebecca, wanted to make sure her daughter, who’s dairy-intolerant, didn’t miss out on the treats others had. “I mostly made desserts using dairy-free products such as chocolate and soya milk.”

The treats proved so popular with family and friends she started making foodie hampers for birthday and Christmas gifts for them. Word spread and she started to make confectionary for other people.

It dawned on Rebecca this could turn into a business. She got her hygiene certificates, registered with the local council, had her home inspected and took out insurance.

“A normal day for me now is to drop my children at school and nursery. I then check my emails and respond, print out my list of orders, spend some time on social media and then I start making products. Once the children are picked up, fed, bathed and in bed, I have to cut and package all the products ready to ship the following day.” While Rebecca still makes dairy-free sweets she’s expanded her range to suit all tastes.

Her next plan? “I’m hoping to start selling subscription boxes as a semi-passive income which would free up some time to enjoy with my family.”

Rebecca’s top tip: don't sell yourself short. “Understand your margins so you can price your products and make sure you make a profit.”

Originally published May 2022