Amazing Artisans: Breakfast Bites - Featuring Primrose, Founder of Primroses Kitchen and Henny, Founder of ROAR! Porridge Pods

We’re all a bunch of breakfastaholics here at Kitchen Table Projects, so were super excited to chat to  this week’s Amazing Artisans, Primrose and Henny, about their quirky takes on a breakfast staples. In a double Amazing Artisan Feature, Primrose and Henny tell us all about the startup journeys that took their brainwaves to the bowl. Remember, this blog post is only an artisan snap shot - you can find the full interviews with Primrose and Henny, as well as the rest of our amazing artisans on our website, right here!

Primrose, Primroses Kitchen
Primrose started her business with a background in naturopathy and homeopathy, and used her knowledge and experience in food and nutrition as a starting point for her unique muesli. Her cereal is full of fab flavours, incorporating unusual ingredients such as beetroot and carrot to create a colourful and novel tasting product that's super good for you, too. Motivated to start her own business by her passion for health and fitness, Primrose told us she really wanted to do something everyday that she 'loved...inspired [her]'. She loves the creativity that comes with running your own business, as well as the flexibility that allows her 'to go for a walk with the dog when I wanted to, or being able to have an afternoon off if the sun is shining.' Most of all, like all our artisans, she loves getting positive feedback from her customers, and thinks its great to see people everyday enjoying her product. She has since expanded her range to raw nut butters and a variety of nutritional powders and remains committed to encouraging a healthy lifestyle in line with the principles of Naturopathy.

Interested to find out more about Primrose and her products? She's got lots on her website about the principles of a naturopathic diet, and you can pick up all her products there, too. Alternatively, you can find her tweeting away @PrimrosesKit or on Facebook here.

Henny, ROAR! Porridge Pods
Henny started her business when she got fed up with the 'added sugar' breakfast pots that you regularly see on the shelves of the supermarket. She saw a gap in the market for a breakfast pots that were both 'delicious and healthy', so headed to the kitchen to concoct the Porridge Pods you see today. With a background in catering and design, Henny saw a natural progression towards starting her own business, wanting 'to create a business I could be proud of and work for myself around a lifestyle I wanted.' Henny knew it wasn't going to be easy; 'The hours are varied and there's certainly no 9-5, but it's very different when you are working for yourself.' Putting in the extra hours means it's extra rewarding, and she says that she loves that '[Your business is] all yours and you make every decision. When it works it's an incredible feeling. ' We couldn't agree more; we really appreciate how hard artisans work and think it's really important for them to get the recognition they deserve.

Love the sound of ROAR! pods and want to find out some more? Head over to the ROAR! website to find out more about getting your hands on these tasty breakfast pots, or find them tweeting away on twitter @roarmuseli.

Are you an Amazing Artisan who wants to be featured on our blog? We'd love to hear from you- drop us a Tweet @KitchTablePro with the hashtag #AmazingArtisan or send us a message to hello@kitchentableprojects.com

Industry Insiders: Tessa Stuart

This week we were super excited to speak to supermarket guru and brand extraordinaire Tessa Stuart. She chatted to us about all her insider hints and tips, as well as sharing what she thinks are the three key things that make a successful food brand.

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Tessa Stuart and I'm a "shopper stalker". I work in the supermarket aisles, watching shoppers making their choices, and asking them EXACTLY what triggered them in those 20-30 seconds or so of attention to reach out and choose that food. I find out how and why food products get noticed. I recommend certain tweaks to packaging, price, presentation, and words on pack, to get those products really flying off that shelf. Sales are critical to survival in the very competitive supermarket environment. If you don't sell, you don't stay on shelf. I help my food clients survive and thrive. I check that their products are doing all they can to attract attention and sales.

I provide affordable "by the hour"consulting to food start-ups on packaging options, branding ideas, and new products, bookable at www.packedbranding.co.uk. My book of tips on branding and packaging for success, Packed: The Food Entrepreneur's Guide, How to Get Noticed And How To Be Loved is available on Amazon and on Kindle. It includes tips from innocent drinks, rude health, graze and higgidy.

What is your business mantra?

My business mantra is ‘keep on keeping on’. Polite persistence always reaps rewards. And always ask, because you might just get it!

What do you think are the three key things that make a strong food brand?

1. Tasting fantastic.

2. Working out your margin right from the start so you can actually make money - always hard if you are aiming to create a high quality product with good ingredients.
3. Getting out there and letting everyone know - clearly - what you stand for.

Do you have any predictions on what will be trending in the foodie world in the next 6 months?

I think it's not so much about surfing a trend, but more about creating a product that fills a real gap in the market, or is significantly better. Trends come and go and you don't want to be "last year's model", or competing with a million other popcorn brands.

What’s the strangest product you’ve had to research?

The strangest product I have ever tested with customers was lupin seeds. In France they are very popular. They didn't go down well here!

Why do you love working with small businesses?

I really love the energy of small businesses, and it gives me a huge kick to help them grow and create jobs.

What do you think is the toughest part of starting a small food business?

The toughest part of starting a small business is not having enough hours in the day to do everything you want to achieve, and not taking a salary from the business in the early stages.

What are your words of wisdom for anyone thinking of starting a new business?

Be prepared that EVERYTHING takes much longer than you think it will to happen.

What do you think about our big ideas and what we’re trying to achieve?

[It’s] an utterly brilliant idea. All artisan businesses need friendly "shop-windows" and an enthusiastic network of like-minded start-ups and support helps them to celebrate the ups too!

You can find out some more about Tessa's work on her website, and can find her tweeting business tips and foodie advice here, too.

Are you an Industry Insider who wants to be featured on our blog? We'd love to hear all your foodie insider tips and tricks- drop us a Tweet @KitchTablePro with the hashtag #IndustryInsiders or send us a message to hello@kitchentableprojects.com

Working From Home: The Survival Guide

You've decided to take the plunge. Hooray! But it's been a few months of working at home now and you're feeling a little blue. There's nobody to talk to, you've eaten everything in your fridge, emptied your laundry basket and organised your DVDs. And there's still a bunch of things you really, really ought to do but the days roll by and somehow they're not getting done. How do you kickstart your working from home motivation?

1. Don't work in your pyjamas.

Start your day like anyone else - jump in the shower, get dressed, grab some breakfast and then get going. In the time you spend getting ready, you'll be structuring your day in your head (showers make the best thinking spots!) so when you get to your computer, you'll be ready to make the most of it. Think of it like your morning commute. Jumping ahead can be overwhelming and by the time you've gone through your emails and figured out what you've got to do, it's already halfway through the morning and you haven't even washed your face yet. Another good way to get round this is to organise all your meetings for first thing in the morning, which also negates the temptation to lie in.

2. Join a club.

Especially if you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit. Without the office buzz around you, the silence of your living room can soon get pretty deafening. Your motivation dies a slow, agonising death and suddenly, the washing up has never been more enticing. So, how do you keep on chugging, when you're on your own?

Joining a local entrepreneurs group can be really helpful for a motivation boost, building a network and just getting out of the house. One of the friendliest and most constructive meetups I've ever been to is run monthly by Enterprise Nation. If you're a social enterprise, Step and Stone run amazing (and unique!) sessions that give you the chance to talk about what's on your mind and there's plenty more on Meetup.com if you're after something more specific, such as Food Tech Wednesdays where techie food businesses gather once a month.

Meetups make me feel more energetic and give me that 'can't-wait-to-get-going' feeling again. People are super helpful and you don't have to be a networking pro to get involved, as everyone's in the same boat - working on their own and looking to make new friends.

3. Have a break.

As any teenager with looming GCSEs will tell you, it's really important to take regular breaks (KitKat optional). But how do you make sure that a break doesn't turn into the rest of the afternoon?

Getting into a routine really helps, so you know when you'll be taking your next break and when it's got to end. This gives you something to work towards so you can set small, achievable goals and make progress, instead of working halfheartedly throughout the day towards a huge goal that keeps slipping further and further away.

Take a walk, so you know that as soon as you get in again, you'll be going back to work. Don't take breaks at your computer. To stop you heading over to Facebook every ten minutes, try using keepmeout.com, which gives you a slap on the wrist if you're checking in too often or the ominous selfcontrolapp.com which cuts you off your chosen websites for a set time, even if you restart your computer or delete the application. Erk.

4. Love your workspace.

Create a space for you to work in that suits you. Get a chair that you like and a keyboard that clicky-claks the way you prefer it to. Have a jug of water and a glass on the table, as well as all the stationery you need, so you aren't tempted to get up every ten seconds. Keep your space neat and tidy - invest in one of those dorky in/out trays so your paperwork isn't all over the place, distracting you away from what you're supposed to be doing, and a big box to put everything away in when you're done for the day.

Something that really helped me was buying a big screen, so I could see what I was doing. Peering into a laptop doesn't do much for your neck, back or eyes and screens are relatively cheap, coming in at about £100 if you're not after an Apple Thunderbolt Display, and being flat, are pretty easy to slot behind a bookshelf when not in use.

5. Don't start thinking you haven't got a 'real job'.

Because you do! When you start working from home, suddenly everyone thinks you're unemployed, watching daytime telly in your pants and eating Crunchy Nut straight out of the box. While that might have been true once or twice, (we get it, you're human) most of the time you've got loads to do. Set clear boundaries between work and play and stick to them - firmly decline spousal requests to collect things from the post office or do the weekly shop and resist the temptation to joke about how everyday is a weekend, which in the long run can make you start believing it for real. Don't forget: you had the cojones to quit your job for some pretty serious stuff - doing what you love!

By Tara, Kitchen Table Projects Founder

Pictures by Flickr user Dana Robinson

Amazing Artisans: Ali and Gregor, Founders of Gregor’s Umami Dressing & Marinade

This week, Kitchen Table Projects went on a unique taste tour and got chatting to Ali and Gregor, founders and creators of Gregor’s Umami Dressing & Marinade. We loved hearing about their journey from quirky kitchen table concept to successful shop ready product, and thought their story provides a really helpful and honest insight into the highs and lows of a starting up your own food business.

Tell us the story of your business. How did you come up with the idea?

We have always both enjoyed trying new flavours and foods and, some time last year, Tim came up with this fantastic salad dressing recipe that combined the tartness of Japanese salt-pickled plums with the sweetness of both miso and apple balsamic. The dressing intensifies the umami (the fifth taste, along with salt, sour, sweet and bitter) profiles in food. I was instantly addicted, and urged Tim to persuade others to try it.

We spent a good few months researching the market and looking at the competition. We held tasting sessions to get feedback from potential customers, and started experimenting using our dressing on all sorts of different foods, as well as building a solid business plan before we even considered taking the plunge. There were so many factors to take into account, such as deciding on our branding, packaging options, costing our ingredients and securing business mentors and funding. We are fortunate enough to have a very talented bunch of friends. Dinners (with plenty of wine) were offered in return for website design and accounting. Shares were exchanged for funding and branding design. It was their support and encouragement that kept us driving forward. After lots of highs and lows, we finally soft launched in a few local retailers in September 2013. It was such a proud moment to finally see our product actually stocked in a shop.

What was your motivation for starting your own business?

Neither of us has ever desired to have the traditional 9-5 job. Working for ourselves means we certainly put in more hours than if we were employed by someone else, but our time is flexible. I could be approving designs for a flyer at ten in the evening or working on invoices at five in the morning if I can’t sleep. Being your own boss is risky and requires a lot of motivation but the benefits of being the decision makers and realising your goals outweigh the negatives.

What is the best thing about being an entrepreneur?
Gosh there are so many exciting aspects; first and foremost, receiving positive feedback from our customers. We often do tasting events and it’s fabulous when people say they love our product. We also really enjoy visiting the trade shows and other events. Meeting other small producers and hearing their stories and swapping advice is great and really helps us to feel part of a community.

What challenges have you come across?

There have been so many times I have just wanted to tear my hair out, curl up in a corner and sob. We were put back three months on our launch when our packaging factory made a huge error on our pouches. We had 20,000 pouches that couldn’t be used and had to wait a further twelve weeks for new ones to be printed. So what was, initially, to be a spring launch was put off till September, so that was a lot of trade that we missed.

The biggest disaster almost put us out of business before we had even started. We received an order for 1,200 units when we first launched. We were over the moon, even though in order to fulfil the order we had to use all our available capital sourcing ingredients. To cut a (very) long story short, the purchaser apparently did not receive the pro forma email from me, indicating the prices – and he was under the impression we were supplying the pouches for free as a promotional offer. It was a nightmare. He refused to pay our wholesale price but eventually agreed to pay cost. This meant we worked our socks off for days (and into the night) just to break even. As we had used all our capital to fill the order, we could not produce any further dressing until he paid up. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen until we threatened him with legal action. It was very messy and stressful and a mistake we will never make again. If you get a big order through, always insist on getting paid upfront (or at least for half the order) and make sure you get signed confirmation from the purchaser agreeing to your prices. It is rare to encounter unscrupulous individuals, but sadly on occasion it happens.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting their own business?

Probably the most important thing I could advise anyone is to know your product and know your market. What makes your product stand out and who will want to buy it? Identify your USP and use that to promote your brand.

Secondly, try to remain flexible and open to suggestions. You may think you have the next best thing since sliced bread, but get out there, ask for people’s opinions and take this feedback on board. I was determined to package our dressing in lovely chunky glass bottles, spending weeks contacting manufacturers of bottles, corks, and labels and working out our costings. In the meantime, we were handing out small sampling sachets for people to try to get the feedback on the product. One taster (a food writer) said “You know what? I really like the idea of having it in a pouch. It takes up less space in the cupboard and when you have a big bottle of dressing it just gets used a couple of times then goes to waste in the back of the fridge.” Of course, she was right. I was so determined to have my beautiful bottles that I hadn’t even entertained an alternative. Had we gone with bottling the dressing each unit would have cost the consumer around seven pounds. Also, logistically, for warehousing and freight we would have been spending a fortune. I shudder to think where we would be now had we gone with the bottles (but they were gorgeous!)

What kind of business support do you want to receive or wished you had received?

We were fortunate that we had a lot of support. We attended the East London Small Business Centre where we were offered a fabulous mentor who helped us set up our business and still gives us ongoing (free) advice. The British Library offers all sorts of events for start-ups and they also have some fabulous free research resources. We also spoke to a lot of other start-ups and found that most people really do want to help. We are all in this together, so don’t feel afraid to ask people in the industry for help or advice.

What would you like to see in a food hub that showcases new producers?

I think a food hub for new producers is a great idea. It would be useful to have regular informal get-togethers in which food producers get to swap stories, advice and so on. Perhaps if people have questions, they could be posted on an online forum where others can respond with their advice/suggestions.

What do you think of our big idea and what we're trying to achieve?

It’s great that you are supporting and encouraging new producers. When you are just starting out it’s so important to be seen, to talk to people and to make new connections. In terms of the shop, it might be an idea to have a different featured producer each week – specifically promoting their product with tastings/offers and product information. Both Tim and I wish you the very best for your exciting new venture and look forward to watching you grow!

We loved chatting to Ali and Gregor, and think they are heading in a very exciting direction with their quirky dressings. You can order their dressings from their website, or if your keen to chat with them yourselves, then drop them a tweet @gregorsdressing or find them on facebook here.

Are you an Amazing Artisan who wants to be featured on our blog? We'd love to hear from you- drop us a Tweet @KitchTablePro with the hashtag #AmazingArtisan or send us a message to hello@kitchentableprojects.com

Industry Insiders: Kate Finch

This week we've been chatting to successful foodie entrepreneur turned business consultant Kate Finch. She's got loads of experience working in the industry, so it was great to talk about all things start up and grill her on her top insider tips.

Tell us a bit about yourself who are you and what do you do?

My name is Kate Finch and I’m the founder of a children’s food business called Junior’s Pantry. I started the business after spotting a gap in the market for wholesome nutritious meals for primary school aged children – I built the business from scratch whilst being a mother (of sorts) to my two girls then aged 7 and 9.  I launched the meals into Ocado within a year of starting the business and then into Waitrose a year later.  I took the decision to walk away from my supermarket contracts ('what, are you mad?' I hear you shout) [and] I now concentrate on helping other small emerging businesses achieve their new business dreams. For some it's shaping their idea and understanding how their idea could become a business, for others it's how to move to the next step or  how to look at distribution, or how to develop marketing ideas.  I can offer advice on all aspects of running a business having faced pretty much every single issue myself!

What is your business mantra?

When I was struggling and feeling like I was going nowhere I use to remind myself that not everyone could start a business from scratch so my mantra became “If it was easy everyone would do it”!

How important is a good business plan?

I think a business plan is really important if only if it’s for you to focus your thoughts about your business, it is very good to revisit the plan from the heady days of optimism to the reality of real life as a small business producer.  Obviously anyone looking to invest in your business will want to see your plan so from that perspective it’s worth focusing on. Setting down in writing what your financial expectations are is very good for scenario testing, best, medium and worse case expectations – you have to know how you will manage financially if there are any hiccups (and there will be).  Always build in a contingencey for unforeseen events.

What do you think are the three key things that make a strong food brand?

1. Being different

2. Outstanding packaging

3. A great back story

Do you have any predictions on what will be trending in the foodie world in the next 6 months?

Gosh, this is a tough one – when I started, all the food shows were awash with Popcorn, which does seem to have made it into the mainstream and will probably stay as a healthy alternative to crisps. More recently the shows have seen more than their fair share of Tea and Coconut water.  I think the core elements will be health driven, I think low sugar or no sugar will be very important and brands promoting positive health benefits like vitamin fortified foods will probably have more of an opportunity. The key is to have a discernibly different product from what already exists in the category.

How do you think small artisan food producers should be supported?

I often think that small artisan food producers should focus on what they do best, producing great food.  The logistics, distribution, marketing all get in the way and often these are areas where they need help and advice.

What do you think is the toughest part of starting a small food business?

How long have I got??!!  I think of all the businesses you can start food has to be in the top three of most difficult!   Food has a number of issues that make it tricky, but the key one; food handled badly could make someone very ill or worse kill them, therefore regulation around the storing, preparing, cooking, packaging, distribution, etc are all governed very rigorously.  From a consumers perspective this is brilliant from a producers side this is a minefield ensuring that you or your suppliers comply with said regulation.  So I would say understanding what you need to do to produce your products and be compliant is tough.  I would also say understanding how scaling your product into larger volumes without compromising on quality is something that all small food producers have struggled with at some point.

What are your words of wisdom for anyone thinking of starting a new business?

Really think very hard about it; you cannot go into a new business half hearted, you need to be absolutely convinced your product is brilliant and is going to fly off any shelf it appears on.  Running a business will impact massively on your life, your partners, your children’s, in fact everyone around you so be prepared for giving up everything for it (no I’m not exaggerating and I would argue if you’re not giving up everything for it in the early days you’re not working hard enough).  Running a business is a bit like having a baby, you have no concept of what it’s going to be like until the baby arrives and it will absorb every waking hour and keep you awake at night, but like that first smile, seeing you product on a shelf or in someone’s shopping basket is worth all the hard work.

What do you think about our big ideas and what we’re trying to achieve? 
I think it’s a great idea to create a hub.  Food is an interesting sector where you can speak to “competitors” in the food sector who are not direct competitors to your product.  This makes the food world a really helpful and friendly network – finding a mentor who is the same boat as you, but not exactly, is immensely helpful. For me, it was a Pie producer: we both had chilled, short shelf-life products so had the same issues on production, distribution etc, but we were not competing for the same customers.

Looking to get in touch with Kate? You can find her on tweeting here, or on her website here.

Are you an Industry Insider who wants to be featured on our blog? We'd love to hear all your foodie insider tips and tricks- drop us a Tweet @KitchTablePro with the hashtag #IndustryInsiders or send us a message to hello@kitchentableprojects.com

Top Picks: London's Best Independent Delis

We’ve all been there. Grabbing a Starbucks before dashing for the tube; popping up the road to pick up your meal deal from Tescos at lunchtime; ducking into one of the seventy-seven London branches of Nandos (yup, Londoners really love their chicken) for a quick bite on the way home from work. With a new chain eatery popping up on just about every street across London, eating out and buying your food on the go has become more convenient than ever. In fact, in a high street dominated with big-guy chains and supermarket giants, it can be easy to forget about the capital’s thriving independent scene. Kitchen Table Projects love discovering quirky new coffee shops and delis, and supporting their unique menus, thoughtful service and quality produce. And we’re not alone. 75% of the foodies that filled out our ongoing survey said they were bored of what they were seeing in the supermarket, and 72% of you were ready to try something new. So this week, we’ve put together a list of our go-to deli’s across London (and one not-so-local favourite!)

The All-In-One: Greensmiths (Waterloo)

With a Butcher (ran by the amazing guys from  The Ginger Pig - check them out if you haven’t already), Baker, Greengrocer, Coffee Specialist, Wine Merchant, as well as in an in-house cheesemonger and a whole host of grocery and dairy products in stock AND a delicious cafe, Greensmiths is a little deli with a helluva lot to offer. Branded as a local independent supermarket, this little gem is sure to give even the most established high street giant a run for their money with its attention to detail, passion for its produce, and delicious cafe fare. A must for anyone looking for convenience with a conscience.

The Brilliant Butchers: Dugard and Daughters (Herne Hill)

This family-run butchers nestled in the heart of South London is bursting with pride for their produce, and are really passionate about the future of independent shopping in London and beyond. On the butcher side of the business you can find anything from Rare Breed cuts sourced from small English farms, to a wide selection of poultry, game, lamb and pork, all sustainably sourced. And be sure to check our their Aladdin's cave of deli and store cupboard products; a selection that will be sure to make foodies and store cupboard hoarders alike weak at the knees.

The Unique: The Dry Goods Store (Maida Vale)

We love the unique concept of this cute little deli in West London. The Dry Goods Store have embraced a more traditional shopping experience where you buy grocery items by weight. This means busting the time-old problem of half-used packets that sit in the cupboard for months, as well as encouraging a more sustainable shopping experience where shoppers reuse their packaging and reduce their waste. Like us, they love independents, and are keen to champion skilled artisans from London and beyond. They hold some cracking events, too - follow their tweetings to find out what they’ve got coming up soon.

The ‘Viva Espania’ - Brindisa (London Bridge)

We might not have their weather, but Brindisa’s Deli at Borough Market brings a taste of the Mediterranean sunshine to London, even on the rainiest, dreariest days. This eye-catching deli offers something for all lovers of spanish gastronomy, including hints and recipe tips for creating your own authentic tapas at home. Sounds good to us...pass us a Sangria!

The Italian Job - The Italian Farmers (Finsbury Park)

Continuing your Mediterranean foodie journey, make a beeline for The Italian Farmers at Stroud Green. Offering authentic fresh and store cupboard Italian staples shipped direct from farms across Italy, this charming deli is super keen to support authentic Italian produce, attempting to combat the large counterfeit Italian produce market both here in the UK and in Italy. They offer some great events and tasting evenings too - be sure to check out their website to find out more.

The ‘Get the Greek’ - The Life Goddess Deli (Bloomsbury)

We love this little Deli in Bloomsbury, which aims to make great Greek food a defining feature of London’s gastronomic map. They believe that cultivating, preparing and sharing food is a ritual, and that food is a symbol of respect, gratitude, friendship and love. Selling great traditional produce, The Life Goddess aims to import this into everything they do. London breakfast-lovers, make sure you check out their breakfast menu!

The W11 - Daylesford Farm (Notting Hill)

This Deli is jam-packed with local produce sourced from their farm’s market garden, as well as fresh produce daily from their butcher, creamery and bakery.They’ve been farming organically for over 30 years, too, and love drawing out the process of farm to fork so their customers know exactly what they’re putting in their mouths. Unfortunately their W11 branch will be closed for the summer whilst they make some exciting new improvements, but will be open again from September. Until then, we wait with anticipation...and grumbling stomachs!

The Hidden Gem - Swiss Cottage Grocers (Swiss Cottage)

Tucked away on Finchley Road, this charming Grocers offers an amazing array of organic fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as a number of store cupboard essentials. Prices are fair and there's a little trunk at the front for good seasonal deals. Check it out if you’re in the market (excuse the pun) for some quality, delicious ingredients for your next summer evening dinner party.

The Out of London - The Hungry Guest (Petworth, West Sussex)

Jump on a train this weekend and head off to the beautiful West Sussex, where you can find this amazing Deli. Nestled in the heart of the South Downs in the sleepy market town of Petworth, The Hungry Guest serves delicious freshly-baked breads, tasty lunches, homemade cakes and coffee, as well as boasting a wholesale artisan bakery and food shop, complete with its own butchery, cheese room and catering service (phew.) They’re serious about food and sourcing local produce, and love making sure their customers leave full and happy. Brunch, anyone?

Have we missed something out? Tweet us your faves @KitchTablePro!