Sweet success for bakery business

by Sheila Prophet - 14/06/2010

"Six months after launching her bakery business, Allison Whitmarsh knew it was time to move from her own kitchen to larger premises."

But there was just one snag. "It was 2008, we had just been hit by the credit crunch and my bank turned down my application for a loan," says Allison, 43.

"I looked around for other ways of raising money and found that the local council could provide loans to viable businesses that had been turned down by banks. I went to them with my business plan and they agreed to help."

The loan enabled Allison, who lives in Kirklees, Yorkshire, with husband Martin and kids Charlotte, 11, and Calum, 16, to lease an empty shop in Huddersfield.

She converted it into a bakery, called ProperMaid, with two huge industrial ovens capable of turning out up to 150 cakes a day - 10 times as many as she could manage in her own home.

"I was also able to take on extra help, mainly from ladies who I had met while walking the kids to school," she says. "A year later, I have six ladies helping me, all of whom work flexible hours that fit around their families and other commitments.

"When you are telling people about your company, you need to think up a slogan which describes what you do in 10 words or less. I chose: Posh cakes from Yorkshire - made by ladies who bake.

"Our cakes are posh because we use only the finest ingredients. For instance, in our traditional Victoria sponge we use homemade jam and in our coffee cakes we use real espresso coffee."

Allison had 20 years' experience in the food industry, working for companies such as Northern Foods and fish specialist Ross Young before becoming her own boss.

"I always loved cooking and wanted to work with food but knew I didn't want to be a chef," she says. "So instead I worked in manufacturing, helping to create new recipes for everything from seafood and curries to puddings such as trifle and syllabub. Then, with two children at home, I switched to supervising school dinners in my local area so I could spend more time with my family.

"I liked working with the dinner ladies but my career wasn't going anywhere, so when I reached 40 I decided to go back to university.

"I already had an HND qualification and I aimed turn it into a degree, then train as a teacher. However, as part of the course in hospitality management I had to set up a hypothetical business and I enjoyed it so much I dropped the idea of teaching and decided to make it my real business.

"I started by taking some of my cakes to Huddersfield Farmers' Market. I wasn't sure what reaction to expect but the customers were very complimentary and they all sold out within hours."

That success convinced Allison she could make a go of her new venture and she began baking around the clock, selling to local shops and delis and going to different markets, as well as the annual Huddersfield Food And Drink Festival.

More Details: http://www.mirror.co.uk/advice/jobs/2010/06/10/sweet-success-for-bakery-business-115875-22323652/