Buying British gives students idea for business

Oct 17 2007 by Graeme King, The Journal

LIVING abroad gave three Northumbria University students a business idea which they hope could win them an international competition.

Modern languages students Kevin Rawlinson and Gemma Hughes, and Angela Haworth, a student of international business management and French, will present their business idea in a Dragon’s Den-type competition in Taiwan, against teams from all corners of the globe.

They are the only team from Britain to enter the International Entrepreneurship competition, which is organised by Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages in Taiwan and is open to students from its 60 partner universities and colleges around the world.

The 21-year-olds’ business plan features a website called UKshopabroad.com which would be aimed primarily at expats living abroad who miss traditional English items.

Kevin, originally from Stocksfield but now living in Jesmond, said: “We started to write the business plan when we were all doing our placements in Europe because we all found we missed something intrinsically British.

“That might be anything from Heinz beans to Yorkshire Tea or liquorice allsorts. We felt there was a market for this type of service.’’

Angela added: “Because the plan came together while we were all living abroad, we believe we know our markets well and how to reach them. ’’

The judges will take on the role of venture capital investors and the teams will have to convince them to fund their business idea.