WIN Award is huge boost for Food Local Food

Sep 3 2010 by Karen Dent, The Journal

WINNING the Best New Business title in last year’s North East Woman Entrepreneur (WIN) of the Year Awards proved to be a major launchpad for expansion for Food Local Food.

The Ashington-based company, which only set up shop at the start of 2008, was able to attract funding to grow its operation, develop its website and boosting marketing activity.

And the company, run by WIN Award winner Alison Taylor is now aiming to radically boost its turnover after winning the financial support from Newcastle-based Entrust, which helped it access funding through the Regional Enterprise Loan Fund (RELF).

In the short term, the business which delivers locally-sourced food within a 35-mile radius of Morpeth, aims to take the business model into other regions.

Managing director Ms Taylor said that winning the award had helped the business to secure the funding to underpin its growth.

She said: “We were able to get the investment we needed. We are now on a 10-hub roll-out programme across the North of England, set to quadruple turnover in this year.”

The result was just what Ms Taylor was hoping for when she sat down to fill in the WIN application form for the business, which has 12 members of staff.

“We wanted to get more publicity for the business, and be able to use the award to draw attention to the business idea as it was an unproved concept,” she said.

“We wanted to attract investment as we are a technology heavy business.”

“Winning the award was amazing; it was validation for my team’s hard work. It was great to get to say a few words when collecting the award so you could thank people.”

The WIN Awards are now in their 11th year and female entrepreneurs have until 5pm on September 18 to enter. Entries will be shortlisted on September 28 and the presentation and dinner are on November 19.

To enter visit www.womenintothenetwork.co.uk/awards.