A Falmouth entrepreneur who runs a caf茅 from a shipping container has opened her second site in Cornwall.
Amelia Smith, the owner of Old Foundry Coffee on Tregoniggie Industrial Estate, has launched at Parkengue on Kernick Business Park in nearby Penryn.
Mrs Smith was working as a primary school teacher when her builder husband, Jordan, complained there was nowhere for him to get a decent cup of coffee or "quality grub".
鈥淚 had always flitted between teaching and food, and thought, 鈥業 could do that,鈥 said Mrs Smith, who established Old Foundry in 2022.
She has been selling sourdough toasties and homemade cakes ever since, using local suppliers wherever possible including Vicky鈥檚 Bread, Foundation Coffee and Trevarthen butchers.
鈥淚 love the industrial estate vibe,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not glamorous and there are no sea views, but your customers are all locals and they want nice food. I know them all by name and what they do, and we have a chat.
鈥淚t does take a while for people to realise you鈥檙e there, and there鈥檚 no passing trade. The first year, I worked by myself, but the business grew year on year.鈥
Mrs Smith secured a loan of 拢25k through the British Business Bank鈥檚 Start Up Loans programme to open her second site. She now has five staff working across the two locations.
The cash injection has paid for a second 20ft container with serving hatch, fitted kitchen and outside seating area. The new site is owned by Kernow Coatings.
鈥淸The loan] made it possible to turn my idea of expanding the business into a reality,鈥 added Mrs Smith. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have done it without that initial support, and would have struggled to get the finance by other means.
鈥淭he funding gave me the freedom to build the business properly from day one, and having a mentor to guide me through the early stages of development has been invaluable.鈥
Suzy Lowe, Start Up Loans senior officer at SWIG, added: 鈥淎melia has taken the roadside offering to a new level. Her vision for expansion has become a reality, all based on the foundation of quality products and exceptional service."
