A Falmouth entrepreneur who runs a café 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".
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“I had always flitted between teaching and food, and thought, ‘I could do that,’ 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’s Bread, Foundation Coffee and Trevarthen butchers.
“I love the industrial estate vibe,” she said. “It’s 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.
“It does take a while for people to realise you’re there, and there’s no passing trade. The first year, I worked by myself, but the business grew year on year.”
Mrs Smith secured a loan of £25k through the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme to open her second site. She now has five staff working across the two locations.
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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.
“[The loan] made it possible to turn my idea of expanding the business into a reality,” added Mrs Smith. “I couldn’t have done it without that initial support, and would have struggled to get the finance by other means.
“The 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.”
Suzy Lowe, Start Up Loans senior officer at SWIG, added: “Amelia 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."