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Sweet success for Sister Saida Ebrahim of Peterborough |
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City mum Saida Ebrahim won Peterborough Enterprise Programme's Best Business Idea 2007 with her plan to import and distribute specialist halal and vegetarian confectionary in the UK.
With her £2,000 cash prize and a year's worth of mentoring from the panel of judges – all key leaders in the Peterborough business community – she is now well on track to launch Scrumptious Sweets by the summer.
Reality television star Ruth Badger, who shot to fame as the straight-talking 'Badger' in Sir Alan Sugar's The Apprentice, presented Saida (39) with her prizes and congratulated the four other finalists, who will also receive six months mentoring.
Mother-of-three Saida (39) was "overwhelmed" to be announced as the winner. She said: "It's fantastic. I have been working on this idea for a year now and it's been a real challenge to get this far. I feel very proud to have won. The next challenge will be to get the products sold in the UK. Our products aren't just for Muslims or vegetarians, the halal marshmallows are nut-free and are suitable for people with nut allergies too."
She has already sourced halal marshmallows from the Philippines and is in the final stages of the packaging and branding for selling them to wholesalers throughout the UK.
The marshmallows – made using gelatine from ingredients derived in accordance with Islamic law – will be available from Millfield and Granville Street chemists in Peterborough within the next month.
Afterwards Ms. Badger said: "It was interesting to see 81 per cent of the entrants were women. It's a real sign of what's going on in Peterborough. "They were all very different business ideas with interesting and refreshing approaches. I think they all have the potential to go far. They are all working mums, and when it comes to prioritising and organising things, the working mums seem to have it down to a fine art.
"I am honoured to be asked here tonight and welcome anything that champions small businesses and new start-ups. The things you need to start your own business are confidence, attitude, attendance and ability. There's nothing above me I won't achieve and nothing beneath me that I won't do to achieve it. It's about saying what you want and what you are prepared to do to get it. The way I look at business is, keep it simple. Time is the most precious thing to me because it's the one thing I can't buy. Always under promise and over deliver."
The evening at The Broadway Theatre was supported by various start-up clients from the Peterborough Enterprise Programme. Sajda Andleeb, of Food for all your Occasions, did the catering; Amber Every, of Another Design Agency, did the graphic design; Chris White, of TSS Media Group, did the photography; and Stuart Barber, of A Class Above, chauffeured guest host Ruth Badger to the event.
Peterborough Enterprise Centre manager Katie Hart thanked the judges and the competition sponsors which included The Evening Telegraph, Athene Communications, Hegarty Solicitors, HSBC and MacIntyre Hudson. |
