An innovative food flavouring created by a Surrey businessman has hit the shelves of Sainsbury's with the help of a Start-Up Loan and a successful pitch to the supermarket giant.
Just Add Wine sachets contain the concentrated equivalent of a 175ml glass of full-bodied red wine, meaning anyone home cooking can add a dash to a dish without having to buy or open a full bottle.
Inventor Neil Osborne is based in Weybridge, Surrey, and hit the big time recently when he secured a nationwide deal for the non-alcoholic ingredient with Sainsbury's.
"Just Add Wine was born out of my own frustration when cooking at home for friends and family. It was a constant source of exasperation that there was nothing available – something like a stockpot or simple cooking ingredient – that could quickly enhance the Sunday lunch gravy or midweek bolognese with the flavour of real wine.
Asking around and doing research, it was clear there was a huge gap in the market. The seasoning and ingredients market is worth nearly £1 billion in the UK alone.
With the supermarket deal in place Neil approached the Let's Do Business Group hoping to secure a government backed Start-Up Loan to help him produce enough stock for the UK launch. Start-Up Loans allow an aspiring entrepreneur with a great idea to borrow up to £25,000. Successful applicants also receive a year's free mentoring.
Having guided Neil through the Start-Up Loan application process, including supporting him with writing a business plan and refining his financial model, the Let's Do Business Group approved funding of £25,000.
Neil added: "The Let's Do Business Group was pivotal in helping bring Just Add Wine to market and facilitate our launch with Sainsbury's.
Just Add Wine was also a semi-finalist in the 2016 Virgin Media Business 'VOOM 2016' Awards which included a share of a prize fund of £1million.
Neil is now developing a white wine variant with other related spin-offs planned for later in the year. To find out more about Just Add Wine visit www.justaddwine.kitchen, like on Facebook thesurreycook or follow on Twitter @TheSurreyCook.
Visit our website www.letsstartup.co.uk, contact loans@ldbgroup.co.uk or telephone 0844 943 2988 for more information on Start-up loans. Follow on Twitter @ldbstartup.
An individual can borrow up to £25,000 in their first 24 months of trading, or at pre-start stage, repayable over a term of up to five years. Successful applicants also receive a year's free mentoring.