TV dragon invests in graduate's business
Fri, 11 Jan 2013 14:52:00 GMT
Now Allison’s cake business tempts Deborah the Dragon to take a big slice of the action
Over the Christmas period, Huddersfield’s Allison Whitmarsh – whose cake baking business, ProperMaid, is already a success – appeared before the multi-millionaire experts of BBC 2’s Dragons’ Den and earned £50,000 from tycoon Deborah Meaden (pictured), who took a 25 per cent stake in the business and aims to help Allison with expansion plans.
During the programme, Allison – the only participant whose pitch persuaded the Dragons to open their wallets – turned down the offer of an extra £50,000 from businessman Theo Paphitis. She explained that it would have meant surrendering too much of a stake in the firm she launched in 2008 and which is now on track for a £1 million turnover, supplying home-style cakes to a wide range of regional and national outlets.
Passion for baking
Allison (pictured) had a successful career in the food industry, helping to develop recipes and working as a production manager for big-name firms, before deciding on a change of direction. She studied for a degree at the University of Huddersfield and when she decided to turn her passion for baking into a business she sought help and advice from the University’s Enterprise Team.
Soon after its launch, ProperMaid was named New Business of the Year by the Huddersfield Examiner newspaper.
When she appeared on Dragons’ Den, Allison open her pitch by offering the business gurus samples of some of her most tempting products, including a lavish ‘Christmas Dinner’ cake.
All of the experts were impressed by Allison, and one of the few criticisms was that the business depended too much on her in person, especially when she stated that her goal was to sell the firm and retire at the age of 50, in five years time.
Said Duncan Bannatyne: “This business has been driven by a fantastic, energetic lady called Allison, who loves what she does and loves the people who work for her. If you take Allison out, you have a problem.”
But Deborah Meaden was convinced that the firm could grow, without sacrificing its special selling point of offering home-made cakes without preservatives.
“It is not an easy business to scale, but I think that you are a good person to scale it,” she said, before making her £50,000 offer, which Allison eventually accepted, after mulling over but refusing the extra £50,000 from Theo Paphitis.
Following the Dragons’ Den segment of the show, Deborah Meaden was filmed visiting Allison at her ProperMaid premises in Lindley, Huddersfield.
Said Allison: “It’s not just about the money she has given me – it is much more about her time and expertise. My dreams of retiring in five years might become a reality!”
