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Helen Colley - Founder of Farmhouse Fare Helen Colley set up Farmhouse Fare which in less than two decades had become the largest independent outside catering company in the North West with her puddings recieving listings in Booths and Sainsbury's. At just 18 fresh from catering college Helen decided she wanted to create top quality food, made by hand using the finest ingredients and traditional methods; this has always been the company’s aim. With little more than a tiny bank loan, her parents’ farmhouse kitchen and a refrigerated van she set about building the business. Local hotels and restaurants were the first to take her homemade cuisine, including cakes and puddings, but gradually orders started coming in for full functions such as weddings, corporate entertainment and even catering for Royal events. By January 2002, Sainsbury’s had tripled their pudding order and the decision to sell the outside catering arm of the business was made. Within months Morrisons were also knocking at the door and the farm’s professionally converted barns were no longer a viable option for the expanding business. With Helen at the helm, new premises were found in Clitheroe, completed to bespoke requirements and the team were in and baking in just seven weeks – and Farmhouse Fare Ltd was born! Q Why did you choose catering? Helen “I’ve always had a passion for cooking, which I think I inherited from my Great Grandmother Janet Anderson, who still inspires me today when I’m creating new puddings, and I always knew I wanted to have my own business. In fact it never really occurred to me to work for anyone else!” Q How did you get started? Helen: “I left college in 1984 as a strong-willed 18 year old full of ideas, so I decided to take the bull by the horns, went to the bank and arranged a £250 loan which I used to set up my own outside catering business. I ran the business from my parent’s farm in Lancashire and began catering for funeral teas, christenings and weddings. The business expanded rapidly and we were very successful - catering for social events all around the country and even for royalty!” Q What do you wished you’d known when you started your business? Helen: “I wished I knew what I know now it would have saved so much time.” Q What’s the best bit about being your own boss? Helen: “The freedom of choice, knowledge of the achievements I’ve made. I’ve met so many different and amazing people along the way – it is very humbling. I love being in business, I love meeting people and I love food. I’ve done things I never dreamt of having the opportunity to do.” Q Do you believe you are lucky? Helen: “I believe in fate – I believe it’s grab and go, being in the right place at the right time and not missing an opportunity.” Q What was the main turning point of your business? Helen: “I was still running the outside catering company when I held a charity coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Nurses in 1999. I’ve always enjoyed making puddings for my own family and I must have been feeling quite nostalgic when I decided to run a stall selling my Sticky Toffee Puddings, as that particular pudding was always my favourite as a child. Anyway, the puddings went down a storm, we couldn’t sell them fast enough, and I was literally stampeded by people demanding to know why they couldn’t buy them in the shops. So I approached Booths Supermarkets and the puddings got listed in all of their stores throughout the North West. I couldn’t believe it and I was even more amazed when Sainsbury’s approached us in early 2001 and began listing our puddings." Q What was your biggest break? Helen: "Luckily I didn’t have to approach Sainsbury’s or Morrisons as they came to me, but Tesco was a little different. In 2005 I attended a lecture at the Manchester Business School where Tesco boss, Sir Terry Leahy was guest speaker. There was the usual question and answer section to the lecture and I just kept thinking to myself what a great opportunity it was to speak to Sir Terry about my puddings being sold in Tesco! The lecture theatre was full of suited businessmen asking questions about the state of the market etc. But I took a deep breath, placed my hand in the air, and by luck or whether it was the rare sight of a ladies hand, Sir Terry requested my question! So, I asked him why Tesco didn’t stock my puddings. Sir Terry Leahy was intrigued and asked me some questions about my puddings and invited me to send them in for trial. I sent samples straight to Sir Terry Leahy himself and received a letter from him in response thanking me – which hangs with pride on the wall - the rest is history as they say!” Q Have you ever had any difficult times? Helen: "Everything was going great until the foot and mouth crisis hit us in late 2001.” We obviously had a lot of difficulties, as well as the farm, the outside catering business was badly affected by the foot and mouth crisis with all of the restrictions meant that social events were cancelled, marquee work dried up and we lost a lot of crucial orders. Things were becoming increasingly difficult and that’s when I decided to concentrate on the puddings side of the business. We already had listings in all of the Booths supermarkets and some Sainsbury’s stores and it quickly became clear that it was the puddings which were going to save the business. So I sold the outside catering arm of the business for a mere £6,000 and began to bake day and night.” Q How supportive has your family been? Helen: "I am married to Michael and we have three children together - Charlotte aged 17, Simon aged 12 and Harriet who is 7 this month.” My family, including my husband and my parents have been involved in the business from the very beginning. My parents allowed me to convert farm buildings from which to run my catering business, and after foot and mouth hit I then decided to concentrate on the puddings side of the business, my father played a crucial role driving around the county delivering the puddings to Booths supermarkets. My mum has been incredibly supportive, and up until recently has worked with me through thick and thin – from book keeping and human resources to washing up pudding bowls in the early hours of a morning! My family have played an integral part in the company's success, and continue to support me in so many ways - along with my Great Granny Anderson, my husband and my children help to inspire me to create new puddings!" Q What advice would you pass on to other women who are starting their own business? Helen: "Never take no for an answer and don’t be afraid to knock on a few doors if it will get you where you want to be in the end and believe in yourself because if you don’t then how can you expect others to do so. Also, stay focused, but maintain a work-life balance and make time for your friends. When I think back now to how naïve I was when I originally approached Booths it makes me laugh. After the success of the Macmillan Nurses Coffee Morning and managing to sell my puddings in various local butchers and delis, I went along to my local branch of Booths with some puddings and asked the store manager if I could stock my puddings on their shelves! Of course the store manager said no, but was very helpful and informed me that I needed to speak a buyer at HQ in Preston. I dressed in my best suit and took my puddings to Preston, however arriving at Booths’ HQ without an appointment meant I was unable to see the buyer and I was told to go home and make an appointment. I went back home and called persistently until I managed get an appointment with the buyer who, upon tasting the puddings, immediately loved them and agreed to list them." Q You sold your business for £10 million – why and what is next? Helen: “I sold the company to the Daniels Group because it was something I felt I needed to do for the benefit of the brand, although I remain with the company and continue to be closely involved with the brand. After all, the inspiration for this company and all of these puddings came from my Great Grandmother Janet Anderson, so I feel I should continue her legacy by making Farmhouse Fare as great a brand as possible. In terms of what’s next, the future is looking very exciting for puddings! We’ll be concentrating our efforts on the brand range in 2008 and we’ve just launched a fantastic new range of seasonal puddings for the summer." About Farmhouse Fare - selected Puddings from the award-winning range, now with organic variations are available from leading supermarkets. If you want one that’s really delicious, I’ve just tried the Luxury Sticky Chocolate pudding – wow, it’s just what you expect it to be and more, it’s all gooey, yummy and scrumptious just like you’d expect – mmmm – give me more!!! |
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