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Help for new ethnic minority businesses
More than 150 ethnic minority students in Leeds have been receiving basic training in starting their own businesses.
The students took part in courses aimed at boosting their confidence and developing their skills, and increasing the number of ethnic minority-owned enterprises in the city.
The courses were jointly
A recent report has revealed that ethnic food businesses have not yet grasped the market opportunities presented by the increasing appetite for sustainable( ie. organic, fair trade and local) food, now worth at least £ 2bn a year.
The report –‘ Recipe for a Greener Curry’- written for London Food Link, calls for support for ethnic food businesses that want to‘ go green’.
It also gives well-deserved publicity to the current“ green” entrepreneurs in the Black Asian and Minority Ethnic food sector, arranged by Leeds City Council, Leeds Thomas Danby College and the ABDN Minority Ethnic Enterprise Network. Local Enterprise Growth Initiative( LEGI) has £ 15m funding available to help develop businesses based in Leed’ s most deprived areas.
For further information visit www. leeds. gov. uk
Ethnic businesses‘ not going green’
but also inspires others to build on their achievements and find new and exciting ways of bringing culturally distinctive, delicious and sustainable food to our plates.
It is the first report to identify ways for ethnic food business to get on the green food bandwagon.
The report also found some ethnic food businesses: lack knowledge about sustainable business practices, struggle to find affordable and reliable suppliers of sustainable produce, and are not given enough support in their efforts to‘ go green’.
Small firms‘ lacking encouragement from banks’
More than a third of small business owners think banks are only interested in helping large companies, according to a new report.
The study by Yorkshire Bank found that that 42 % of entrepreneurs set up a business in a field alien to their own experience, and only 27 % have prior managerial experience.
It also found that 36 % of small businesses believe banks do not cater well enough for them.
According to the report 37 % of entrepreneurs who set up their business to be their own boss admit they miss the comfort zone of having a sounding board when making business decisions, and 41 % said they found it hard to find the time to market themselves.
Cashflow seemed to be the biggest concern for small business owners, with 62 % citing it as the biggest worry, while nearly a fifth admitted to fretting about compliance with EU legislation.
Indian cuisine brand Patak’ s to be sold
Associated British Foods( ABF), the UK-based food and retail group which owns brands like Twinings tea and Ovaltine beverages, has reached an agreement to buy Indian cuisine brand Patak’ s from the founding Pathak family. The business comprises the Patak’ s brand and assets in all countries except India.
It is a well established brand in Indian cuisine in England and also has a wide international presence.
Pathak will now take on the role of chairman at Patak’ s and Blue Dragon, ABF’ s panoriental retail brand. In the grocery segment, ABF is present both in retail and food-service with brands like Blue Dragon, Westmill Foods and Rajah spices. Tobacco hotel company ITC too was said to be in the running for Patak’ s. Unaudited revenue for the year to 30 September 2006 was £ 66m. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of August this year. uk | engage ISSUE FOUR 2007