Clare Barton , The Bakehouse at 124 thebakehouse124 . co . uk
© Yours Magazine
Grace & Janet Simpson , Goupie goupiechocolate . com
Goupie is Kent ’ s premiere handmade , vegan confectionery company , supplying all of its lucky customers with the most delectable chocolate treats around . Originally created from a family recipe , Janet Simpson turned the product from a family favourite into a brand new business venture . Together with her daughter Grace , they started to execute their joint vision of turning Goupie into a household name , and boy , has that dream become a reality ! Stocked in local independent stores like Macknades and retail juggernauts like Morrison ’ s , and having won multiple awards , including the Great Taste Award and Ethical Business Award , the pair seem to be taking the marketplace by storm .
When asked what has made Goupie so successful , they explained : ‘ It ’ s a truly unique and authentic product . It wasn ’ t created in a lab , it isn ’ t mass produced , and you can ’ t find anything else exactly like it on the market . It helps that there ’ s been a trend towards supporting small businesses and veganism in the past few years , which has definitely boosted our profile .’ But why choose to create such a thriving business in Kent ? Well both Janet and Grace agree that Kent is one of the best places to base a delicious treat business , being surrounded by ‘ beautiful countryside and fantastic food provenance ’ makes running a successful business a little easier . And , for anyone out there looking to emulate the Simpson womens ’ immense business success their advice is simple ; ‘ Learn to be flexible , but not when it comes to what your products are worth . You ’ ve got to take opportunities when they come around !’
Clare Barton , head baker and owner of The Bakehouse at 124 , is a lady who has offered delicious baked goods to the locals of Tonbridge for over five years . After a lifetime of avoiding bread , due to allergies to additives used in most mainstream brands , Clare started her love-affair after taking a bite of some San Francisco sourdough over a decade ago . After being made redundant a short while later , she decided to dedicate her professional life to baking .
Having been taught by some of the best bakers in the UK , Clare has brought a wealth of knowledge back to The Bakehouse at 124 , as well as some of the best baked goods around , including her iconic sourdough loaf . Like our other Kent business women , Clare and her business has racked up some impressive awards , including six Great Taste Awards , a Taste of Kent Award and six Tiptree World Bread Awards . Now cemented as a hugely successful Kent business , The Bakehouse at 124 , has another secret to its success ; Clare is one of only 21 Real Bread Campaign Ambassadors in the world . When asked about this extremely prestigious nomination she said ; ‘ Part of my remit as an ambassador is to promote “ real bread ” – bread that does not contain any preservatives . During the pandemic we ’ ve been helping customers make their own bread at home which proved very popular with the national trend to bake ! I don ’ t think we ’ ve ever sold so much sourdough starter and flour !’
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