NOTTINGHAM’S The Treat Kitchen has been shortlisted for a national award, recognising its success and growth in the East Midlands.
The Treat Kitchen is an independent, family run confectionery retailer which was set up by entrepreneurial couple, Jess & Martin Barnett in September 2014. Martin & Jess thought it was time for the sweet shop to be modernised, and felt there was a gap in the market for a store selling quality confectionery in an attractive and modern setting, with quality packaging. They wanted to create a shop where the confectionery would be the star.
Now the business is celebrating a shortlist for the 2016 Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards, run by Responsible Finance, in the Growth category.
Neil Millington at First Enterprise, the company which provided start-up funding for The Treat Kitchen and put it forward for the award, said: “I would like to say a huge congratulations to Martin, Jess and their team. In the short space of under three years the business has grown from one to five stores and products available across hundreds of locations due to their wholesale arm. They also now employ 42 full and part time staff. It is a brilliant achievement.
“We have our fingers crossed that The Treat Kitchen will go on to be recognised at the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards.”
The winner of the Award will be announced on Tuesday 28 March at the Cardiff Marriott Hotel.
Jess Barnett, co-founder of The Treat Kitchen, said: “Me, Martin and the team are absolutely thrilled to be nominated. Getting this far has been a result of the great efforts our team puts into the work they do and we are very thankful for this.
“We are also extremely grateful for the support First Enterprise has given us over the past two and a half years. Not just financially but the business support and advice we have received too. We are looking forward to the awards ceremony.”
First Enterprise provides funding across the East Midlands region as a Responsible Finance Provider, offering business loans of between £3,000 and £50,000 through its Enterprise Loans East Midlands (ELEM) loan pot and other streams of funding.
With ambitious plans to help as many entrepreneurs as possible to start-up and grow their businesses, taking ideas from concept to reality is the driving force behind First Enterprise.
