Phil from Dulwich came up with his business idea when he was a student, struggling to eat decent, healthy meals while living alone.
Looking for convenience without wanting to compromise on quality and taste, Phil thought of all the other busy individuals who might be experiencing the same kind of frustration as he was.
So, with the idea of introducing locally sourced and wholesome food to the ready meal market, Phil approached the Prince’s Trust to see if he could receive any support for his new business plan.
After this initial contact with the youth charity, Phil received a market research grant to help him investigate whether his business idea was viable.
Next, Phil began the task of carefully writing up his business plan, which he pitched to a panel from The Prince’s Trust.
As a result of this meeting Phil received a business loan to help him get the next phase of his company, which he named Scratch Meals, into motion.
Phil then rented a market stall in London so he could begin to get an idea of costs and start thinking about what kind of produce to sell.
As the idea for Scratch Meals developed and progressed Phil approached a number of independent food shops in London in the hope that they would agree to stock the Scratch Meals range in their stores.
After a year trading in independent shops, Phil approached supermarket giant Sainsbury’s with a business proposal.
Scratch Meals have now been sold in Sainsbury’s since May 2011 and the company has premises in Yorkshire employing up to six people a day. Phil still has even higher hopes for the future:
My ultimate goal is to revolutionise the ready meal market and to keep developing the brand.Phil said “The Prince’s Trust was absolutely fantastic. The whole process of setting up my business was great, and I had to do everything properly. I’m really grateful for the support I received in the beginning, which has helped me get where I am today.”