Midlands Enterprise Awards 2021

58 | Midlands Enterprise Awards 2021 the impact on the town centre is apparent with footfall still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels and numerous empty units where retailers used to be.” Staff culture is very open and inclusive at Tastes of Britain, with both Paul and Alexandra placing the emphasis on the customer first. The dedicated team is actively encouraged to try the products and receive both internal and industry training in order to be as knowledgeable as possible and to help build the brands so that they not only represent Tastes of Britain but represent the products and producers as well. “Supported by the ability to provide samples of our products, this helps our staff ensure a customer leaves having had a great experience, and with something they are truly happy with.” Paul and the team believe the future is bright, especially since being awarded the prestigious title of Best Independent Retail Start-Up 2021 in the SME News Midlands Enterprise Awards. “There is such a huge range of quality produce available from dedicated, talented, independent British producers that our biggest challenge is actually finding enough space to stock everything we want to!” he laughs. “This does however mean that we are always able to offer something new to our customers which helps to keep them engaged. We look forward to further establishing our business and expanding over the next 12 months.” Contact: Paul Venner Company: Tastes of Britain Ltd Web Address: www.tastesofbritain.com Tastes of Britain is dedicated to supporting independent British producers. Despite a turbulent initial 12 months, the business is now poised for success. We speak to one of the co-founders to find out more. Founded in 2020 by Paul Venner and Alexandra Halasz, Tastes of Britain was inspired by a love of artisan food and drink, as well as the desire to support independent British businesses. The busy town centre store, located in Solihull, brings products from more than 200 independent British producers to the high street, including over 250 craft gins and spirits and a gourmet delicatessen featuring cheese, charcuterie, and other deli favourites. “We offer the opportunity for the local community to try new things and to learn about our fantastic range of products from our friendly, knowledgeable, team, with free samples available every day across the store,” explains Co-Founder Paul. “We are a truly independent, family-owned business, and everything we sell has been selected personally by ourselves from the vast range of quality products available from talented independent British producers, with new items available every week.” As well as selling its range of products in store, Tastes of Britain also holds regular tasting events for visitors to come and try different things. There are gift hampers available to purchase, and quirky cheese celebration cakes to make any occasion extra special! All of this is supported by an online store offering free local delivery, or free nationwide delivery with orders above £50. “Our customers appreciate our sourcing approach and brand values,” Paul elaborates, speaking about what truly sets the firm aside from competitors. “They know that we are the place to come for the best choice of quality produce. The fact we offer free sampling across the store demonstrates our faith in the quality of our products, and ensures customers leave happy knowing that they have selected the right products for them.” The upward trend in gin consumption, which has really emerged during the last decade, shows Best Independent Retail Start-Up 2021 no signs of slowing down. Tastes of Britain has expanded from retail into offering table service in its ‘bar area’ complete with the best gin menu in town and a range of grazing boards from the deli. “Customers certainly appreciate that we offer a huge range you won’t find in the supermarkets, with new ones to try and buy each and every week,” explains Paul. “We’re also seeing a growth in demand for rum, with a trend towards British-produced and flavoured rums becoming more apparent recently.” Covid-19 damaged independent retail drastically, perhaps permanently in some cases, as restrictions have driven consumers to supermarkets and online retail giants. However, despite a challenging year, Tastes of Britain has successfully navigated its way through the Covid storm and this side of the business is now beginning to slowly flourish. “We have seen an increase in our own online sales during the lockdowns, requiring more focus on online than we initially expected, however Jul21154