Southern Enterprise Awards 2020

88 | Southern Enterprise Awards 2020 A proper Cornish cream tea is one of the most luxurious, sweet-tasting, and sumptuous things that a person can have. The idea of cream tea has long been associated with luxury, but a small enterprise in the South West of England has transformed a passion for the proper Cornish cream tea into a sterling business. The Cornish Scone Company, owned and operated by Karen Gilchrist, provides a range of freshly-baked and handmade Cornish goodies to tantalise the taste buds and nourish the nostrils. Discover more about this sweet and savoury small enterprise. Cornish cream teas are the perfect food for any occasion, be it a celebration, graduation, or promotion. They can be enjoyed and savoured for pure delight, and they deserve to be experienced in all their Cornish authenticity far from the South coast of England. That is exactly what The Cornish Scone Company has decided must happen. Karen Gilchrist, supported by her family, provides a range of freshly baked and handmade Cornish goodies, including Cornish cream teas, savoury afternoon teas, a wide range of gooey chocolate brownies, sweet tiffins, and a vegan range to top it all off. These are perfect for any customers, perhaps most suited to those looking for a gift for a loved one, whether it’s for a birthday, an anniversary, or simply just to say ‘I’m thinking of you’. Everything that The Cornish Scone Company bakes is handmade, painstakingly, by Karen and her family. There is no factory, machinery, or fancy equipment. Instead, everything is baked in the home kitchen, and to order. Nothing is mass produced, and each order is baked in small batches so that the quality is assured every single time. All of the baked goods are made with the same tender love and care from Karen and her family. They love what they do, and that was the passion for founding the business almost five years ago. Since then, and long before that, a Cornish cream tea remains very much in fashion. They are a treat to lift anyone’s spirits. Prior to the arrival of COVID-19 in England, The Cornish Scone Company was ticking along nicely, growing slowly but steadily at a pace that suited the business. However, with the arrival of the virus also came a wealth of business growth. Orders increased more than tenfold, and at one point, the company had a three-week’s worth of clients bookings. Luckily, given her ability to work from home, nothing The Cornish Scone Company Aug20446 major changed in the way that the business was conducted. Karen’s daughter was off school, and her husband was working from home, so help was available whenever it was needed. Shops shutting meant initial issues with getting the right ingredients, but the family business survived thanks to Karen’s parents, who sent flour by courier to keep the business going. Family is everything to this business, aside from the delicious tasting sweet and savoury treats that epitomise Cornwall. Karen does the baking, packing, customer service, and everything else. However, it is the helpfulness of the husband and kids, aged 17 and 22, that makes the firm so wonderful to support. Karen’s husband always takes a week off work in the build up to Christmas in order to get all the orders out on time, and it is this selflessness that Karen will look for when The Cornish Scone Company eventually decides to upgrade and expand. Customer services is of the utmost importance, along with welcoming them into the family feel of the business. The Cornish Scone Company started five years ago, when Karen’s parents were missing their Cornish cream teas and kept asking her to send one. Today, the business is alive because Karen’s parents were able to send flour in her hour of need. Family has brought the business to an award-winning stage in its growth. It took quite a bit of planning to get here, but the future is incredibly exciting for anyone who wants an authentic and beautiful Cornish cream tea. Company: The Cornish Scone Company Contact: Karen Gilchrist Website: www.cornishsconecompany.co.uk Best Cream Tea & Gift Hamper Provider - South West England & Award for Excellence in Vegan Desserts 2020