Frozen blackcurrant business wins the Bear Pit prize

Herefordshire growers Anthony and Christine Snell were the winners of this year's Bear Pit competition at the Three Counties Show in Malvern, Worcestershire. The competition, based on the BBC TV series Dragon's Den, gives an opportunity to local businesses to make their pitch to a panel of judges for the cash prize of £1,000 plus a day of consultancy from 7Y Services.

The husband and wife team from Harewood End near Ross on Wye, who grow 140 acres of the fruit plus another 70 grown organically, impressed the experts with their innovative idea for developing the market for the fruit. Follow this link to their website for more information www.britishblackcurrants.co.uk

Whilst the traditional market for blackcurrants is in making the well known cordial, the Snells' concept is to supply them in 12kgs pack in dry ice to pubs, restaurants and catering outlets. This provides a convenient way to use small quantities of the intensely flavoured 'superfood' in cooking and for drinks such as smoothies. Delivered as Individual Quick Frozen (IQF) product, all destalked, it is the ease of use that makes this product an instant hit with the trade. The retail market seems to favour either fresh blackcurrants or, if frozen, as part of a fruit mix such as summerfruits, though Anthony is working hard to change this.

Managing Director of 7Y Services, Richard Jackson, who chaired the judges panel said that though all of the four other businesses that were part of the competition had many positive aspects, the Snell business model was extremely well thought out and had the most compelling business case.

"They won because of their thorough understanding of the marketplace and how they could extend their own current business activities in this reasonably traditional fruit crop into an innovative product and new market sector," says Mr Jackson.

The competition was judged by Cyril Arridge from law firm Parkinson Wright who sponsored the event, David Ledbury from Business Link and Richard Jackson from 7Y Services Ltd, pictured here with Anthony Snell.

Mon 29th Jun 2009