Success Story
| Region/Nation | West Midlands |
|---|---|
| Programme | Enterprise Finance Guarantee |
| Partner |
Miss Macaroon, set up by social entrepreneur and trained pastry chef Rosie Ginday, is a high-end patisserie with a difference.
Established in Birmingham, the social enterprise business specialises in the baking of French macaroons, which are hand-made by long term unemployed young people, ex-offenders and care leavers aged between 18 and 35.
In March 2016, Miss Macaroon approached BCRS Business Loans, an accredited lender for the British Business Bank’s Enterprise Finance Guarantee programme, after finding it difficult to secure finance from both social and traditional lenders. The reason for the additional finance was two-fold: firstly, to fund an expansion into retail and, secondly, to act as match funding bid for a grant.
In October 2016, only 7 months after receiving the business loan, Rosie opened her first Miss Macaroon store in Birmingham’s Great Western Arcade, to much acclaim from customers and the local media.
Miss Macaroon’s expansion into retail has helped create new jobs locally and will allow Rosie to provide more training opportunities for vulnerable young people. Ultimately, the aim is to help as many young people as possible secure sustainable, full-time employment.
The loan process at BCRS Business Loans was fast and efficient, while the service we received from our Loans Officer, Lakhbir Singh, was second to none. Without this loan, I wouldn’t have been able to progress with our plans to open brand new stores and create additional employment opportunities. Rosie Ginday Managing Director of Miss Macaroon
Miss Macaroon’s expansion continues, as the company aims to open its next store in Leeds within the next year.
January 2017
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