Pictured above: (l-r) Food and Drink iNet advisor for
Leicestershire Stevie Jackson and Ximena Shelton, who runs Shelton
Imports with husband Steven, look at the new promotional material
that has helped win extra orders for the coffee specialist
Coffee specialist Shelton Imports has won an order from
prestigious store Harrods and begun selling to a whole new market
after receiving support from the Food and Drink iNet.
The Leicestershire-based company supplies flavoured Colombian
coffee cubes in individual wraps direct to customers via its
website and to retailers like delicatessens and farm shops.
But now the firm has also moved into the food service sector and
begun selling to coffee shops and restaurants after receiving
support worth £400 through the Food and Drink iNet for the
design of a stylish coffee menu.
The menu and other promotional materials have also caught the
eye of buyers at Harrods, who are putting Shelton's products on
their shelves in October.
"The iNet's support has been fantastic because it's helping to
open up possibilities in completely different markets for us," said
Ximena Shelton, who runs Shelton Imports with husband Steven.
"The menu is a great showcase for what we sell. It's helped us
gain new customers in food service, and was instrumental in us
winning a contract to supply to Harrods. It's also helping me to
give a better service to delis and farm shops because I have also
been able to create new point of sale material."
Launched in 2009 and based in Kibworth, Shelton Imports sells a
range of seven different flavoured coffee cubes, as well as roasted
coffee beans covered in chocolate and traditional coffee. It
specialises in individually wrapped cubes of coffee that can be
instantly prepared using hot water to create a fresh cup of
coffee.
The firm now has 46 stockists across the UK, from Kent to
Scotland, including seven coffee shops and restaurants.
Shelton Imports received £400 worth of Innovation, Advice
and Guidance support from the iNet. The company matched this
support with its own investment.
The iNet helps food and drink firms engage expertise from
academia, research institutions and specialist business advice for
innovation projects to develop new ideas, new products, new
processes and to help companies grow. 50% of the equivalent
cash value of the support must be contributed by the company.
Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet
co-ordinates innovation support for businesses, universities and
individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East
Midlands. One of four iNets, it strives to develop an effective
network to encourage the collaboration of academic expertise and
knowledge, and local food and drink business innovation needs.
It aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and
drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to
develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and
implement new products, markets, services and processes.
The Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by the
Food & Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday,
Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the
University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park,
Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region.