North Tyneside Business Forum member bakes off to a good start

 

Ingredients including skill, dedication, great customer service and a pinch of support and advice from North Tyneside Business Forum have helped a new bakery business.

 

Originally formed from home in lockdown, Eli’s Bakery has whisked up so much new business that they have moved into new premises with demand for their Portugese specilaity bread and pastries constantly exceeding supply.

 

In December 2018, Sylvester Spinelli and his partner Ana Ribeiro baked their first bread based on the homemade, full of flavour loaves they used to eat as children. Just over a year ago, their first child Eli was born. With the couple working from home and looking after their newborn, they created a number of recipes which were tried and tested on family and friends. The positive feedback was amazing and the couple decided to produce the bread and pastries commercially.

 

“Working from home was great in the sense that we were close by for Eli but it was difficult to produce the quantities of food needed from our small kitchen. We decided to do two things – firstly to name the business after Eli and then find a suitable premises to upscale our work,” said Sylvester.

 

With support from North Tyneside Business Forum and The Business Factory, the couple found a unit in Killingworth and created  Eli’s Bakery.

 

“We have gained a large customer base from the nearby industrial estates and beyond. Customers are coming to us from West Moor, Killingworth and even Newcastle to taste our specialty breads and cakes. We have chosen the right place for the business and we are grateful to everyone who has helped us on our journey.”

 

Karen Goldfinch Chair of North Tyneside Business Forum said:

“I really enjoyed visiting Eli’s Bakery. The food is delicious and it’s great to see a business started during lockdown expanding so rapidly. It really has been inspiring to see Sylvester and many others doing so well after such a difficult year, they’ve risen above the challenges and are now looking to take on an apprentice too, what an achievement. Being able to help businesses like this through the Forum is the icing on the cake”

 

The North Tyneside Business Forum is run by a management group made up of members from various industry sectors in the Borough and gives support in the form of networking, events and signposting for growth and development. Membership is free and open to any business of any size trading within North Tyneside. The Business Forum is supported by North Tyneside Council.

 

The Forum is FREE to join and is for any business with a trading address in North Tyneside.

E: [email protected]  www.northtynesidebusinessforum.org.uk

T:0191 643 6000