Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council - Case studies
Case Studies for Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Sushi Sushi
Launched in 2007, Sushi Sushi is the brainchild of Stuart Turner, inspired by a Japanese housemate he met whilst at university. Whilst traveling, Stuart worked at a sushi bar in Australia, and when he returned to Barnsley, he saw a potential gap in the market which he has been quick to exploit. The original vision has expanded rapidly into a service which includes cookware, tableware, and of course, the sushi-making kits which Stuart and his team put together.
Stuart says that “Sushi is the fastest growing food in the UK, growing 20 per cent year on year, and we’re growing faster than that. It’s healthy food but nothing is lost on taste.
“Later this year, we’re re-launching our retail website to offer 2,000 products which will mean we have the largest range of any online Japanese food retailer in Europe. We’re really popular in Spain and Italy and have even had an order for a silicon rolling mat from Japan!
"A second major development is the launch of our new website aimed at trade customers. We’ve found a niche in catering for companies looking to add sushi as an extra line rather than as their main focus. We’ve already supplied a machine which warms sake to a Greek cruise ship and we’ve had interest from companies in the United States and United Arab Emirates to provide equipment such as sushi-making machines.”
Helping with this development is Business coach Mike Kilroy, as part of the Enterprising Barnsley programme which offers free support to high-growth local companies. Mike said: “By using innovative strategic visioning techniques, Stuart has been able to look at all aspects of his business and bring together the different elements to create an integrated offer of authentic ingredients, machinery, training and consultancy to larger customers at home and abroad.”
Stuart credits Barnsley as part of his success due to the cheaper accommodation and costs available in the area compared to his primary competitors based in London. This has enabled Stuart to open Barnsley’s first oriental food shop – Barnsley Oriental Supplies – alongside the expansions in the web side of the business. He said “I know we’re going in the right direction and I’m excited about the future despite new challenges that are undoubtedly posed by the recent tsunami in Japan.”
For every order over £15, Sushi Sushi is donating a pound to the Shelterbox charity which gives survival supplies to families affected by the disaster.
Echelon Sport
Launched in 2002 after the closure of the Dunlop Slazenger sporting goods plant by two former employees, Steve Cole and Ray Clark, Echelon Sport preserved the shuttlecock manufacture which had been undertaken in Barnsley since 1980. Five million shuttlecocks are produced in the Barnsley plant annually, and Echelon has become the principle supplier to Carlton and Head, amongst other marques.
Echelon is the only European shuttlecock manufacturer, and has maintained a reputation for excellence in the standards to which they adhere. Ray explained: “Shuttlecocks must adhere to strict standards of weight and size and are very precisely engineered to give a nice smooth flight with no wobbles. In addition, the shuttlecocks we produce are highly durable making them a popular choice with many players.”
As part of the service offered by the Enterprisingly Barnsley programme, Echelon qualified for free assistance from marketing specialist Kevin Steel, which offers business support to Barnsley businesses with growth potential.
Steve said: “We had a gap in our expertise that Kevin has filled and he has been instrumental in giving us more confidence and focus to take the company forward and further harness the skills of Barnsley people.
“Born and bred in the town myself, I take great pride in the fact that we’re not only preserving the tradition of sports goods manufacturing but developing opportunities for growth in the future.”
“By assessing and addressing the individual needs of Echelon, Kevin and the team have been able to provide support that is really having an impact and we’re delighted that Echelon is enjoying such success.”
