A Recipe For Success

17/7/09

Chilli flavoured chocolate is proving a roaring success at a Herefordshire shopping outlet after a chance meeting at a Yorkshire Bank event.

Rosemary Ndukuba has launched Devine Foods in Rugby after her old family recipes of chilli sauces and chocolate were popular with her family and friends.

The company’s director met Angie Ellis, the chief executive of Labels Outlet Shopping, at a food manufacturing seminar at Yorkshire Bank’s Financial Solutions Centre (FSC) in Coventry.

Following their conversation and after tasting the samples, Devine Chilli Chocolate is now on sale at the Food Hall at Labels Outlet Shopping at junction four of the M50 in Ross-on-Wye.

Rosemary said: “I remember making these recipes with my mother and aunties in Nigeria years ago and I decided to start making them again at home because I have always enjoyed cooking.

“After meeting Audrey Francis and telling her about the chilli chocolate and sauces, I asked her to assist us in the newly started business.

“We have taken over two former bakeries in Mill Road where I oversee the manufacturing and Audrey looks after the marketing.

“We have secured orders in the Republic of Ireland and from hotels across the UK and our networking at Yorkshire Bank has led to the order from Labels Outlet Shopping which is really exciting.”

Angie added: “We have over one million people visit us each year and as part of our expansion programme, we have launched a Food Hall to complement our retail store.

“We have various counters to promote locally made and grown produce and the chilli chocolate is proving to be really popular.

“In these economic times, this proves the importance of networking with like-minded business people.”

Simon Moore, senior partner at Yorkshire Bank FSC at the Ricoh Arena, said the seminar was an excellent opportunity for customers from the food manufacturing sector to network.

He said: “In this current climate it is great news that we have played a part in two customers meeting and doing business with each other.

“Rosemary and Audrey have spotted a gap in the market and having tasted the chilli chocolate, Devine Foods certainly lives up to its name.”