14 minute read
UNLOCKING POTENTIAL
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You might be forgiven for thinking that every change in business is currently being driven by circumstances beyond our control. But some changes, no matter how timely and topical, are intentional, strategic and offer
Cornish businesses flexible ways to adapt to turbulent times.
Unlocking Potential has launched ‘Digital
Transformation’, a programme to help transform Cornish businesses through planned and strategic change, enabled by technology.
This is a brand new, ERDFfunded programme developed in partnership with The Cornwall
College Group and Software
Cornwall, and it’s been designed with the region’s current and future digital needs at its heart.
Of course, the county’s had a reputation as a hi-tech pioneer for years; the sector was already flourishing long before March 2020’s first lockdown. But since Covid turned the world upside down, digital has become increasingly important and forced businesses to adapt, to change how they work, what they offer and, frequently, how they think too.
Digital Transformation aims to ensure these new technologies and systems help businesses to perform better, and to become more competitive and efficient.
The programme’s manager, Dr Nathan Jeffery, says: “If there were any doubts about the need for digital transformation to facilitate business longevity, the global pandemic has silenced them.
“Those businesses that have quickly pivoted to undertake business in the digital economy are the ones reaping rewards from the pandemic. Businesses are now blending the physical and the digital to provide their customers with the best overall customer experience possible.”
Nathan will lead the project from within the new base at the brand new Fibre Hub, located on The Cornwall College campus in Pool. This hi-tech building will encompass work and event spaces, cutting-edge technology, and superfast connectivity. He will be joined there by Digital Innovators, Katie Moore, Helen Jones and Dave Crossley, selected for their skills in combining technical expertise with people-and-business know-how, and for their ability to turn niche expertise into practical ways for businesses to prosper.
ALLYSON GLOVER
DR NATHAN JEFFERY
Unlocking Potential’s programme director, Allyson Glover, is conscious of the programme’s timing. She says: “There’s no getting away from the challenges faced by Cornish businesses in the last 12 months; Digital Transformation could hardly be better timed or more topical. We have all had to change how we work, think differently, learn new skills, innovate and embrace change. We know businesses are ready to adapt and take up the opportunity to explore how they can take digitisation to the next level and ultimately transform.”
But how will the programme work in practice?
Katie, Helen and Dave will help businesses find out where they’re up to, digitally, and what their options are, then work with them to test and develop new ideas. Once all the data’s gathered, a plan for transforming into a successful ‘digital-first’ business comes into focus. This is where the collaboration begins between businesses aspiring to be digital, and other tech companies able to help them achieve that.
As Mike Barritt, director of Software Cornwall, acknowledges, there’s more than enough expertise in Cornwall to catalyse this change: “It’s no secret that the Cornish tech cluster is growing at exponential rates,” he says, “but digital transformation isn’t just reserved for tech companies, it’s pivotal to the success of any business. Digital Transformation will enhance and grow the collaboration between digital and non-digital businesses to provide a positive impact on the Cornish economy.”
Given that Unlocking Potential is part of The Cornwall College Group, whose campus will also host the Fibre Hub, Digital Transformation (the concept as well as the programme) is clearly vital not just to businesses now, but to Cornwall’s future, too, as it represents where skills and vocational training are heading. Justin Olosunde, assistant principal, external engagement & business innovation at The Cornwall College Group said: “Digital Transformation, and the agenda that it represents, is absolutely fundamental to growth within the economy locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. As a large skills provider, we want this project to create the environment that enables the market to develop, and helps people cultivate the new skills they need to allow their collaboration within the digital economy to flourish.”
Think what businesses have been through in the last year or so, and how pivotal digital has been. Fast-forward ten years: what will your business look like? Has it changed quickly enough and can it still compete?
Visit digital-cornwall.co.uk to get in touch with the team today. KATIE MOORE
HELEN JONES
DAVE CROSSLEY
KERN REIGNS SUPREME
Cornish Kern cheese produced by Lynher Dairies was crowned Taste of the West’s Supreme Champion Product of 2020.
This product was selected from a group of 25 champion products from the Taste of the West Awards, and judges were “blown away by its sweet aroma, solid bite and a healthy dose of rich dairy flavours”.
Ponsanooth-based Lynher Dairies is the sole producer of both the award-winning Cornish Kern cheese and the iconic nettlewrapped Cornish Yarg. The dairy owns a herd of Ayrshires to provide the rich and creamy milk that goes into its award-winning cheeses.
Having been crowned Supreme Champion at the World Cheese Awards in 2017, Cornish Kern has now gone on to win both Taste of the West’s Champion Cheese Award 2020 and the Supreme Champion Product Award 2020.
“Our fields are where our story begins,” said Lynher Dairies owner Catherine Mead. “A healthy soil rich in nutrients grows the very best grass and that is what we want our cows to feed on. Free-ranging, pasture-fed cows produce wonderful milk which in turn produces great cheese. Cornish Kern is proof of that.”
MORRISONS ACQUIRES FALFISH
Cornish seafood supplier Falfish has been acquired by supermarket giant Morrisons.
Falfish operates from two sites in Redruth and Falmouth docks and was owned by founder Ian Greet and his son Mark, the managing director.
It has long-term relationships with the owners and skippers of over 70 partner boats in the south west who land their total catch direct to Falfish.
The company has supplied fresh fish and shellfish to Morrisons for more than 16 years and about 50% of its circa £40 million turnover is with the retailer. Mark Greet and all 140 Falfish staff will join Morrisons.
Mark Greet said: “Falfish has been a supplier to Morrisons since 2004 and over the years this has become a very strong partnership. For my father Ian and our family, as part of the Cornish community, this acquisition ensures the continuing ethos of Falfish in upholding our relationships and values, and strengthens this for our colleagues, for the south west fishing fleet, and for all of our customers and stakeholders.
“The acquisition is great news for Falfish’s Cornish operations and the wider community, bringing investment and access to many new opportunities.”
Murrell Associates advised the shareholders on the sale, with a team led by Hugh Murrell and Nikki Reid.
SMILE AND SAY CHEESE
A £3.2 million investment from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is boosting production of one of the UK’s best-known cheeses.
The LEP’s grant from the Government’s Getting Building Fund is supporting the multi-million pound expansion of the Saputo Dairy UK creamery in Davidstow to increase production of cheddar and ingredients for infant formula.
Davidstow employs more than 200 people and is home to the Cathedral City cheddar brand which has annual sales of over £300 million and is found in more than half of all UK household fridges. The cheese is made from 100% local milk, directly supporting around 330 dairy farmers across Cornwall and the south west.
Last year the business started selling Cathedral City to the Canadian and US markets for the first time, helped by a major media campaign which included an 8,500 square foot digital billboard standing 18 stories tall in Times Square in New York. operating officer of Saputo Diary UK, said: “The awarding of this grant…enables us to strengthen the infrastructure at our Davidstow creamery to support the continued growth of our award-winning cheddar brands, both in the UK and abroad. The launch of Cathedral City in North America is just the first step in our ambitious international expansion programme.”
AN EGGCELLENT
AWARD
St Ewe Free Range Eggs was named Best Rural Food Business at the first ever virtual national final of the Rural Business Awards, in association with Amazon.
The winners were decided by an independent panel of judges drawn from the rural business sector, rural public sector agencies and rural charitable organisations.
Nikki Owen, head of marketing at St Ewe Free Range Eggs, said: “Thank you to the Rural Business Awards and Amazon for this amazing award. We also want to thank the people of Cornwall and beyond who buy and enjoy our eggs. It means the world to us and we could not have achieved this success without you, our amazing team, producer farms and suppliers.”
SEA SALT SALES SOAR
Cornish Sea Salt is reporting a 46% rise in sales across its supermarket accounts.
The uplift is being credited to consumers becoming more creative with their cooking during lockdown.
Sales of Cornish Sea Salt rose a huge 202% in Tesco, with further growth in Morrisons (76%), Sainsburys (22.6%), Waitrose (31.6%) and Asda (22.6%).
More shoppers than ever before are upgrading to gourmet salt from ordinary table salt as the once foodie trend becomes mainstream – Cornish Sea Salt also saw a 22.6% uplift in ASDA stores.
The brand also reported growth in convenience stores, with sales in Co-Op up by more than a third.
Cornish Sea Salt Company MD, Philip Tanswell, said: “The past few years have seen a significant rise in the demand for sea salt in the UK, quadrupling output from our sea salt house in Cornwall as a result.
“Our salts are naturally lower in sodium and contain over 60 healthy minerals. They pack such a punch that you’ll get away with using 30% less than other salts for the same intensity of flavour.”
A CAN-DO ATTITUDE
A microbrewery on the north Cornwall coast has been adapting to survive through successive lockdowns with the help of Acceleration Through Innovation 2 (ATI2) business support programme.
Perranporth-based Black Flag Brewery was established in 2013 by brothers Nick and Benedict Sales. Having grown their craft beer business by supplying Cornish pubs, bars and restaurants, the duo were hit hard when the first wave of the pandemic forced them to close their doors.
With successive lockdowns causing traditional sales and distribution channels to dry up, Black Flag realised it would need to adapt its existing business strategy away from a reliance on wholesale distribution and increase sales to the end consumer. To do so, the brothers needed to invest in new machinery to package and preserve their beer, as well as build an online web shop and distribution service.
ATI2 was able to award Black Flag an innovation grant to help the business install its very own micro-canning line, which has had a dramatic impact.
“The financial support has been a lifeline to help with the purchasing of the canning machine, particularly in winter, a period which is always a tight couple of months for us and has been made even tighter with another lockdown,” said Nick Sales.
As a result of the investment, Black Flag Brewery is now able to reduce product losses and stock holding, while also improving product consistency, quality and control.
Sales said: “Before we had the canning machine we had used mobile canning companies. But oxygen is bad for beer and we had had whole batches ruined in the process. It takes 2-3 weeks to brew our beer and bringing it in-house gives us greater control, reduces costs and creates timing efficiencies as we aren’t waiting for someone else to can it.”
FUNDING FOR FIN-TECH START-UP
Falmouth based Fin-tech start-up Money Story, has received grant funding from the Social Investment Business Reach Fund.
The Money Story digital platform helps users explore their financial identities, coaching them to improve their financial wellbeing via “unique insights and financial reflection”.
Jones Oviawe, Money Story founder and CEO, said the grant will help move the company into the next phase of development. “We’re delighted to receive this investment,” he said. “The fund’s focus is exclusively on social impact companies, so it’s great we’ve been recognised as we’re on a mission to empower people to realise that having a healthy relationship with finance can boost their wellbeing.
“The funding will allow us to grow our market presence and complete improvements to our technology following BETA feedback. We’ll also now look to explore broader market vertical opportunities for our pilot project pipeline.” A Cornish entrepreneur and social media expert has been recognised twice in a national awards scheme that celebrates women working in digital.
Katherine George, founder of international social media marketing agency Oh So Social and online training platform Oh So Savvy, has been shortlisted twice in this year’s Digital Women Awards.
George is a finalist in the Digital Entrepreneur of the Year category and has also been shortlisted for Digital Woman of the Year. The latter category also forms this year’s 40 Digital Women to Watch in 2021 list.
She said: “It really means so much to not only be shortlisted for Digital Entrepreneur, but to also have a place in the 40 Digital Women to Watch list among so many inspirational women who are doing amazing things in the industry.”
DOUBLE DELIGHT
CODE FIRST GIRLS COLLABORATION
Falmouth University’s ‘venture studio’, Launchpad, has partnered with Code First Girls as part of its commitment to support more women into the tech industry.
The partnership will offer free part-time remote coding courses for women and nonbinary students at Launchpad and Falmouth University.
James Murray, head of the Launchpad Programme, said: “It’s common knowledge there’s a lack of diversity in the tech industry. We’re totally committed to bridging that gap and empowering under-represented minorities to realise their potential, embark on a career in tech and make a global impact.
“We’re excited by this partnership, along with our recent collaboration with Software Cornwall, this further brings together sector expertise and unrivalled opportunities for our Launchpad community.”
Anna Brailsford, CEO of Code First Girls, said: “We’re delighted to support the Launchpad Programme and all the entrepreneurs, innovators and inventors at Falmouth University through our Coding Kickstarter classes. A career in technology and entrepreneurship is one of the most rewarding paths you can take and I am personally so excited to see the impact that this partnership will have on the woman and non-binary tech leaders of the future.”
Marwick Marketing, a ‘super Google’ firm and one of the fastest growing companies in western Canada, has expanded its operations to the UK, opening a new office in Newquay.
A Premier Google Partner Agency, Marwick Marketing claims to be one of only two companies across the south west with this qualification and experience.
It marks a welcome return to Cornwall for founder and CEO Christian Thomson, who previously lived in Newquay for 13 years, setting up a number of successful businesses and meeting his Canadian wife, Theresa, in the town. In 2009, he was named Young Business Person of the Year at the Cornwall Business Awards.
Along with his family, he later moved to Canada where he founded Marwick Marketing in 2012, providing digital business and profit building strategies in and around British Columbia. In that time, Marwick was listed 11th in the Fastest Growing Companies in British Columbia list.
Thomson said: “We have a team of 21 in our office in Canada and for myself and my family, moving back to Cornwall was a very natural opportunity for us – and for the business.”
