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The more success we have, the harder it gets…
The Salad Project runs five salad bars across London. Florian de Chezelles met his friend and co-founder James Dare whilst studying hospitality management at university. The pair founded The Salad Project with a mission to bring healthy and quick food to customers living and working in the City. The duo launched their first site in Spitalfields Market in May 2021, and has since expanded its presence, with five restaurants across London. To support its growth, the business has partnered with recognised chefs, such as Deliciously Ella and Max La Manna, to introduce curated salad offerings. The company has raised £2.7m in equity investment, which it has reinvested into product offerings, people, and expansion. The investment helped boost sales from £600k in 2021 to £5m in 2023.
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From battling alcohol at 12 to building a multi-million pound business
In 2014, whilst on vacation in Thailand, three friends from London noticed the amount of rubbish and plastic bottles on a remote island. Founders Josh White, who had previously launched an events company, Perry Alexander, a self taught graphic designer, and Ariel Booker, a headhunter, started researching and discovered that cans are more recycled than plastic. Cano Water launched in 2015 selling still and sparkling water in cans. Today the company sources and cans its water in the UK and sells via retailers including Tesco and Ocado.
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Driven by a mission for pretty poops we’ve created a £13m turnover business
Husband and wife duo Aneisha Soobroyen and Jack Walker, set out to solve their pet’s ‘tummy troubles’ when they discovered probiotics. This put them on a journey to start Scrumbles from their London home, creating gut friendly food for cats and dogs. Founded in 2018 they later appeared on Dragons’ Den, where the founders rejected an offer of £60k from Deborah Meaden. The B-Corp company has since launched into major retailers such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and Pets at Home and sells direct to consumer. Scrumbles has a loyal subscriber base, and has begun exporting to countries around the world.
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We turned £3,000 savings into a multi-million pound clothing brand
Founded by Samantha and Stephanie Frost in 2013, Pretty Lavish started their company in their Hertfordshire living room, aiming to fill a market gap for affordable, high-quality clothing. Gaining popularity, the company opened its first store in 2017 and thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on knitwear and lounge attire. Leveraging Instagram and TikTok, the brand collaborates with influencers to broaden its reach. Pretty Lavish expanded its range to include bridesmaids and curve collections, which are now available at Selfridges, ASOS, and at their Hertfordshire store. In 2023, the brand launched a menswear line and announced plans for international expansion, particularly targeting the US market.
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My teacher told me “you’ll either go to prison or be a millionaire”
Universal Partners is a financial services firm for businesses and high-net-worth individuals. Co-founded by Oliver Carson and Dhaval Patel in 2017, the company specialises in cross-border payments and bespoke risk management services. Universal Partners has earned recognition for its growth, including a nomination for the Scale-Up Business of the Year at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards, as well as securing a spot on the The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2024 list. The company has experienced significant year on year growth since inception and recorded sales of £8.6m in 2023.
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From nearly running out of cash…to becoming G100 number 1!
Founded by friends Purdy Rubin and Charlotte Figg and Purdy’s two sons, Jack and Charlie, Purdy & Figg is part of a new category of products at the intersection of household cleaning and wellness, with a range of sustainable, non-toxic, essential oil scented cleaning products. The company launched its core product ‘Counter Clean’ in 2022 and has since attracted half a million customers who enjoy its environment-first products and curated fragrances. The business has experienced rapid growth since 2022, with sales reaching £18.3m in March 2024, helped by its design-led brand and accessible cleaning-focused social media content on Instagram and TikTok.