News, PR and Survey Specialists

COOL DEAL

Two young entrepreneurs who began their business selling sweets in the school playground were feeling pretty cool yesterday (thurs) - after winning a deal to supply frozen yoghurt to Harrods.

Chris Hannaway and Will Hammersley, both 20, were just 11 when they began flogging chews and lollies to their pals during school break.

Will talked his mum into buying the sweets from a cash and carry and the pair often made #75 in a good week.

But they were often hauled before the head and told they were 'putting the dinner ladies out of business'.

Now the two pals are having another good week - after Harrods confirmed they are to stock their Arctic Farm frozen yoghurt.

Chris said yesterday (Thurs): ''It doesn't seem that long ago that Will and I were selling sweets in the school playground and now we're selling in Harrods. It's just amazing.''

The pair met at Ripon Grammar School  in 2000 and quickly set up as a team selling wholesale-bought sweets to pals at a mark-up.

Chris said: ''I think the best deal we did was a Drumstick lolly that cost around 3p, which we auctioned for #1.

''In a good week we would make #75, and it gave us enough profit to buy mobile phones and other stuff.  But we used to get into trouble because we were told we were putting the dinner ladies out of business.''

The firm friends hatched their frozen yoghurt business after they both started at Bath University two years ago, Chris to do Business Studies and Will to study Physics.

Chris said: ''We were living a typical student lifestyle.  We had next to no money and we existed on a diet of beans and ice cream.

''We knew that frozen yoghurt had to be healthier so we started conducting some food experiments.''

They went through many failures and 'disgusting' food combinations before settling on two flavours that went down well with friends and family - strawberry and raspberry (combined) and blackcurrant.

But they were let down twice by manufacturers at the last minute and then Will's mum banned them from using her kitchen to create the batches of yoghurt because they made such a mess.

Now it looks like they have finally hit on the recipe for success after striking a bulk production agreement with manufacturers in Herefordshire - and landing the Harrods deal.

Tubs went on sale in Harrods this week after the lads sold out their first run of 4,000 in independent delis and farm shops.

Chris said: ''We're so proud that something we have made is on sale in Harrods.  Hopefully this will be the start of big things for us as a company.''

ENDS