Business Matters Startup Stars PR competition

A couple of weeks ago we got wind of a competition run by Business Matters (a local business publication run by Crawley Observer) called "Start-up Stars" - for a years free publicity to promote the winning start-up business.

We (Ian Rowling - MD, the inventor and developer of the technology and expertise behind Go4Fresh, and myself; Nick Broom - the external face for the company, responsible for strategy and brand) duly entered and were invited to a "Dragon's Den" style interview last week for the final 6 selected entrants.

Phew!! We had 5 minutes to present and describe the business, and then followed a full-on, hectic and unrelenting 15 minutes of questions and analysis of the business from a bank manger, accountant, solicitor and the representative from Business Matters. It was good fun though, and processes like this help to define the strategy better as holes or points are uncovered that you may not find in repeated checking of your own work. We came away hoping that we'd got enough across in such a short space of time to at least demonstrate how the concept was sound, the thinking and planning complete, the backing and support from Gatwick Diamond Hub and others was strong, and that interest was already growing in the fresh food industry itself.

We were pleased with our presentation and the questions were good, not causing us many surprises or discomfort (Ian has been in this situation many times and has covered almost all bases to a great depth).

Today I got a call from Lorraine at Business Matters to tell me that we...


..had not quite won it - we were "a very close second" to quote Lorraine.

Boo.

Disappointed? Of course, since I truly believe in the concept (as does everyone else involved in it), but also as I felt it would genuinely make a great local story for the paper. Now that several offices and business centres have agreed to take the machines, they will be able to gain great respect and loyalty from their customers (staff) for delivering them fresh, healthy food options, something that they can really shout about!

We must have made a fair impression however, since we are to be featured in an article anyway, and Business Matters want to come back in 6 months and write an update on us then. I shall be providing them with regular updates along the way, so watch this space (as well as that of Business Matters!).

Go4Fresh launch countdown

Take one dedicated inventor, one open-minded accountant, several experienced vending and fresh food specialists, a fair smattering of support and guidance from a business development team, blend and brew for several years, then add one entrepreneur and you pretty much have the ingredients to Go4Fresh.

A very fresh approach to the often stale and fusty world of vending.

What do you think of when confronted with the term "vending machine"? A large, characterless, metal box that takes your money (if someone's little treasure hasnt jammed it up or kicked it in), then may, or may not, allow one of its guarded "treasures" to drop mercilessly into a perspex-flapped tray at your feet?

You can buy all sorts of chocolate bars, fizzy drinks and overpriced water from these machines, but rarely can you buy anything actually healthy, can you?

Healthy, as in "made with fresh ingredients within the past 48 hours"?

Healthy, as in "no added nasties or preservatives"?

Healthy, as in "stored, delivered and monitored at a constant temperature"?

And that's because its complicated.

Complicated generally means expensive, and in the past that was good enough reason not to sell it to us poor public. However, now consumers have found a voice and the demand for healthy food is increasing rapidly.

However, at Go4Fresh we've developed a clever, yet simple to use and maintain machine that can be accessed and interrogated remotely. It's fully temperature controlled, knows exactly what sandwich, pasta salad, sushi, fruit salad or whatever other healthy item is in each and every chilled compartment, how long it has been there and what the exact contents (physically and calorific) of each one are.

Giving you, the consumer, great food, in great condition 24 hours a day.

Medium to large firms, hospitals, colleges and the like will be able to provide a source of monitored and healthy fresh foodstuffs to their employees at no risk or cost.

Now, the team at Go4Fresh are putting the finishing touches to the first production machines ready for a major launch in Crawley in June and we've started this blog to share the experience.

If you have a view on healthy food, you want it in your office, or want to find out more, please
comment on here and we will feedback to you. There'll be a website shortly, but since this is where we'll talk about the development of the company, you'll find out about it here first!

Cheers! - from all at Go4Fresh.