A Manchester entrepreneur has taken her brand global despite narrowly missing out on securing a £150,000 investment from Gordon Ramsay.
Steph Buttery made it all the way to the final of Gordon Ramsey’s Future Food Stars which aired earlier this year on BBC One.
The former Royal Navy Lieutenant founded Japanese-inspired premium soft drink brand Chu Lo in 2019.
READ MORE: Click here to sign up to the BusinessLive North West newsletter
Chu Lo, a Japanese-inspired premium soft drink brand based in Ancoats, Manchester, recently received a £100,000 loan from the GM Export Fund, managed by GC Business Finance.
She is now selling her products in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the USA as well as in parts of Europe.
Now with a team of seven, the business also has major contracts with HMV and Belong Gaming Arenas.
Steph Buttery said: "There is nothing on the market like Chu Lo. We have a really specific target customer, primarily gamers, and are passionate about building a community of people who love our product.
"The loan received from GCBF helped us as we waited for our first funding round, but it was the support from Andy and the team that made all the difference. The response to my appearance on TV has been overwhelming, not just in the UK but across the world, and I’m so excited to see how Chu Lo continues to grow in the coming years."
Andy Nichols, senior loan manager at GC Business Finance, added: "It’s been brilliant to work with a business like Chu Lo, which demonstrates real export potential and appeals to a very unique market.
"Steph and the team have done a brilliant job of getting the brand to where it is, and I can’t wait to see it take over the soft drinks industry here and overseas."
READ NEXT:
