Wirral Farmers’ Market launches ‘Dragons-Den’ style search for new Wirral foodie

May 24 2011 By Jane Clare

ARE YOU an avid foodie? Dreamed of running your own food business? Could you be the next Levi Roots?

Wirral Farmers’ Market is hoping to make one person’s dream come true by offering them the chance to get on the business ladder by running its own Dragons-Den style competition .... the show which discovered the new king of the spicy sauce, Levi Roots!

The winner of the Wirral Food and Farming Dragons' Den  will get a chance to launch their product at the Wirral Farmers’ Market and the Wirral Food and Drink Festival as well as receive mentoring from Reaseheath College and Business Link.

The prize includes:

A free stall at Wirral Farmers' Market in July and August. It takes place on the 2nd Saturday in the month.

A prime position in the Wirral Farmers Market marquee at the Wirral Food and Drink Festival on August 28 and 29

Mentoring by the Food and Drink Centre of Excellence at Reaseheath College and use of their kitchen facilities for any relevant product development

Business Link   has offered to assist applicants with their financial planning

Anne Benson, Chair of Wirral Farmers Market said: "We are looking for the newest and most exciting producers and farmers to come forward and we want to give them a chance to shine.

"We are searching for innovative and new products and producers and want to help them to hit the ground running as a new business."

We would love to hear from anyone in the region who thinks they have an idea for a new business, however big or small."

The event will be held on June 28, 7pm, at New Ferry Village Hall where a committee of local food and business experts will judge the business proposals. The invited audience on the night will include local councillors, producers, press and key figures in the local food industry.

Each applicant will get up to 10 minutes to present their idea with time for questions from our judges who are:

Jane Casson (Made in Cheshire); Dave Mooney (top Cheshire celebrity chef); Phillip Ambler (Business Link); Mary Walton (one of the founding producers at Wirral Farmers Market); Andrew Pimbley (Wirral Food and Drink Festival)

Applicants will be asked to focus on their product offering, its market position and any relevant business information relating to costs and routes to market. Applications will be considered from people who have a new idea and those who have been in business for less than 12 months including those who are running a food business alongside a full time job in another field. They should be within a 50-mile radius of New Ferry.

The winner will be announced on the evening.

Find the application form at www.wirralfarmersmarket.co.uk.