From an initial Eureka moment in 2008, Chillipeeps Limited has gone from a twinkle in Claire Mitchell’s eye to a business with a patented, award-winning baby product which is selling well in the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Claire’s business idea came while she was driving to a family party and realised she had forgotten her baby’s sterilised bottle. Despite having a carton of ready-made baby formula in her bag Claire had no means by which to feed it to her baby. She wondered why there wasn’t a teat that could be attached direct to the packet - and there was born her idea to create a sterilised bottle teat which could be attached to cartons and water bottles.
Claire met her SCY Business Mentor, Nick Dunlop-Jones, at Venturefest Yorkshire 2010 where she was pitching her business idea, ‘Dragon’s Den’ fashion, to potential investors in the show’s Investment Competition. Claire and husband Rob Mitchell, company director, were working hard to get the Chillipeeps teat into manufacture and seeking advice on getting the product to market. This is where SCY was able to help.
The couple is the first to admit that the business has encountered its fair share of challenges along the way and with professional support, such as that from the SCY Business Mentor Service; accountants; sales experts; and a packaging design agency; Chillipeeps is now realising its growth potential and building a successful brand.
SCY Mentor Nick Dunlop-Jones has helped Chillipeeps to get the baby teat from concept stage through to a saleable product, specifically through:
Making the company ‘investment ready’
Nick worked with Claire to define the company’s aims, objectives and overall strategy, enabling the development of a sound business plan and putting Chillipeeps in a position to seek financial backing as required.
Establishing a robust supply chain
Having successfully launched the product, and secured international orders via the International Nursery Fair in Harrogate, Chillipeeps was faced with the news that their original manufacturer had gone into administration and could no longer make their product.
Says Claire, “It was a heart stopping moment when we heard. I quickly fired out emails through LinkedIn and our database to find out if any of our contacts could help put us in touch with a company who could meet the order requirements.
"It was through one of Nick’s contacts that we found a new UK-based manufacturer that was able to fulfil the orders. Without that I am sure we wouldn’t have met the orders on time which was critical for the business getting off the ground.”
Sales and marketing guidance
Nick helped Claire and Rob determine their market position, providing support on pricing, packaging and competitor analysis. Nick also helped the couple develop the company’s marketing strategy and adopt tools which would help them identify and reach their target audience.
Next steps…
The next steps for Chillipeeps, with Nick’s guidance, is to make its business information systems more streamlined and efficient, freeing Claire and Rob to concentrate on the running of the business.
Says Claire, “The support we’ve received through SCY has been critical to the survival of our business. We trust Nick and his advice implicitly. He is always interested but not involved in the day to day which gives us a fresh perspective on the direction of the business.”
Nick Dunlop-Jones says, “Claire and Rob have been faced with some extremely tough challenges over the last few years and have come out of those situations stronger and even more determined, which is very admirable. They are incredibly enthusiastic and passionate about the product and brand and have a strong vision for the business.
“It has been a mammoth journey for them as business owners and also on a personal level so far. I am very excited about what the future holds for them.”
Please download this case study using the attachment below.
