ABERDEENSHIRE CONFECTIONERY BUSINESS SEES GROWTH THANKS TO BUSINESS GATEWAY

An Aberdeenshire sweet shop is going from strength to strength after their owners received specialist start-up and marketing advice from Business Gateway, Scotland’s national business advisory service.   

Located on West High Street in Inverurie, Tutti Frutti, sells an extensive range of retro and American sweet bags, drinks and snacks. The business was founded in 2022 by couple Leanne Craig and partner Stuart Murray. 

Leanne, who was a former admin and wages assistant, always had ambitions to start her own business but was apprehensive of where to begin. Following advice from Business Gateway, she decided to take the leap.   

A dedicated local adviser from Business Gateway offered her initial start-up advice, providing guidance on operational requirements for the store opening as well as advice on launch marketing for Tutti Frutti.  

Encouraged by Business Gateway, Leanne also signed up to the Early Stage Growth support programme and received one-to-one HR support. Her dedicated adviser at the programme helped Leanne to create a plan for her business, including employing staff for the first time. 

Opening the shop in December 2022, in just over three months, Tutti Frutti has enjoyed tremendous popularity with locals in Inverurie and beyond. 

In response to this demand, Leanne has introduced several new sweet bags, such as the popular Saturday night munchie box and a TikTok famous pickle kit which is served on first come first service basis. Leanne plans to open additional outlets in the future, fully equipped with slushie machines and ice-cream machines for the summer season.  

Leanne Craig, Founder of Tutti Frutti Ltd, said: “When I decided to launch my own business, I had no experience of the fundamentals such as hiring staff and finding a premise, which has been a huge learning curve for me. I contacted Business Gateway and was put in touch with Keith, whose help, support, ideas and encouragement has been amazing and just what I needed in a business mentor.”  

Keith Smith, Adviser at Business Gateway, commented: “Leanne has worked incredibly hard to launch her own business, focusing on her main goal which is to provide a unique experience in the confectionary industry. It is excellent to see how well she is doing, and how her training and mentorship has ensured a successful launch. 

Like many people starting out on their own, Business Gateway is here to offer a helping hand in making that first step. By providing a sounding board for ideas and advice on how to create a robust business plan, and we’d encourage anyone else thinking of starting up to get in touch.”