Name:

Fiona Audsley.

Age:

53.

What is your business called?

Pittenweem Preserves.

Where is it based?

In The Jam Shack, right in the heart of the beautiful fishing village of Pittenweem in the East Neuk of Fife, an area renowned for soft fruit farms.

What does it produce?

Award-winning small batch preserves. All our products are made in traditional maslin pans in batches of no more than 14 jars. We make jams, jellies, marmalades, chutneys and fruit vinegars.

To whom does it sell?

Farm shops, delis and Botanic Gardens all over Scotland. New business is also coming from the tourism sector. We managed to secure contracts to supply National Trust for Scotland, Historical Environment Scotland and Visit Scotland at the Scotland’s Speciality Food Show in January 2020. Of course, by the time these contracts were set up in March 2020 the world was about to become a very different place. All of the upcoming orders were cancelled and we are only now starting to see them come back to us. In the meantime our newest retailer is the world famous Rosslyn Chapel which is super exciting.

What is its turnover?

We anticipate turnover for year-end February 2022 will be in the region of £65,000.00

How many employees?

I work with my husband Michael and we are the only employees at the moment.

When was it formed?

February 2018.

Why did you take the plunge?

A local shop, Pittenweem Hub, spotted some of my home-made jam on Facebook. The manager called and asked if we could supply jam to him as he was trying to change his stock to more locally-sourced produce. We weren’t sure if we could sell to a shop so contacted Fife Council to ask what we would have to do. They were incredibly helpful and supportive and quickly came to see our domestic kitchen and approved it for manufacturing. We had a brain storm to come up with a name and logo and I got to work and made 36 jars for them to sell. We now send out nearly 1,000 jars a week.

What were you doing before you took the plunge?

Michael and I ran our own business, Feather Your Nest. We offered an interior design, project management and upholstery service. The business was ticking over nicely and the jam was just a hobby. Then from March 2020 we could no longer operate that business. The building industry ground to a halt and this winter it was actually illegal to go into people’s homes. A long discussion was had and a decision made to close Feather Your Nest and concentrate on growing Pittenweem Preserves. Turns out to be the best decision we ever made.

How did you raise the start up funding?

We had no outside input financially to start the business. As the orders increased we gradually bought more equipment. In the autumn of 2019 we moved house and inherited a 50-year-old workshop in the garden of our new home. We converted this building, now The Jam Shack, putting in up-to-date electrics and water and a dedicated kitchen on the tightest of budgets. It is over 50 square metres so we managed to make a room separate from the kitchen with plenty of storage for stock and space to pick and pack orders. We have a wood burning stove for the winter and chickens in the garden right outside the kitchen window. We are right in the heart of the village of Pittenweem and it is an idyllic place to work.

What was your biggest break?

Winning our first award. Our Raspberry Jam won the Gold Award at Scotland’s Speciality Food Show 2020 for best product. It was such a boost to have one of our products recognised by industry experts. That gold award sticker means that what was already a popular product is now our bestseller by a country mile.

What was your worst moment?

April/May 2020. All our new tourism business was cancelled, Feather Your Nest just stopped dead in it’s tracks and we had almost no money coming in. We were literally down to our last penny when we finally (after red tape that was only resolved by the intervention of the MP Wendy Chamberlain) received the first government grant and we were able to take a deep breath and carry on.

What do you most enjoy about running your own business?

How long have you got? We have never had so much fun at work. I have made preserves with my mum since childhood and have always loved it. To make them for a living is a dream come true and the feedback from customers is amazing.

What do you least enjoy?

The paper work and cash flow can be a nightmare. Working with larger businesses is great but they ask for longer credit times which can be challenging.

What are your ambitions for the firm?

We have just secured a license with the R & A St Andrews to produce two products with The Open logo on them. We will also be making products for the 150th Open in St Andrews is 2022. It is an incredible honour for a tiny business like ours to work with such a prestigious organisation and it would be wonderful to do more of this type of work. We were also in discussion with Fortnum & Masons before the lockdown and that is a door I wouldn’t mind opening again!

What are your top five priorities:

1. Quality in everything we do. We use only the finest ingredients to make the best possible produce.

2. Looking after the environment. We take great care to be as environmentally aware as possible. We use almost no plastic in our packaging and are trying to source good quality paper packing tape to deliver a completely eco-friendly product.

3. Customer service. We strive to deliver orders within 48 hours of them being placed and are always ready to discuss new products with our retailers to suit their customer base.

4. Work life balance. We love this business but you have to have life too. We live in a beautiful village and it’s important to stop and take a walk on the beach whenever we can.

5. Giving something back. We try to support as many local good causes as possible.

What could the Westminster and/or Scottish Governments do that would help?

We have had tremendous support throughout the pandemic from Scottish Government grants and from Fife Council trade development team, Business Gateway Fife and Food from Fife. We really couldn’t ask for anymore help. They have all been incredible.

What was the most valuable lesson that you learned?

Say yes to everything. A positive attitude is an amazing thing. “Can I do this, not sure but I’m going to give it a go” has taken us a long way.

How do you relax?

Despite working in a kitchen all day we are both big food lovers so we love to cook. We are always looking for new recipes and interesting ingredients and are so lucky to live in such a bountiful part of the world. We have an award winning farm shop, Ardross Farm, just along the coast, amazing fish and shellfish and of course fantastic fruit and veg. I started a herb garden right in front of The Jam Shack which initially was to provide ingredients for our fruit vinegars but we now sell to our customers. Michael has made beautiful raised beds for the plants and we both absolutely love to take an hour off and potter around out there. A stroll down the lane to the beach is pretty special too!