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First UK confit products company launches in Warwickshire

A scheme which provides funding to help entrepreneurs and SMEs in the West Midlands turn their great idea into reality is increasing its financial support.

Innovation Networks, which is managed by Coventry University Enterprises, is now providing improved grants of £15,000 to help regional businesses and inventors develop innovative products, services or processes.

The project, which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), offers this matched funding to SMEs from most sectors who are collaborating with two other regional SMEs.

Businesses in the West Midlands have been urged to find out more information from Innovation Networks’ website because funding must be claimed before June 2015.

One of the entrepreneurs to have benefited is Warwickshire-based Ian de Courcy, who has launched Great British Confit at Old Station Yard, Oxford Road, Marton, to become the first company in the UK to specialise in producing confit products from UK game and livestock.

He used his grant from Innovation Networks to buy a range of kitchen equipment to produce confit meat products – which are cured and slow cooked in oil or fat – from pheasant, rare breed or Gloucester old spot pork, grass fed beef and duck, and confit derived products such as rillettes, cassoulet and confit sausage.

Ian, who has 22 years’ experience in the food industry, said a trial of their products on the menu at The Red Lion in Hunningham had sold out within five days.

“I currently have a lawn care services company called TopGrass so half of the existing unit has been converted into a food preparation area which has been approved by Environmental Health,” he said.

“Adam Poole, who has worked with me for many years, has a passion for food just like me and he will manage Great British Confit.

“We are not just making UK-made versions of products available from France. We have looked at the whole process and the market which has resulted in innovations to meet the requirements of British consumers.

“Traditionally, the cure before cooking uses salt and a few spices but we will add other ingredients to improve the flavour such as ale cured beef or apple cured pork.

“Confit is traditionally cooked in its own fat but our products will generally be cooked in British Virgin Rapeseed Oil which is healthier.

“Feedback has been really encouraging and we have been invited to several trade shows because this is an innovative product.

“The next stage is to now start selling it and we will be targeting restaurants and gastro pubs as well as the pizza sector and speciality retailers.”

Judy Lambourne, project manager for Innovation Networks, said it was great news the size of the grants had been increased by ERDF by an extra £5,000 to £15,000.

“We are contacting people who have already claimed their funding to let them know they can apply for another £5,000 as well as those currently going through the process,” she said.

“The grants are quick and easy to apply for and we recommend SMEs and inventors get in touch as soon as possible so that we can assess their case in plenty of time before the project comes to an end.

“We provide support in putting an application together as well as checking projects fit the criteria.

“Entrepreneurs such as Ian are proof that with a great idea and being able to access Innovation Networks’ funding that brilliant concepts can become reality.”

For further information visit www.innovation-networks.co.uk or email innovation@cad-coventry.ac.uk

CAPTION: Great British Confit’s Adam Poole (left) and Ian de Courcy with Judy Lambourne from Innovation Networks

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .