Aunty J brings African ready meals to the UK market.
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From cooking for her family, to launching a unique product in the market, June Neizer shows how a hobby can turn into a viable business.
June Neizer, a 51-year-old Newham resident, has worked in the retail industry for 25 years. Her passion however was in food. She spent years cooking traditional African meals for family, friends and work functions. Reaction to her culinary skills was always positive and she started to realise that she had a niche that had a gap in the marketplace.
“I could not find African ready meals available in the shops and the African restaurants in London were always full of men, which I found too intimidating and loud,” explains June.
In 2009, after being advised by a friend, June contacted East London Small Business Centre to attend the 4-day business training course. By then June had undertaken some market research and product testing, but needed support in developing a marketing plan outlining how to reach her target consumers. Through working with her business counsellor, June was supported in developing a realistic marketing strategy.
“When you work on your own, you tend to need someone to talk to, share ideas and get information from, and I found that my business counsellor did this for me.”
During the early days of her business, June was selling her products Auntyjs - a range of African Ready Meals - at market stalls and various outdoor events. She then decided to widen her distribution and get her products sold at shops, pubs and through her website.
June says: “I have achieved a lot for my business. When I came to ELSBC all I had was an idea, and now it’s a full grown business and I am even planning on employing staff at the beginning of November.”
Published October 2011
