Troo Founder is Kent’s Women In Business Entrepreneur of the Year

Helenor Rogers, founder of TrooFoods Ltd and the Troo® Granola brand was announced as ‘Entrepreneur of The Year’ at the fifth ‘Kent Women In Business’ Awards held in Maidstone on Friday evening.

Entrepreneurs were described by the evening’s host, Comedy Cook Hilary Steel, as ‘totally bonkers’; something that Helenor would agree with. Helenor explains “Taking a step out of the well paid corporate world to set up my own business has at times felt a bit crazy; but I’m not one to have regrets and intend to give this my very best shot”.

Helenor is the founder of Folkestone-based foodie start-up TrooFoods who make Troo®Granola. The business idea was sparked after making healthy granola for the family, Helenor explains “My son loved it and said we should sell it – so we did!”.

Over the past year Helenor has worked developing healthy products; creating a website (with no website development experience) and winning the 2016 Grocery Accelerator programme for foodie start-ups – one of 6 winners from 307 entries. Troo®Granola has also won a Great Taste Award and has been selected by Tesco for their crowdfunding platform, successfully raising £5,000.

Helenor’s favourite moment was seeing the new pack designs and branding developed by Sand Creative from Herne Bay. “We’re so delighted with our high impact branding, it really makes us stand out from the crowd”.

TrooFoods Ltd is also a social enterprise; aiming to help people in the local community. Already they help support Folkestone Soup, a community idea-generating forum and are about to help launch ‘Helpfulpeeps’ in Folkestone, a social network where people share their time, skills and knowledge to help others.

Now joined by her husband Mike, the focus for 2017 is gaining investment and growing sales. They have the support of their new mentor, the Sales Head for Brewdog, a hugely successful craft brewer. “Getting advice from someone who is further along the start-up journey is so helpful” says Helenor, “It really helps us put things in perspective and keep motivated”.

As usual the team are aiming high – aiming to be stocked in Selfridges, Ocado, Lakeland, Dobbies and Holland & Barrett in the next year.

www.troogranola.com


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About TrooFoods Ltd

TrooFoods is on mission to inspire people to be passionate about gut health and to bring a smile to gut healthy eating through their range of delicious high fibre, low sugar, gluten free products in plastic free packaging. Kicking it off with breakfast; they are launching a scrumptious range of ready to eat Troo Granola especially designed to provide a gut healthy start to the day. One bowl provides more than 25% of your daily fibre needs; is less than 3% sugar and has as much protein as an egg. Packed with prebiotics it also provides slow release energy and keeps you full ‘til lunch. Husband and wife team, Helenor and Michael Rogers are behind TrooFoods Ltd. They set up their ambitious family business after 25+ years each in the corporate world. Passionate about food and health; they want to inspire others to eat better to enjoy a healthy, happy life.