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Tina is an accountant and Barry exported goods to West Africa. Tina lost her job when her company closed down after the 11th September bombing. Barry’s company hit some snags and it become difficult to continue with the business. Undaunted they searched for alternatives and hit upon getting a franchise from Morris Pasties, a family-run business with a Cornish heritage spanning more than 30 years. Tina and Barry Baruwa opened their Ealing shop in early October and are brimming with enthusiasm about the growth of the business. Tina and Barry opted for a Morris Pasties franchise over other opportunities with more established brands because the franchise offered a refreshing family-style business for a smaller investment. Tina adds: "I had two or three businesses in mind, but when I visited Morris Pasties I was impressed." The Baruwas planned their business carefully.
The Baruwas work extremely hard. The shop is open from 7.00am to 7.00pm everyday of the week. It sells the popular traditional pasties, premium soups, speciality ice creams and sandwiches along with Fairtrade organic coffee, various freshly baked morning goods and pastries completing a range of products designed to give maximum profitability. The franchise allows the sale of additional products. Tina believes that these additional products have been beneficial to the business drawing customers in at different times of the day. Says Tina: "One of the great things about Morris Pasties is that they give you the opportunity to find out from customers what they want and add appropriate products. "We love the business and our customers love it too, they say it's the best shop in town." Tina recognises the importance of marketing the business: “We have so far distributed over 9,000 leaflets in the area. We are constantly devising new ways of promoting the business.” Any advice for business start-ups? Says Tina: “Plan your business carefully. Keep some funds for contingencies. Even though you may have planned the business well, you will find that there are sudden additional costs, which you did not realise.” The Baruwas have three children, aged 11, 6 and 4. How do they juggle their family and business lives? Says Tina: “My husband does the morning shift, from 7.00am in the mornings, so I take the kids to school, I come to the shop in the afternoon and he picks up the kids. On Saturdays, I don’t get here until 2.00pm.” The business is based on the core values of integrity and hard work, which emanate from the deep faith that both Tina and Barry have. Despite a gruelling work pace, their strong faith enables them to keep time to engage in voluntary work. Tina is active in her local church work: “I am involved in the prison ministry and we minister prisons every fortnight.” Tina and Barry are planning to open more shops in the future and are on the look-out for potential business partners. Contact: Morris Pasties
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