Business Harvest View Brownies cooked up after redundancy proves hit for entrepreneurial mum from Waterlooville

Faced with redundancy from her admin job in April, Donna decided to strike out and start up her own business - making and selling brownies.

The 48-year-old set up Harvest View Brownies, creating a Facebook page and a website, and set about cooking up the treats in her kitchen.

And the idea has taken off, with orders flooding in for her carefully-honed recipe.

Donna said: ‘When lockdown happened, it was a case of work drying up and there was not enough for me. We needed an income. This idea was always running in the back of my mind but I was never brave enough to do it - and I didn’t have the time.

‘When lockdown happened, I registered as a food preparation business with the council, started buying ingredients, made my website and Facebook page and launched within 48 hours. A few orders came in and I started delivering a little bit of lockdown love. This has grown to selling at markets and being stocked in five eateries. It has been a really positive experience.’

Mum-of-two Donna says social media helped her establish her business.

She said: ‘I don’t care what anyone says, Facebook is a great platform for business. I have paid to promote some posts and I do quite a lot of giveaways, not just to get the exposure but I think it is important to give something back to my customers.’

SEE ALSO: Why Portsmouth has seen a crafting boom during the pandemic

Donna also recently made free lunches for children during half-term - and she gave 100 brownies to the Lifehouse - a charity cafe run by the Salvation Army - in Southsea last week.

Donna, who jokes that brownies are one of only three things that she can bake, says she hopes to expand - and is looking for a way to take her business to the next level and out of the family kitchen.

For now, the order book for her brownies is bursting, which she puts down to using quality ingredients.

As well as selling at markets across Hampshire with Hampshire Farmers Markets, Donna’s brownies are available at The Picnic Paddock, in Catherington, The G&T Room in Denmead, The Snack Shack in Drayton, Nico’s Food Bar in Horndean and Giorgios’ Pizza in Waterlooville.

Donna said that she hopes to inspire other people to start their own businesses selling their wares.

She said: ‘This is my first proper business. It is hard work. There are days where I feel overwhelmed but you don’t get anywhere in life without hard work. It is hard work but very rewarding. I hope that people read this and are inspired to give their ideas a go.’

The News has launched the #supportlocal campaign to encourage shoppers to ditch Amazon and seek out local businesses – online during lockdown and on the high street when restrictions are lifted – in a bid to boost local retailers.

For more go to harvestviewbrownies.co.uk/

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