IN this week's SME Focus we hear from an innovative food business which is targeting growth in North America from its island location.

Name:

Guy Crichton.

Age:

34.

What is your business called?

Bute Island Foods Ltd.

Where is it based?

The Isle of Bute, just off the west coast of Scotland.

What does it produce, what services does it offer?

We produce vegan, dairy-free cheese, given the trade name of Sheese. There are three types: our Classic range of hard cheese which comes in nine flavours and has been produced since 1991; Creamy Sheese which comes in six flavours produced since 2006; and Melty Sheese, in four flavours, introduced in 2012.

Who does it sell to?

Consumers that are looking for alternatives to dairy cheese either for health or ethical reasons. One of our main aims is to help people who normally feel excluded by their allergy or dietary requirements by offering products that let them enjoy the dishes they might not otherwise be able to eat.

What is its turnover?

In seven figures.

How many employees?

19.

When was it formed?

The company was originally formed in 1988 by three friends of ours who themselves did not eat dairy produce. They spent many years experimenting to find a suitable, appetizing alternative to cow cheese for the benefit of those who want to make a switch to dairy-free, but found it difficult without an acceptable substitute.

Why did you take the plunge?

In 2003, those friends were considering selling the business and moving up to Orkney to take up organic farming. My brother and I along with our cousins - also two brothers - already did not eat meat or dairy produce and were firmly convinced that this was the way to a healthier lifestyle. So, we took up their offer and bought the company.

We quickly realised that increasingly people were taking responsibility for their own health, paying closer attention to their diets with dairy often under the spotlight. Awareness, understanding and indeed diagnosis of allergies and other reactions to dairy were on the rise. Adding to that, people were taking a more caring attitude towards animals which naturally had a knock on effect when it came to consumption of dairy products. In effect, we considered we were taking up a cause, not just taking on a business.

What were you doing before you took the plunge?

I was working as manager of a giftware business so I had no technical background in the food industry, although it put me in good stead regarding organisational procedures, operations and logistics etc.

How did you raise the start-up funding?

We agreed a repayment plan with the previous owners of the business and the initial payments were funded by savings from some of the directors. The directors then took minimal wages so we could pay the balance using company profits.

What was your biggest break?

In 2011 we were approached by Tesco, who were about to launch a Free From range. Our products were evaluated alongside other manufacturers and some of our Sheese products were selected to be Tesco's own brand.

We are now looking, with the help of the Access6 export programme, to find the best route into the US market. It's been our ambition for some time to target the US and for the last year we've undergone mentoring and tailored training as well as a study tour to New York. When it materialises this will be the next big break for us.

What was your worst moment?

Thankfully, we've not had any worst moment so far. We have progressed steadily and evenly along the way, allowing potential distributors to approach us, just taking things as they come. In that way, we don't overstretch ourselves or put any extra pressure on ourselves until we are ready for it.

What do you most enjoy about running the business?

Working with an excellent, dedicated team and producing what we think is an exciting range of free-from products that we are really passionate about. We have contact with a huge variety of people all over the world.

What do you least enjoy?

There never seems to be enough hours in the day! You have to be very dedicated to run your own business, every hour counts. Hopefully we are getting a little better at time management as new product research and development is something that we love and want to spend more time on. We have some exciting new ranges that we will be looking to launch very soon.

Keeping up with all of the latest legislation, accreditations and red tape can be challenging for a small business like ours. However, we have found outsourcing some expert help in this area has helped to reduce some of our paperwork a little! For example the expertise we sought from our mentor on the Access 6 programme has been invaluable in terms of looking at how we needed to approach US exports.

What are your ambitions for the firm?

To be the No.1 dairy-free cheese manufacturer in the world.

What are your top priorities?

Producing top quality, tasty and realistic dairy-free products; helping to prevent cruelty to animals; looking after the welfare of the staff employed by Bute Island Foods.

For 2015 our top priorities are to launch our new range of Sheese, including a sliced and catering option, also expanding into new markets such as Canada and the US as well as some other European countries where our distribution could be improved.

What single thing would most help?

We are based in area with high unemployment and we really want to employ local people. However, it is very hard to find people with any previous food manufacturing experience and training is both time consuming and expensive. It would be helpful if there were more return to work apprenticeships that supported both employees and employers alike.

What could the Westminster and/or Scottish governments do that would help?

They could help by giving more funding to mentoring groups and programmes. That way the collective expertise of the programme's experienced business people can be made available to SMEs. Being a smaller organisation it's so important having access to quality, practical advice and guidance particularly when it comes to exporting.

If there was then a second tier of funding available to provide financial assistance to companies trying to export, it could make a real difference - such as the services Food From Britain used to offer. The cost of exhibitions, supplier meetings abroad etc. can seriously inhibit small companies.

What was the most valuable lesson that you learned?

To take everything one step at a time. It is easy to get caught up planning too far ahead, but you never know what is going to happen next and it helps to be flexible and adaptable.

We also run our business based on certain principles: never put your business in the hands of the bankers; never be greedy; never overstretch yourself; always give value for what you receive.

How do you relax?

Playing cricket, football, taking walks along the lovely coast on the Isle of Bute and enjoying a few drinks with friends.