Gold and Browne switch thriving business from the kitchen to state-of-the-art bakehouse

Rasharkin-based Angela Patterson is building on the popularity of her home-baked range of gourmet chocolate brownies with shoppers and especially corporate bodies by creating her own gluten-free bakehouse.

Skilled baker Angela and husband Adrian, a successful graphic designer by profession, own Gold and Browne, an artisan bakery which has won widespread acclaim – and significant business – for her rich chocolate creations at food markets here and from private and public bodies which use the brownies as corporate gifts for customers and for staff rewards.

Angela uses the finest Belgian chocolate that’s 100% sustainable and natural ingredients to ensure “gooey, fudgy, indulgent treat that’s made with love”, an ideal gift for Valentine’s Day.

The fabulous brownies, Angela continues, “are also made using gluten-free ingredients to create an awesome chocolatey taste”. Only the best gluten-free ingredients are used and the brownies are certified by the local environmental health office as being gluten-free.

Angela sources all the ingredients herself. These include the finest Belgian chocolate, gluten-free flour and locally produced free-range eggs and butter. She mixes, bakes and creates each and every single brownie without artificial flavourings or preservatives.

“Our business has grown strongly since we launched it from the kitchen at home in 2021,” Angela, who has a background in retail management over 20 years, explains.

“We saw a need last year to increase production capacity to meet the growth in demand for gift boxes, from sales at markets such as Antrim, Ballymena and Saintfield, and from our e-commerce site.”

The enterprising couple decided to switch the thriving business from the kitchen to an existing outbuilding that they converted into a state-of-the-art bakehouse and storage unit behind their home.

“We started drawing up the plans for the conversion, including the development of a gluten-free kitchen, at the end of 2021 and had all the necessary planning and hygiene approvals in place by the start of the following year,” Angela continues.

The dedicated bakehouse, which doubled production space and increased storage, was completed by the ambitious couple and ready for baking to begin at the end of last month. The conversion and works costs were largely self-funded by the couple.

New equipment, such as the industrial oven and refrigerated storage, required for scaling up operations substantially was sourced and purchased with Rural Business Development Grant funding from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and facilitated by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council (MEA)

The couple’s focus on innovative processes and products, which underpin the small enterprise, was subsequently recognised and rewarded in the shape of Silver Level Innovator status by the Department for the Economy.

“This was an immensely important endorsement of our business and enabled us to apply and be awarded grant funding towards project costs from Invest NI’s Economic Recovery Innovation Grant. It also helped us to develop and bring to market a new gluten-free and plant-based brownie range that involved removing dairy chocolate,” adds Angela.

This exciting product development is expected to be launched in the next few months, according to Angela.

“This will be a hugely important innovation for us and especially for our steadily growing portfolio of corporate customers, events such as weddings and birthdays, as well as operators of coffee shops, cafes and other retail outlets.

“We’ll also be introducing the range, of course, to existing and new customers at local markets here. Markets are a great way to build awareness among the widest range of shoppers. We’ve received some very worthwhile feedback through our regular participation at some of the most important markets,” she says.

Long passionate about baking, Angela launched her initial range of brownies successful at the RUAS Show at Balmoral Park in 2021. Enthusiastic support from the public and other traders in the Food NI Food Pavilion encouraged the couple to push ahead with the development of the Gold and Browne brand of rich chocolate treats.

Angela is a graduate in Hospitality and Tourism from Ulster University and former student at the old Catering College in Portrush. She was part of the local council’s presentation at Balmoral.

“Mid and East Antrim Council has been very supportive of our small business since we started it and continue to encourage us,” she adds.

The council’s ‘Go for it’ small business start-up programme initially gave her knowledge about running a business especially in areas such as finance and marketing. Adrian was the driving force in creating the attractive branding, high-end packaging, the website and social media campaign for the gourmet brownies.