Sauce of happiness
ELYS Poppy ditched a 20-yearcareer as a graphic designer to follow her culinary dreams – now she’s online as The Sauce Queen, often working round the clock cooking and packing her delicious concotions. But not once has Elys, 46, of Stanley, Co Durham, missed the nine to five grind of her old life.
How did you become The Sauce Queen?
I’m a real foody and developed a passion for making sauces at a really young age. When I was 15 my stepdad, who was a chef, showed me his recipe for peppercorn sauce. That was it – I was hooked on sauces and my mum, Marlene, called me the sauce queen from that point on. I loved nothing more than working out what sauce to cook with each meal.
How did it become your business?
I’d been in graphic design since leaving school and one day, after I had been at a packaging meeting which included a talk from Innocent Smoothies, I was suddenly inspired.
I decided I just had to quit my job and make sauces. Coming up with the name was the easiest part of it all. The Sauce Queen range was born.
I got in touch with the Environmental Health office and set about doing what I had to in order to start producing in my kitchen.
It took five months to do the courses required. My first two products – my stepdad’s peppercorn and a porcini mushroom – are still my best sellers. In a few months, I had six different sauces for sale.
Where did you start selling?
I went to my favourite farm shop and they stocked it straight away.
I visited trade shows and farmers’ markets, always with my mum there to help. I call her the Queen Mumsie. Last year when Prince Charles was visiting a showcase of produce made in the North East, I developed a special Royal Blue sauce just for him, using his Duchy stilton and some truffles. He really appreciated it. I even got to introduce him to the Queen Mumsie which he thought was hilarious. That was a real highlight.
How much do you sell?
I now have 13 core flavours and at peak times I am making 3,000 to 4,000 pots Elys with her range of sauces a week, all from my own kitchen. I’m only limited by how many fridges I have in the garage. With my background in graphic design, I do all my own packaging and designed the website, which is a real bonus.
One of my favourite times of the day is evening when I can start experimenting with new flavours in the kitchen. I never ever get sick of sauce and still plan my own meals around what sauce I fancy. I’m testing out my vegan sauce at the moment.
Are there downsides?
While running my own company has brought many moments of joy, it can be isolating at times.
I don’t employ anyone else but my mum lends a hand in the kitchen and with stickering pots. It’s hard to switch off though as I’m always working from home and I’ve not had a holiday since starting the company seven years ago.
It is not unknown to wake at 2am remembering to email my accountant. Ollie my dog keeps me sane though and makes sure I get out and get lots of cuddles.
Being a homepreneur also gives me the flexibility to work when I’m most productive. I’m a night owl and this means that I can work until midevening, not starting in the kitchen again until late-morning.
How do you combat the isolation?
I attend events, trade shows and fairs, which often help me with my feelings of loneliness. I’m also active in the startup community and look to help peers who want to start their own foodrelated businesses.
I believe it’s important that we all support each other and talk about our personal experiences.
Barclays, especially my relationship manager, has been really helpful here, introducing me to a large network of businesses and different calendar events where I can market my sauces.
ELYS’S TOP TIPS FOR HOME WORKING
■ Talk to other people in your business community
■ Get a dog for company and to get you out
■ Use the expertise of your bank and local council
■ Be disciplined about the times you work. I’m hopeless at this.
■ Get enough help so you can get holidays
■ Elys’s sauce – thesaucequeen.co.uk ■ barclays.co.uk/business-banking
My dad showed me recipe and I was hooked