With the help of the Enterprise Hub via The Women’s Organisation, Lauren Clinton has launched Baby E Coffee & Deli in the heart of Liverpool’s commercial district

 

By opening a food and drink business in Liverpool right now Lauren Clinton is taking the plunge into a fiercely competitive market place.

However, the former finance professional believes her Baby E Coffee & Deli venture in Dale Street in the city centre has the right ingredients to thrive and, just a few months after its launch, the outlet is already proving to be a hit with Liverpool’s business community.

Baby E opened its doors in June in the Grade II-listed Temple Building after meticulous planning by Lauren who sought the help of Liverpool city region’s start-up support programme, Enterprise Hub, accessed via The Women’s Organisation.

Her journey has taken her from her home town to Bermondsey in London and to Melbourne in Australia and both locations have provided inspiration for Baby E with its rustic exposed brick, towering ceilings, industrial-style beams and cellar windows offering a real cosmopolitan feel.

Offering “good food and good vibes”, the outlet is a bustling coffee and deli that serves all-day brunch and transforms into an intimate deli bar in the evening – from eggs benedict and coffee to wine and jazz.

Well travelled

After graduating with a degree in business management, Lauren packed up and moved to Melbourne working in coffee shops and kitchens and discovered where her real talents lay.

She said: “I was lucky enough to work with owners who let me design specials menus and introduce new tastes and flavours. It was in Australia where I realised my passion and knew that working in the food industry is what I needed to be doing.”

Lauren returned to Liverpool and began a career in finance, working for a company in the city’s Royal Liver Building. Her aim was to raise enough capital to fund her long-term ambition of owning and running, alongside her partner Chris, an eatery in Liverpool.

She meticulously analysed people’s lunchtime rituals (where they were eating, what they ate, how much they were willing to spend) to shape her eventual food offering and brand.

 

Vacant space

For nine months she weighed up venues on Castle Street, Wood Street and Bold Street realising the battle she was up against in burgeoning business rates for premises across Liverpool city centre.

It was only when walking home from work she came across a vacant space in The Temple Building. She added: “I spotted this venue by chance and straight off the bat I wanted it and knew it had to be mine. We pursued it and here we are.”

In late 2016, Lauren began working with senior business adviser at The Women’s Organisation, Claire Pedersen, to get her business idea off the ground. The doors to Baby E officially opened in June this year, operated by Lauren and her partner Chris, as well as a team of five staff.

“The support from The Women’s Organisation was unbelievable. It was so helpful to bounce ideas back and forth to my business adviser, as she had worked with other aspiring and established food businesses and knew industry trends, what works and what doesn’t,” said Lauren.

Unique spin

A lover of quality homemade food, Lauren tries to push the boundaries of her menu by putting a unique spin dishes. She has been inspired by delis and the nature of customers ‘picking and choosing’ what they want to eat.

Baby E prides itself on serving, where possible, locally-sourced fresh ingredients delivered daily, meaning the menu will adapt to seasonally. Current menu customer favourites include: bangers & hash, shakshuka baked eggs, fluffy pancakes and pesto potatoes.

It also offers specialty sourced coffee from HasBean of Manchester and Lauren has invested time into training her baristas.

Baby E also now caters to evening-socialisers offering a small but fine selection of wine, gin or beer to be enjoyed alongside a cheese board.

Lauren added: “I’m a business-owner, but my day-to-day role is a chef in the kitchen – it’s where I love to be. Being your own boss is the best and hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I’m so proud of what me and my team have achieved. The best feeling is to go home every night knowing I’ve cooked and served people food they’ve enjoyed.”

If you’d like to find out more about how our team can help you to start a business through the Enterprise Hub programme then call 0151 706 8111.