EACH week the Evening Times will turn the spotlight on one of the dozens of local businesses determined to succeed.
They are the future for Glasgow and the west of Scotland's economy and are working hard to achieve success in the face of continuing economic hardship. Many businesses are struggling to take off because of the economic downturn, and this column will offer advice for potential start-ups and small businesses.
Each company will answer the same questions about their business and their answers will appear each Wednesday.
This week we talk to Dimitris Kourtoumpelidis and Vassilis Xanthopoulos of Dionysus Quality Products
Who are you?
We are a family of Greek origin now living in Scotland; Vassilis, Desy, and Dimitris.
As children we watched as our grandma gathered herbs from the garden for cooking or to prepare natural remedies, and so from a young age we understood the benefits nature can bring to our everyday life.
What does your
business do?
We sell high quality teas, herbal infusions, culinary herbs, spices, extra virgin olive oil and super-food products to consumers and at wholesale level.
Through our products we support a healthy lifestyle and are always looking at ways to show people the benefits of Mother Nature.
Where are you based?
Our business is based in Glasgow, but we operate online so we can sell to customers worldwide.
How did you get started?
Our business was formed from a PC at home on a rainy afternoon after a gallon of tea. Dionysus is the Greek god of nature and fertility so we felt this was the perfect name for our company.
What is your
background?
We gathered experience from three health shops in Greece which provide high quality natural and herbal products from selected producers from around the country since 1982. Our staff members also have herbalist diplomas and food hygiene certificate qualifications for all product manufacturing and preparation.
What is your top tip?
We are a very hard working family business with an emphasis on teamwork. It is vital that all team members understand their role and have a positive attitude in accepting changes and improvements.
We also believe in carefully selecting our suppliers, which help us build strong and reliable relationships with all of our customers.
How long has your business been running?
It was registered in June last year, and the website was fully launched and went live in November 2013.
Has anyone helped you get started and how?
It would have been much more difficult for us in these years of economic austerity to reach this point without the assistance of Business Gateway, Jobs & Business Glasgow and Glasgow City Council.
The support we received from our Business Gateway adviser has helped us in many ways and the skills and key elements of business we learned from the free workshops Business Gateway offer has been invaluable.
Through council funding, we also had the opportunity to make investments that allowed us to take our idea further.
Because of this combination of help, we were not only able to get off to a good start, but we are in the perfect place of growing and developing the business.
Where do you plan your business to be in five years' time?
We are planning to have a wider list of quality products and services. We also aim to operate, not only from the website, but also from within a local Greek delicatessen shop and through Glasgow farmers' markets.
We will also be working on achieving strong working relationships, at a wholesale level, with supermarkets, restaurants, hotels and spas.
Useful contacts
Business Gateway Glasgow
www.bgateway.com / 0141 276 5333
www.jbg.org.uk / 0141 274 3333
Contact Details
Dionysus Quality Products ltd
http://www.dionysus qualityproducts.co.uk
info@dionysusqualityproducts.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 7587 447 742
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