Jemma Trow from Seaton was having a good moan with some other locals about having to walk 20 minutes to get junk food one night. A few nights later Jemma and her boyfriend were cooking and saying how they’d love to cook together all the time. Hey presto the idea for Local Jems was born!
Jemma loves a food truck and was always complimented on her cooking but she was working in the IT industry. Jemma says: “I’ve always had leadership skills and excelled in the IT industry even as a female. I wanted more control and to be creative and expressive with what I do. My ultimate goal is to create a number of small businesses that allow me to be to live in a way where I am part of a community that helps each other.”
Jemma applied for the She Started it Grant with BIPC Devon and has received £1,000 worth of marketing advice and support to kick-start her business in 2021.
Jemma says: “I like the support from the WhatsApp group and the marketing advice I am getting which is what my grant is for”.
Since receiving the grant Jemma has grown her business considerably. Currently Local Jems provides catering including beautiful canapes for all occasions, gluten free baking, and has just launched a mobile food truck. Jemma has stepped away from the corporate IT world and fully embraced her food truck dreams! She’s even launched a locally made Biltong business: https://thebushhat.co.uk . Jemma hasn’t looked back since becoming her own boss:
“I Love making food and it turns out I’m pretty good at it. So after 14 years in IT I quit my job as delivery director and I’ve turned to catering and running a mobile food kitchen. I absolutely love feeding people and seeing how excited they get when they see and try the food I make.”
You can find Jemma at the Manor Farm Caravan Site each week, check her Facebook page for dates and times!
Website: https://www.localjems.co.uk/