March 2020
Grenade boss shares secrets of success at employer networking event
Read time: approx 1 mins
The boss of nutrition brand Grenade shared the secrets of his entrepreneurial journey at an event at the University hosted by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC).
Alan Barratt, whose entrepreneurial career started by selling Mr Kipling cakes at school, addressed Chamber patrons at the University's new state-of-the-art Moss House building.
Mr Barratt told how his passion for personal training and sports nutrition fuelled his business.
After initially selling imported nutritional products with his wife, the couple went on to develop their own range.
They devised the formula for the Grenade bar, which began retailing in one petrol station – and is now found in 90,000 retail locations across the UK.
The name Grenade, he explained, came from a friend who was training for the special forces who commented that the product tasted “like a grenade had gone off”.
Alan said: “It was really exciting to connect with local businesses. I’m from Birmingham myself and it’s really important that we remember where we came from.
“Even though we do business on a world stage, we live in Birmingham and are from Birmingham. I’m super proud to be here and listen to other people’s stories.”
The patrons’ lunch took place at Moss House, a new facility which forms part of a £44m investment into University College Birmingham's campuses.
Its teaching and training facilities include a 35-metre indoor running track for assessing speed and performance, a strength and conditioning centre, a cutting-edge gym and a human performance laboratory for sports.
Nursing and physiotherapy students have use of a health simulation centre, complete with a replica hospital ward.
The hired@UCB team is also based at Moss House to boost student employability and manage placements.
Chamber chief executive Paul Faulkner said: “Thank you to the effervescent Alan Barratt for an inspirational patrons’ lunch, in which he discussed his entrepreneurial journey and Grenade’s success story.
“We would also like to thank your hosts University College Birmingham. It was great to get a glimpse of their stunning new Moss House building, which is a world-class addition to Birmingham’s higher education offering.”
University College Birmingham's Level 2 & 3 Professional Food and Beverage Service and Level 3 Professional Cookery students prepared and served up the lunch menu, comprising slow cooked lamb, ratatouille, selection of baby vegetables, potato terrine and mint sauce, with a vegetarian and vegan option of tomato and mozzarella tart with pesto dressing, black olives and rocket salad, and a dessert of lemon tart with crème fraîche sorbet.