Vote now for your North West Newcomer

THREE businesses with fantastic potential for growth are in the running for the North West Newcomer Award at TheBusinessDesk.com’s Business Masters Awards.

Two finalists, Charbrew and Good Good Stuff are new consumer businesses, while the third, RedX Pharma, is leading the vanguard for Liverpool’s bio-medical sector.

Headed by young entrepreneur Melissa Burton, Goody Good Stuff has already picked up a clutch of awards for its success since it was launched in summer 2010.

The products incorporate a plant based gelling agent to create completely vegetarian natural gummy sweets, which are free from allergens, synthetic flavours and artificial colours. The range comes in eight varieties, which are gluten-free, fat-free, meat-free, soy-free, nut-free, lactose-free and dairy-free, and suitable for those following halal, kosher or vegetarian diets.

Goody Good Stuff is now sold in more than 5,000 stores and available in 25 export markets around the world. In the UK high street stockists include Holland & Barrett, Waitrose, Booths, Whole Foods and Planet Organic.

Charbrew is led by another ambitious young businessman, Adam Soliman, and is a fruit and herbal tea brand.

Mr Soliman from Manchester – who now has experienced entrepreneur Chris Hook as his chairman – founded Charbrew after graduating from Newcastle University with a degree in accounting and finance.masters jag

It has eveloped six fruit and herbal blends and secured listings with a number of retailers, including Lancashire supermarket group Booths and Lakeland and French supermarket chain Casino.

Last September Charbrew’s parent company, Global Tea and Coffee Exchange, won financial support from the North West Fund for Venture Capital.

Securing funding – nearly £6m – from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund – is unquestionably the highlight in RedX Pharma’s short history.

The Liverpool-based company, based at the Merseybio centre within Liverpool University, will create 250 skilled jobs over the next five years through the creation of a new cancer drug development business, Redx Oncology.

RedX, which counts veteran venture capitalist Jon Moulton among its investors, aims to develop a new range of medicines by modifying and enhancing existing products.

Who will win? Click here to cast your vote for the North West Newcomer and the five other categories.

Winners will be announced on April 26 at a high profile lunch at the Midland Hotel in Manchester. Click here to buy tickets or email polly.kendrick@thebusinessdesk.com

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