African events catering business gets start-up loan boost

Cheltenham-based African events catering and coffee shop business ACELBA has received a £25,000 Start Up Loan from SWIG Finance to support the business launch, including premises and equipment costs.

While the coffee shop stocks a range of grab-and-go food and beverages, the events kitchen will provide upscale catering for special events such as festivals and markets, it will also provide a space to cater for bespoke occasion events such as birthday parties and anniversaries.

ACELBA is led by Angele Baku-Attipoe, an experienced chef and kitchen manager, and specialises in Togolese and Ghanian cuisine.

Over the next 12 months, she will be growing her team to include a barista and kitchen assistants.

She said: “This funding is an invaluable resource to my business. Without it, I may not have been able to move forward with my business idea. My advisor, Suzy, helped me with the application process and thanks to SWIG Finance, we can now get things done.”

Lowe added: “Having worked previously in senior positions within the catering industry, Angele has built a strong reputation in her local community and is well-known for her high-quality and interesting menus. This new enterprise is based on ambition and sector experience, coupled with a huge dose of enthusiasm – working with Angele on her application has been a breath of fresh air.”