Sweet success for young entrepreneurs
Leeds-based entrepreneurs and couple Harry Lynch, and Tayla Harris, both 22, were planning to travel the world early last year when Covid-19 put a stop to their dream.
One year later their business, Sugar Rush Sweeties, is the biggest counter and online seller of sweets in Yorkshire.
The enterprise started in October 2019 when the couple, working full time in banking and teaching, needed to make some extra cash for their travel plans and decided to start selling sweets as a second income.
Harris, co-founder of the business, said: “Harry and I went to Costco and bought £100 of sweets, set up an Instagram account and launched Sugar Rush Sweeties.
“The demand was almost instant, and within weeks we were delivering over 50 boxes of sweetie boxes a week on evenings and weekends. We never dreamed it would be this successful.”
The duo, who come from Garforth, continued to grow the online business and offer local deliveries within a six-mile radius and next-day postal service.
Due to the nation being stuck at home after COVID-19 struck last March, the couple’s online sales increased by over 90%.
Lynch said: “The demand for both our online and home delivery service went through the roof and we quickly realised Sugar Rush Sweeties had become a sustainable business.
“We started making plans to continue to grow the online side of the business but also open a store where people could buy sweets from.”
As lockdown eased the couple, who had now given up their full-time careers to concentrate on the business, had found the perfect unit in Garforth.
By mid-July 2020, they opened their first sweet shop offering over 50 sweets styles. They also now employ five staff.
The New Year’s lockdown changes meant the pair had to rethink their business model and with everyone at home again, online sales increased once more.
However, they still managed to cater for walk-in trade, by creating a doorway counter where customers can collect pre-ordered goodies.
Harris and Lynch are looking to expand the business, introducing new ranges of desserts and specialist sweets such as gluten-free ranges and potentially looking to open a second unit in Wakefield.
Lynch said: “The ultimate goal is to have a nationwide chain of sweet shops as well as an online presence.
“Our dream would be to have a system in place whereby we oversee Sugar Rush Sweeties and run the business remotely while we travel the world.”
