An Aberdeen entrepreneur has shared how a mission to make affordable food has led to opening six cafes across the city.
Stuart Ross is the founder of Grub Fresh Food, which launched in 2010 and now employs 40 staff across the Granite City.
He is now focusing on future growth with ambitious plans to expand into the new Union Terrace pavilions.
Stuart answered our questions about his biggest challenges, proudest achievements and hopes for the future.
How and why did you start in business?
15 years ago, when I was studying at the University of Aberdeen, finding a wholesome lunch that didn’t bankrupt me was a real struggle.
Especially when I had to budget for a few Purple Rains at Priory.
So, when I left university, I started Grub with a vision to supply fresh, wholesome food at an affordable price. And we’ve been proudly curing hangovers since 2010.
As the business progressed, we’ve kept to our core mantra, but shifted slightly towards the concept of lunch with a personality.
Now, we have six cafes across the city, you can find us on Deliveroo, and we’ve built up a successful corporate catering business.
How did you get to where you are today?
Well, after a fair share of chaos, questionable life choices, and enough setbacks to fill a Netflix drama, I’d say I’ve gotten pretty good at picking myself up and dusting myself off.
I say that being tenacious is one of the most important traits you need if you want to run a business. You will get knocked down a lot.
Who helped you?
The total sum of any business success is down to all the staff who, over the years, put in a little or a lot.
Their contribution is often overlooked, but it all adds up to where we’ve got to today.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?
Don’t compete to be the cheapest at what you do, it’s a race to the bottom.
What is your biggest mistake?
It was a challenge to step back from working in the business to working on the business.
In the early days, I was so hands-on that I didn’t leave myself enough space to think strategically or plan for growth.
I was so busy keeping things running that I was forgetting to steer the ship.
Learning to delegate, trust others, and carve out time to focus on the bigger picture has been a game-changer.
What is your greatest achievement?
The first year we cleared a million pounds in turnover. That felt like a landmark moment.
How are you managing the rising cost of doing business?
With costs tighter than ever and prices constantly rising, I’m meticulous with financial reporting, tracking revenue and expenses, looking at margins and analysing risks.
Running a hospitality business these days, it sometimes feels like you need an accounting degree just to stay afloat. A good idea alone is not enough.
What do you still hope to achieve?
We’re ambitiously aiming to take over the final new Union Terrace pavilion this summer.
We’ve got exciting plans to transform it into a brunch landmark on the top floor, a trendy bar downstairs, and a unique events space in the fantastically refurbished Victoria toilets.
This flagship location is a unique opportunity for us to proudly showcase the incredible talent and produce that Aberdeenshire has to offer.
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