Coco Catering is the booming business start up of Richard Spataro and Blanche Duggleby.

Recent graduate Richard and former marketing professional Blanche both shared a passion for food but never thought they'd be able start up their own catering business.

Blanche decided to approach BiG - Make it Your Business in 2007 to see what support was available to help set up their own business.

Following specialist support and advice from the team at BiG - Make it Your Business, Coco Catering opened for business in January 2008.

The business - which provides fine dining for a host of special occasions including weddings, cocktail parties, dinner parties, housewarming events, christenings, and BBQ's - has since gone from strength to strength.

Speaking on their business journey Richard of Coco Catering said

"When we first thought about setting up we weren't business minded at all. BiG gave us a lot of support and advice that really helped us.'

"Blanche had been staying on at her old job, but we've had so many bookings that she's leaving to focus on our business full-time.'

"Now we are hoping to build on the success of all the private events we've been catering for and do more big corporate events as well."

BiG - Make it Your Business team member, Rob Murray added:

"Coco Catering is a great success story. They've just taken part in a farmers market and they were a big hit - they sold out of everything!"

To find out more about Coco Catering and what they offer visit www.cococatering.org.uk

How did BiG help?

• Blanche and Richard saw a BiG team member at a community level and a business advisor
• Through BiG they were enrolled on the New Entrepreneur Scholarship, which gave them access to business planning support and the funding they needed
• BiG provided access to training and helped them gain qualifications tailored to the needs of their business
• BiG helped with the marketing to support their launch