Students hoping for sweet taste of success

A group of A Level students at Derby College Group have launched a confectionary business as part of a national scheme to teach young people key business skills.

The Joseph Wright Centre students have founded Sugar Rush as part of the Young Enterprise company programme.

Led by 17-year-old managing director Sam Gridley-Kirk, the seven-strong team have sourced some of the US’s favourite sweets, which they have packaged into gift boxes and bags.

As well as selling them to fellow students, the Sugar Rush team have attended pop up markets organised by Young Enterprise and are soon to launch their products via their own website and social media platforms.

Sugar Rush will trade until July and the group are planning to donate any profits made to charity.

Sam, who is studying Business, Law, Politics and Criminology, said: “This has been a great experience – enabling us to put the business theory into practice.

“It has also given us all a lot more confidence and it will be a good addition to our CVs.

“The team have been amazing and are really motivated to making an overall profit by the end of the Young Enterprise programme in July.

“We each put £20 into the business at the start so that we could source the American sweets from wholesalers, and we are about to put in our second big order as sales have gone so well over the Easter period.

“Moving forwards, we will be selling right up until the end of term and the best sellers continue to be a rope sweet called Laffy Taffy and the iconic Hershey’s brand.”

Business and Economics A Level teacher Jaz Dhami-Banvait said: “The Young Enterprise company programme is a great enrichment activity for our year one students – enabling them to gain the practical business experience, enterprising mindset and employability skills for the future.

“The Sugar Rush team have achieved a great deal so far and have worked together to problem solve and be innovative. We look forward to seeing the end results.”