Risso-Gill, now 38, was divisional director for pizzas and acknowledges United Biscuits as an entrepreneurial company that allowed him "to have a run at things". And having Tony Risso-Gill's reason for leaving United Biscuits to start his own business was nothing more nor less than entrepreneurial. "I was in my mid-30s with a young family and I had an idea I believed in - it was a case of now or never."
Risso-Gill, now 38, was divisinal director for pizzas and acknowledges United Biscuits as an entrepreneurial company that allowed him "to have a run at things." And having sold its frozen and chilled foods business to Heinz he had plenty of new opportunities and potential to develop his career.
But he believed there was a gap in the market for frozen, organic ready meals, vegetables, and desserts and so set up the Little Big Food Company. "Organic foods are booming and they fit well with the frozen sector because they do not contain preservatives and are perishable," says Risso-Gill.
He also knew from experience the production problems associated with supplying organic foods in volume. "Organic food is a low volume industry, which means inefficient short production lines. I wanted to create a brand that could be produced in large volumes to create efficiencies that could be passed on to the customer in lower prices."
He devised a model where organic ingredients were bought centrally before being forwarded to manufacturers. He spent nine months raising the capital, which included a personal investment of £30,000, and then six months to get the products on shelf.
Looking back, Risso-Gill says the scariest decision he had to make was to relinquish his salary and pension.
He now finds the day-to-day demands of running a small business are very different from corporate life. "The working hours are like a rollercoaster ride but even when you're not working you're thinking about the business.
"Autonomy is greater and relationships with suppliers have changed," says Risso-Gill. "Also, I am now aware of the impact of cash on a business."
But cash should become less of an issue for, after two years, Little Big Food is on target to become a £15m company and with further investment coming from Heinz, the outlook is good.
{{ANALYSIS }}
Risso-Gill, now 38, was divisinal director for pizzas and acknowledges United Biscuits as an entrepreneurial company that allowed him "to have a run at things." And having sold its frozen and chilled foods business to Heinz he had plenty of new opportunities and potential to develop his career.
But he believed there was a gap in the market for frozen, organic ready meals, vegetables, and desserts and so set up the Little Big Food Company. "Organic foods are booming and they fit well with the frozen sector because they do not contain preservatives and are perishable," says Risso-Gill.
He also knew from experience the production problems associated with supplying organic foods in volume. "Organic food is a low volume industry, which means inefficient short production lines. I wanted to create a brand that could be produced in large volumes to create efficiencies that could be passed on to the customer in lower prices."
He devised a model where organic ingredients were bought centrally before being forwarded to manufacturers. He spent nine months raising the capital, which included a personal investment of £30,000, and then six months to get the products on shelf.
Looking back, Risso-Gill says the scariest decision he had to make was to relinquish his salary and pension.
He now finds the day-to-day demands of running a small business are very different from corporate life. "The working hours are like a rollercoaster ride but even when you're not working you're thinking about the business.
"Autonomy is greater and relationships with suppliers have changed," says Risso-Gill. "Also, I am now aware of the impact of cash on a business."
But cash should become less of an issue for, after two years, Little Big Food is on target to become a £15m company and with further investment coming from Heinz, the outlook is good.
{{ANALYSIS }}
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