From Pizza Hut redundancy to owner of 19 coffee shops - Northamptonshire entrepreneur celebrates 15 years in business
When Matt Fountain ‘gambled’ every penny of his redundancy payment from Pizza Hut into starting a coffee shop in Wellingborough 15 years ago, he could only dream of what his business may become.
Now the entrepreneur manages an empire of 19 stores, from which more than 1 million drinks are served each year and more than 52,000 app users.
To celebrate the milestone moment, customers will be treated to ‘double app points’ with free coffee and birthday cake for the first 15 customers in every store this weekend (Saturday and Sunday October 25 and 26).
Matt said: “I was made redundant by Pizza Hut in late 2009 and whilst I don’t gamble, 15 years ago on Saturday, October 23, 2010, I put every penny I had from my redundancy and savings on the line.
"I maxed out a credit card, took out a bank loan and borrowed £5,000 from my aunt and uncle and opened the first Bewiched Coffee.”
Starting out in Wellingborough, the brand branched out to Kettering, Corby and Peterborough and Northampton.
Not content with sit down outlets, the business caters for drive-thru customers with outlets in Moulton and Glenvale Park Wellingborough – a third one is on the way planned for Billing in Northampton.
Matt said: “The original sign is now scratched and dusty, but it’s a symbol of where we started — 5,475 days ago. It’s fair to say that every one of those days has been a learning day.
“Nothing truly prepares you for running your own business, and to say it’s had its ups and downs doesn’t quite cover it… but what a privilege it’s been and continues to be.
"I wake up hungry everyday to drive this business forwards and love solving the challenges it throws at us. But wow, some days are just completely overwhelming. Running a business requires focus, discipline and a big dollop of luck.
“To be at the helm of a growing business, with growing people and growing customers — well, it’s as good as it gets. The sector we are in is only seen as a stepping stone by many, but we have witnessed our team building careers and starting families with us. Hospitality should be a destination for ambitious people not a stepping stone to ‘something better’.”
With the third store under construction Matt says he could never imagined the future of the business.
He added: “I could never have imagined this on day one, which was absolute carnage, including a flood and equipment and stock issues.
“A huge thank you to everyone who’s ever worked with us and been part of our journey — and to our fantastic customers who took a chance on us and trust us to serve them better coffee: freshly roasted, and delivered by a great team in clean, welcoming spaces.”