Brighton Summit: The pie's the limit for local business Higgidy Pies

Busy morning already, the crowds started forming well before 8.15am, croissants and coffee done, now on to the first keynote with Higgidy Pies!

Camilla, James and Mark are three friends working together. Mark Campbell, Managing Director at Higgidy says 'it can be difficult at times but when it works it works.' Their friendship is more important than Higgidy, but they have a huge amount of trust and shared values. They don't always agree but that's what makes the business grow, change and adapt!

Today one of their orders requires 80,000 eggs and 4 miles of pastry but how did they get to this?!

Camilla Stephens, co- founder of Higgidy began her career at Good Housekeeping and learnt a lot about the discipline of writing recipes for the domestic kitchen - this became known as her Pesto Sundried Tomato years!

She took a belated gap year to reassess her direction and spent an inspiring time in Seattle, where she dreamt her first business idea.

In her next career move to Seattle Coffee Shop, she learnt a lot about the importance of business brands and she knew then that she wanted to run her own business - but what was she going to do?

Camilla went on to say that she felt that the pie industry had been neglected and wanted to do something about it...

This led to to their first customer EAT and on to their first contract with major supermarket, Sainsbury's. She said 'when people tried their pies they managed to convert them!'

Their brand became their strength and they grew extremely fast as a company, featuring on fast track 100, which as a manufacturer is a great achievement. They now have 290 people at Shoreham and see this as their greatest privilege.

They have obviously faced a lot of difficult challenges over the years, but working together they have overcome them as a business. Mark said 'you learn key skills, learn to roll with the punches, and learn to not waste your energy on blame - just focus on the next task.'

Camilla and Mark went on to say that when a business grows you need to remember your roots - all the directors had to be really clear about what they wanted from their business and really understand what makes Higgidy Higgidy - The Higgidy Way was born!

As a business they have a clear vision that their whole team now follows;

Heart into Food and Soul into Business

Be Brave 

Be Smart

Be Kind

Live blogging at the Brighton Summit by Vicky King, Marketing Manager, Plus Accounting 

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk