Business support is a recipe for success for Lorna’s Larder in Leverburgh

A Leverburgh-based artisanal food business has used Business Gateway’s one-to-one business support and funding advice to support a highly successful launch.
Lorna Macaulay, Owner of Lorna's Larder. Photo by Sandy McIverLorna Macaulay, Owner of Lorna's Larder. Photo by Sandy McIver
Lorna Macaulay, Owner of Lorna's Larder. Photo by Sandy McIver

Founded by Lorna Macaulay in May 2019, Lorna’s Larder is a new artisanal food outlet business in Leverburgh, serving fresh homemade food in South Harris.

Lorna started the business after many years’ experience of owning and operating a successful café and events catering business in Edinburgh. Both originally from Harris, Lorna and her partner Grant have a natural affinity for the Hebridean way of life and recently returned to the island, where Lorna took the leap to launch her new business.

Using many ingredients sourced from within the Outer Hebrides, food from Lorna’s Larder is homemade and freshly cooked on demand, available on a pre-order basis via Facebook and the company’s website.

As well as providing healthy delicious meals for busy families and catering events in Lewis and Harris, Lorna has future plans to serve the island’s popular self-catering and tourism industry.

Since launching in May, Lorna’s Larder has enjoyed an encouraging start, achieving an audience reach on Facebook of over 8000 people in their first weekend.

Consequently, this resulted in the business operating at full capacity on its launch and the need to recruit a part-time staff member to help meet demand.

In order to help launch her new business, Lorna approached Business Gateway Outer Hebrides for support.

In addition to a one-to-one session with a business adviser, Business Gateway helped Lorna to develop her business plan, set objectives and identify potential sources of funding. Business Gateway is currently assisting Lorna to source appropriate guidance from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, with a view to extending her home-based premises to accommodate more customers.

Lorna Macaulay, owner of Lorna’s Larder, commented: “Since moving back to Harris and launching my business, I’ve been very busy doing pop-up cafes and outside catering in Leverburgh and Tarbert.

“It’s been a tremendous start for Lorna’s Larder, and I am thrilled by all the feedback and encouragement I’ve received.”

“Business Gateway’s support has really helped me to clarify my objectives for Lorna’s Larder, and my adviser has opened my eyes to potential funding and business development opportunities that I didn’t even know existed.

“I’m looking forward to working with Business Gateway to continue developing the business.”

Derek Maclean, Business Adviser at Business Gateway Outer Hebrides, added: “Lorna’s passion for delicious, homecooked food combined with our business support has helped Lorna’s Larder get off to a fantastic start.

“Lorna had a clear vision to provide high quality meals for customers throughout Lewis and Harris, but Business Gateway advice has been the missing piece that helped to show her potential routes to grow the business.”