High Street Dreams

A new series begins on BBC1 tonight that will no doubt provide some excellent material for Business Management students.

High Street Dreams follows the aspirations of eight talented individuals hoping to realise their retail ambitions and launch a new brand, selling their particular product to the nations stores.

The supermarket is highly competitive where the approach to securing shelf space is ruthless. However, Jo Malone and Nick Leslau are convinced that a great product teamed with effective branding can catch the eye of the most demanding food buyers.

The Singh family from East London hand-produce their own recipe for chilli sauce within their garden shed. Identifying a determined family with a wonderful spirit, Jo and Nick introduce them to Loyd Grossman in the hope that their combined experience and expertise will encourage the Singhs to pull together and simplify their business plan and branding. Ultimately, can the family produce a sauce tasty enough to convince a major supermarket retailer to find room in their hearts and space on their shelves for yet another table sauce?

Meanwhile, newly married couple Roland and Miranda Ballard have turned their backs on city life and moved from London to the Worcestershire countryside to live the good life farming Aberdeen Angus cows. Can Jo and Nick help this young couple realise their dream of selling premium beef in the form of gourmet beef burgers? They quickly enlist the help of William Kendal, the brains behind Green & Blacks to help, but unless Roland and Miranda relinquish control of their hands on manufacturing approach and rebrand their message will the supermarket buyers ever notice them?

BBC 1 tonight at 9pm.