Want to be a big cheese in business…? Ask the expert 

She was taking part in a special Accelerated Community Entrepreneur Programme, part of the Bradford-Renduchintala Enterprise Ecosystem. 

Razan fled the war in Syria and moved to Yorkshire with her family in 2012. Despite having a pharmacy degree and a scientific background, she struggled to get a job and so looked for other ways to support her family. She founded Yorkshire Dama Cheese in 2014, specialising in ‘squeaky cheese’, otherwise known as halloumi.  

Since then, her products have won 65 awards, been featured on Channel 4, she supplied Morrisons for four years from 2018 and earlier this year, she won a contract to supply 400,000 units of her ‘Hello Mi Rolls’ (halloumi rolls) to Aldi, which then sold out within two weeks. 

The mother-of-three said: “When I first came to the UK, I struggled to find a job in pharmacology but I had to find a way of supporting my family. I love the quality of milk in the UK and I spotted a gap in the market for halloumi cheese. This is something we used to eat every day in Syria. 

“I started the business with a Government start-up loan of £2,500, which we used to buy a faulty ice-cream machine, which my husband, who is an electrical engineer, converted so we could use it to heat milk. Together with other pieces of equipment, we were able to make an award-winning cheese business that now employs seven people and which has won 65 awards.” 

Commenting on her supporting the University’s BREE ecosystem, she said: “I was really pleased to come here to share my experiences. When you start out in business, you want it to be a success straight away but the reality is you have to overcome obstacles and challenges. 

“I believe the most important thing in starting a business is finding someone to believe in you. You cannot give up because of your circumstances. For example, when I started, I had never made cheese before. So, you have to be flexible and be able to adapt to challenges. However, theory and practice are two different things, so it was good to be able to offer advice to young entrepreneurs.” 

Karl Oxford, Director of Enterprise at community interest company Palm Cove Society, said: “We supply support and accommodation to victims of modern-day slavery and trafficking. Part of the client group includes migrants from overseas, some of whom have entrepreneurial ambitions. We partnered with the BREE team and people like Razan to help fulfil these ambitions. 

“For us, it’s not just about the outcome, it’s about the journey and for me, it’s about distance travelled - or how an individual learns, becomes inspired, and acquires new skills. Some of the messages they heard today, they will keep forever.” 

Karl, who is also an entrepreneur, having started several businesses including his latest Culture City Radio, dedicated to Black urban music, added: “Sometimes running a business can be very lonely, but all businesses, large or small, face challenges, so today was about showing that these can be overcome.”

Lucy Gilroy, Enterprise Creation Manager for the Bradford-Renduchintala Enterprise Ecosystem said ‘BREE is here to support any entrepreneur, whether they’re students, staff or members of the community. Our collaboration with the Palm Cove Society provides opportunities for people who haven’t always had the easiest start. We see the joint-venture as a way to show this community that their ideas and passion will not only be welcomed but encouraged. It’s a chance to give them the skills and the self-belief to achieve their goals.” 

If you have a business or a business idea and would like to speak to the BREE team about the support on offer, please contact [email protected]