Cemal Ezel, co-founder of Old Spike Roastery, explains why the business should win the Startup of the Year category of the Guardian Small Business Showcase competition:
We are a Social Enterprise Coffee Roastery. We roast exceptional coffee whilst providing jobs and housing to people who are homeless.
In the last 11 months alone we have signed contracts with three large multinationals, four councils, and a range of smaller organisations. We sell our coffee to restaurants, corporates, coffee shops and home buyers.
We have also launched a partnership with The Big Issue where we have launched eight coffee vans in incredible locations around London, training people who are homeless to be baristas. In six weeks our brand has lifted 12 people out of homelessness and into housing.
All entries which meet the competition criteria are published and our judging panel select a shortlist of the top three for each category. Winners are announced at an awards ceremony in summer 2016.
