The team behind Burnt Coffee fire starters, Woodford House students, from left, Meghan Grant, Lily Fenn, Sophie Van Mierlo and Bella Ireland . Photo / Supplied
The team behind Burnt Coffee fire starters, Woodford House students, from left, Meghan Grant, Lily Fenn, Sophie Van Mierlo and Bella Ireland . Photo / Supplied
I had the pleasure of meeting four bright, bubbly Woodford House students who are currently setting the world on fire.
Well, Hawke's Bay at least, and who knows where this enterprise business group, Burnt Coffee fire starters, will lead them.
The four young women, Bella Ireland, 18, Lily Fenn,17, Sophie Van Mierlo, 17, and Meghan Grant, 17, are Year 13 students who each decided to take a business class this year.
They were put in a team and challenged to make something that was sustainable, innovative and creative.
"None of us had ever done anything like it before so it really was a challenge," said Bella, CEO of Burnt Coffee.
The team says they thought of the idea because the only fire starters available "smell really bad. All you can smell is chemicals".
"We spotted an opportunity in the market to make user-friendly, safe fire starters," Lily, CFO of the business, said.
"Even the shape of them is more user-friendly and you can break them in half to make them last longer."
Ice block molds are used to ensure the fire starters are slim and easy to handle.
Burnt Coffee fire starters. Photo / Supplied
CAO Sophie said they tried circles and squares but they didn't burn properly.
"The finished product is like a match really. It's long-lasting and slow-burning."
Marketing manager Meghan Grant said they had been surprised at how quickly the business had grown. "We just keep making them and making them and they keep selling."
The team said at first it was just people they knew that were buying them but now they were delivering them to people they didn't know and the orders were still coming in.
The "production line" is in Bella's kitchen. "Mum loves it," Bella said.
They say that although they have assigned roles they work as a collective and it has been a really busy time for them running a business and fitting in everything else around school and other activities.
A portion of their profit will go to a charity which they haven't quite decided on yet.
Most of their Burnt Coffee fire starters are hand delivered and are packaged in sustainable wheat paper made from recycled wood and wheat.
The team will be at the Farmers Market at the HB Showgrounds tomorrow (Sunday, August 15) as part of the Young Enterprise Scheme Day.
For more info go to https://bit.ly/burntcoffee or Instagram username is _burntcoffee email is burntcoffeeco@gmail.com
Comments from customers:
"Had a very nice smell like coffee, lasted very long still burning after 3-4 minutes" — one of our prototype testers "Lasted very long, smelled good and I love that they're environmentally friendly" - Kelly Stevens "They were nicer to handle, felt we were making a positive impact on the environment when using" Steve and Jenny Kirk "Very, very good product used to light my fire last night works well, has lovely smell as well" Nicole Johnston "This is a great product, environmentally friendly, smells good and works wonders starting my fire. NO nasty chemicals. Well done Burnt Coffee." Suzanna Elliot
