Revolutionizing the Spice Industry: A Ginger Entrepreneur's Plea for Government Support

In a bold call to action, Alastair Hawken, a Grantham entrepreneur, is urging the government to overhaul its support for small businesses as he strives to establish Britain’s first commercial ginger plantation. The founder of Hawkens Gingerbread has faced numerous challenges over the years, having been denied funding while pursuing his vision to lessen the carbon footprint of imported ginger from China.

Driven by environmental concerns and the desire to tap into the local potential for growing ginger and other spices, Mr. Hawken applied for a £50,000 grant from the Innovate UK fund to start a test crop but was refused without any explanation—a decision he openly criticizes as deplorable.

Faced with adversity, he sought help from his neighbor to create a hydroponic growing system, which is now cultivating two varieties of ginger—zingiber mioga and zingiber officinale—in a polytunnel scheduled for harvest in November. Despite securing a large contract with an American customer, he struggled to obtain bank funding and instead raised £150,000 through a LinkedIn post, describing it as a desperate measure.

Mr. Hawken expressed frustration over the barriers that small and medium-sized businesses encounter in accessing financial support, noting that while the government discusses strategies, tangible help remains elusive. He recounted a private meeting at the House of Lords, where he sought clarity on funding availability, only to find doors remained shut.

On the BBC’s Politics North program, Mr. Hawken shared his plight with Olivia Blake, a Labour MP who acknowledged the challenges small businesses face and pledged support for £22 billion in annual funding for research and development, aiming to benefit small enterprises. Wayne Dickson, leader of the Social Democratic Party on Leeds City Council, echoed concerns about national insurance, business rates, and financial accessibility for businesses, urging that the nurturing of small and medium enterprises is critical to societal health.

A Department for Business and Trade (DBT) spokesperson noted their commitment to supporting SMEs, acknowledging the issue of access to finance, and indicated upcoming strategies to improve funding and support for small businesses in the near future.