Bella Acland, a 28-year-old entrepreneur from Sheffield, has seen her business Soul Kitchen grow to a £600,000 valuation just four years after she was made redundant. Her appearance on BBC's Dragons' Den, aired tonight, resulted in a £40,000 investment from guest Dragon Susie Ma, founder of Tropic Skincare.
From Redundancy to Rapid Growth
In the 12 months since securing the deal, Soul Kitchen's sales have increased by more than 920%. The company has sold nearly half a million cups of soup and now supplies over 100 independent stockists across the UK. The product is also available on Eurostar, allowing passengers to enjoy the soup while travelling to continental Europe.
The business has humble origins. Bella conceived the idea in 2019 during her second year studying zoology at Sheffield University, when she began focusing on healthier eating.
A Light Bulb Moment
'I started looking after myself a little bit more than in my freshman year, shall we say,' she told Metro. 'I realised nutrition was really important, but there was a disconnect between students feeding themselves something nourishing and finding convenient and affordable food.'
Bella found herself in the 'cliché situation' of wandering supermarket aisles, inevitably ending up in the noodles and instant soup section. 'It was a bit of a light bulb moment,' she explained. 'I wondered why reinvent [these foods] with high-quality, functional ingredients, but keep that convenient format. So, Soul Kitchen started there. I remember ordering really funky ingredients online for my student house and testing things like spirulina and beetroot.'
At the time, Bella did not see herself as an entrepreneur, but a friend encouraged her to apply for a grant through Santander Universities. This funding helped develop the brand, and she launched a subscription model selling soups to fellow students.
Pivoting During Lockdown
When COVID-19 hit and students returned home, Soul Kitchen was temporarily paused. However, the lockdown proved beneficial. 'It gave me more time to play with the recipes and Google every single brand I could find,' she said. 'I almost stalked these business owners that I loved, and I set up calls with them, where I'd ask them to tell me how they did this. How have you got your product on the shelf?'
Seeking more business experience, Bella took a job at a food and drink wholesaler, making Soul Kitchen a side hustle. 'It was tough,' she admitted. 'You're the person who cold calls farm shops and delis and asks them if they want to buy overpriced kombucha. But it was the best place to learn. It helped me understand the route to market, the wholesale proposals, things like margin.'
Later, she became a sales executive at snack brand Cheesies, but the desire to go full-time with her own venture grew. 'I never really knew what the sign was going to be to take the leap,' she said. 'It's obviously a huge risk, you know, paying yourself; you've got to keep the lights on. It's not obvious when and how to get out of your 9-to-5.'
The Leap and Dragons' Den Success
Fate intervened when Bella was made redundant, prompting her to think, 'I'll do it'. The following two years involved schemes, mentorships, and relaunches, with Bella selling soup at markets and trade shows, determined to prove that healthier instant food was possible for time-poor, health-conscious people.
Dragons' Den was a family tradition for Bella. 'It was one of those family occasions for us,' she said. 'I used to have to ask to stay up late to watch it.' It was a running joke among friends and family that she should apply. When she learned she would appear, she treated preparation 'like a full-time job'.
Her preparation paid off when Susie Ma said yes. 'It was emotional; it was like a fireworks kind of feeling,' Bella recalled. 'We really clicked at first, as soon as we got into the den, and she really bought into me.'
Looking ahead, Bella is developing a healthy instant noodle alternative and mentoring emerging food entrepreneurs. Dragons' Den airs Thursdays at 8pm on BBC One.
