An enterprising Newham foodie has launched a range of healthy ready meals and pizzas in 470 Tesco supermarkets across the UK.
Segun Akinwoleola, founder of The Gym Kitchen, is targeting health-conscious individuals, particularly those are looking for a healthy meal but are likely to be
prioritising their free time at the gym instead of cooking.
The Gym Kitchen was founded in January 2020 by Segun, who noticed a gap in the market for healthy ready meals. Having grown up in Forest Gate, Segun started his
career in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) through a placement whilst attending Surrey University and working for international brands after graduation.
Working his way up the ranks, including winning Rising Star at the Black British awards where he met his mentor and investor Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE, Segun
developed an in-depth understanding about the UK retail industry that became essential when starting his own business.
When talking about the launch of The Gym Kitchen across Tesco stores, Segun said: ‘I’ve got big plans to grow this business and working with Tesco is just the
beginning. We’re already in the pipeline to create more products across different category ranges such as pizzas and frozen foods. Best of all, we’re seeing results as feedback from retailers prove that new customers are entering the ready meal and pizza market
thanks to The Gym Kitchen.’
Claire Urquhart-Deane, Lead Buying Manager at Tesco, said: ‘This is an exciting opportunity for us to work with The Gym Kitchen and we look forward to seeing the
company grow.’
Segun is also working with Tesco on the
If Not Now, When? Campaign for Black inclusion within business, which acknowledges that companies, including Tesco, need to do more to increase their racial diversity.
Claire continues: ‘In 2020 we committed to working with other companies and taking sustainable actions on Black inclusion in the workplace. This touches on a number
of different areas including working with more racially-diverse suppliers and innovating our own products to address unmet needs of our customers.’
Segun continues: ‘It’s tough for Black individuals to land internships and placements. I was lucky that having grown up in Forest Gate, I wasn’t afraid to go up
to talk to people and receive multiple rejections – which I did.
‘Once I landed my first internship and demonstrated my passion for retail, I was able to develop my network of contacts and learn to speak the ‘retail language.’
‘However more often than not, I was the only Black employee working and now I am one of the very few Black founders to supply to major UK supermarkets. This is
not lost on me, as representation matters, and it provides greater innovation.
‘I’m working with Tesco closely so that all areas of the supply chain can become more diverse. Business can be heavily dependent on who you know, which is why
we’re also looking at providing access to retail networking opportunities for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.’
