A VEGAN patisserie in the heart of Cardiff has grown strength-to-strength with their sweet treats making their way to this year’s Wimbledon.
Headed up by the winner of 2020’s Bake Off: The Professionals, the Patisserie Verte team are offering up their signature macarons and afternoon tea throughout the duration of the tournament, introducing thousands of tennis fans to their alternative take on the traditional French dessert.
Owner Thibault Courtoisier launched the patisserie in 2020 alongside his partner, Cari Barley, and now supplies fresh patisseries to a host of Cardiff’s most beloved independent cafes and eateries. Inspiration for the business came when the award-winning pâtissier spotted a gap in the market for high quality, plant-based dessert options.
The couple welcomed their first child together in 2018 and now pride themselves on being a growing family-run firm, working with an expanding base of wholesale clients and independent customers from across the city and surrounding areas.
While Thibault is busy baking up a storm, Cari manages the admin side of the business and decided to apply for a place on NatWest’s Entrepreneur Accelerator programme last year. She now works out of the Accelerator’s Kingsway office on a weekly basis, while also benefiting from access to one-to-one coaching, a programme of thought leadership and events and access to a network of like-minded peers.
Based in the heart of the city centre, NatWest’s Accelerator offers local businesses fulltime, free use of its modern co-working space. The programme is currently accepting applicants, with ambitious entrepreneurs encouraged to apply soon before spaces fill up. Entrepreneurs can also search for the “NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator” online to find out more and apply.
Commenting on their experience with the Accelerator Hub, Cari said: “The best thing about being part of the Accelerator is the sense of community it fosters. You’re given the ability to work alongside other people at similar stages of their business journey, who are all facing their own challenges and barriers.
“We’ll all eat lunch together and those casual chats often turn into the most valuable discussions. The “water cooler” moments and advice I’ve gained during those informal gatherings has been invaluable for us and the business.
“Working from the hub has also allowed me to develop boundaries and create a healthy work/life balance – something that can be incredibly hard to achieve when you’re working alongside your partner day in, day out and the lines between home and the office blur.”
Entrepreneurs interested in finding out more about the NatWest Accelerator Hub and how it could support their business are invited to attend a free taster session at the Cardiff Hub on the 19th of July as well as the 10th, 15th and 20th of August. Virtual sessions are also available across July and August here.
