Boozy sauces business keep spirits high 

About the business

Handcrafted in small batches on an oyster farm on the Isle of Lismore, Slàinte Sauces, which can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes, or as an addition to a cocktail, come in a range of unique flavours such as gin and cranberry, rum and salted caramel, and spicy tequila.  

How Business Gateway has helped

Mairi approached Business Gateway to find out how to transform her vision for sauces into a fully-fledged business. Through Business Gateway, Mairi accessed specialist marketing and digital advice on improving her online presence, as well as information and advice on funding.  

Slàinte Sauces has enjoyed considerable success since launching in spring 2020 and is now stocked in over 30 shops. The team moved into a new premises in Oban last year to keep up with demand and to allow for manufacturing on a commercial basis. The range of sauces is constantly expanding, with new unique flavours in development. Mairi was also recently included in 100 of the UK’s most inspiring female entrepreneurs by Small Business Britain and won Theo Paphitis’ Small Business Sunday competition.  

Thanks to Business Gateway, Mairi also received a grant worth £5,000 through the Local Growth Accelerator Programme, which helped her buy the appropriate commercial equipment to produce her sauces more efficiently, including an automated bottle capper and a bottle pasteuriser. The Business Gateway Local Growth Accelerator Programme is funded by Argyll and Bute Council and the European Regional Development Fund 2014-20 Structural Funds Programme, with a total programme value of £855,239.    

Mairi Hawkes, Owner of Slàinte Sauces, said: “I noticed that there weren’t many alcohol-based sauces on the market and that those that already existed were mostly for Christmastime.  

“Business Gateway really helped me develop my vision into a reality and my adviser was helpful throughout the process. I’d recommend Business Gateway to anyone looking to start a new business.”