Health and wellbeing company benefits from ARU’s research internship programme
Health and wellbeing company benefits from ARU's research internship programme
The Company
Afede Health Beauty and Wellness Ltd is a leading supplier of natural and biotechnology derived ingredients and finished products for food, nutrition, cosmetics and healthcare companies in the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) sector. Afede moved to our innovation hub in Chelmsford in 2015 when still in their infancy. They have since gone from strength to strength.
Challenge
The company had a number of new products scheduled for launch into the beauty, food and nutrition markets. The company required an in-depth market and competitor analysis report to help them identify appropriate market opportunities for their products and were looking for an individual with expertise in nutrition to help them.
Solution:
As an Arise Innovation Hub occupant, the business was able to apply to Anglia Ruskin University’s (ARU) part-funded summer research internship programme.
The programme matched the company to an ARU student from the Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care who had expertise they were looking for.
Outcome:
During the 12-week internship programme, the student worked on producing a full competitor analysis report. They also researched potential customers, compiling a record of requirement and working with the sales team to identify how they could convert these findings into opportunities.
The student’s work helped Afede Wellness identify new clients and understand its competitors better. The research also helped the company identify new innovative product areas that they could move in to and in so doing become specialists in their market area.
Jason Harrop, Managing Director said,
“We were so impressed with the quality of the research, we have since offered the student additional work at our company. We are also looking to take on more ARU students in the future.”
Afede Wellness are just one example of how Arise Innovation Hubs and Anglia Ruskin University can help small businesses grow.