53. Cauli Rice

Founders: Gem Misa and Jamie Harris
Founded: October 2013 (Launched September 2015)
Website: www.caulirice.com

While many like the idea of cutting down on carbs, it can be difficult to exorcise such a Western staple from our dinner plates. Enter faux carbs: first it was the courgetti craze, and now health conscious Brits are discovering the wonders of cauliflower rice.

After making the product for themselves, husband-and-wife team Gem Misa and Jamie Harris spotted the growing market and set about developing a ready to heat retail version. Their company Cauli Rice now produces four flavours of microwaveable, vegan, gluten and preservative free cauliflower rice, containing up to 75% fewer calories than white rice with a 12-month shelf life.

The range, which includes lemongrass and chili, Mediterranean and Indian pilau, is available in 1,500 supermarkets across the UK including Tesco, ASDA, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Wholefoods and a range of independent stores – and claims to be the only low-calorie alternative to rice.

The next year will see Cauli Rice – which raised an impressive £1m on Crowdcube last November – push its product into international markets, as well as other verticals outside retail. The business made revenues of £700,000 in its first six months of trading alone and is on track to more than double revenues to £2m for 2016. Not bad for a lean product business with just two employees currently.