Paul and Mike Williams holding up a tray of patties

Source: Flake Bake

Jamaican patty specialist Flake Bake is one of four black-owned businesses to secure £150k worth of TV advertising as part of Channel 4’s Black in Business 2024 initiative.

Now in its second year, the initiative, backed by Lloyds, is designed to connect black entrepreneurs with the ‘transformative power’ of TV advertising and business mentoring.

The four winning businesses – which also includes haircare brands Flora & Curl and Nylahs Naturals as well as fashion brand Alonuko – will each receive £150k worth of TV advertising airtime on Channel 4 to run from July onwards. Alongside this, each business owner will receive mentoring from a ‘senior sponsor’ executive from both Channel 4 and Lloyds, providing expertise tailored towards the specific needs of their business.

Established in 2008, Flake Bake is run by father and son duo Paul and Mike Williams, producing a range of meat and vegetable Caribbean patties for wholesale from its base in southeast London. The business landed a listing in 1,000 Aldi stores after appearing on the TV programme Aldi’s Next Big Thing in which it went up against five other bakery suppliers vying for a listing.

“We are thrilled to be winners and honoured to be recognised for our hard work and vision,” said Flake Bake founder Mike Williams. “Black In Business will play a key role in helping us connect with customers, driving awareness and growth for Flake Bake to another level.”

Black in Business was created following separate research projects, commissioned by Channel 4 and supported by Lloyds, which highlighted that black entrepreneurs faced more obstacles setting up and running their businesses than their white counterparts. Channel 4 Sales’ research found that 56% of Black owned businesses only receive funding once they had already grown a successful business, compared to just 35% of white business owners who were given the same requirement by lenders.

Meanwhile, Lloyds’ 2022 Black. British. In Business and Proud report revealed that 84% of black business owners have been negatively discriminated against in their entrepreneurial efforts.

Twenty businesses were shortlisted as part of the Black in Business initiative, before being whittled down to the four recipients.

“All our finalists showcased a remarkable blend of purpose, research, and quality that highlights the excellence of black-owned businesses in the UK,” said Christopher Remie, commercial development lead, Channel 4 Sales. “Choosing the winners was tough, but our selected businesses excelled in showcasing their strong products and readiness to scale through engaging presentations. They were chosen for their potential to thrive with TV advertising, leveraging its reach to drive growth and connect with new customers.”