James Averdieck (born November 1965) is a British entrepreneur, the founder of the dessert manufacturer Gü and the Coconut Collaborative.
James Averdieck | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 1965 (age 59) |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Uppingham School |
| Alma mater | Durham University |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder of Gü and the Coconut Collaborative |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
editAverdieck was born in November 1965.[1] His father was the owner of a textile business.[2] His grandfather also had his own business.[3] He has a twin brother Ed, managing director of Nokia Music and an older brother Will, who is an inventor.[3]
He was educated at Uppingham School,[4] and received a bachelor's degree in economics from Durham University in 1988.[5][6]
Career
editAverdieck worked for the food companies Safeway and St Ivel for ten years.[4] He founded Gü in 2003, and in 2010 sold it to Noble Foods for £32.5 million.[7]
In 2014, he bought a majority stake in Bessant and Drury, a small dairy-free ice cream company, which he rebranded as the Coconut Collaborative. The company produces ice cream and other desserts using coconut milk or almond milk instead of dairy.[8][9] Its products are produced and sold in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, New Zealand and the United States.[8][10]
Personal life
editAverdieck married Annie Geddes in 1993, with whom he has two children.[3][4][11] He married Charlotte Knight on 6 December 2018 at St. Margaret, Kilmersdon, Somerset, England.[12]
References
edit- ^ "James AVERDIECK - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". Beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ Lawson, Alex (11 May 2015). "Growth Capital: Gü founder James Averdieck keeps it sweet even after making pots of money | London Evening Standard". Standard.co.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ a b c "Mr Gü's guide to making millions". standard.co.uk. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ^ a b c Healthy Eating (4 March 2006). "The wonder of Gü". Telegraph. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ "Durham University Business School : Our Alumni: James Averdieck - Durham University". Dur.ac.uk. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ "Newswire Back Number June 2004". Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Durham University. 28 August 2004. Archived from the original on 28 August 2004. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
- ^ Dann, Kitty. "Gü founder James Averdieck on why he decided to start again | Guardian Small Business Network". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ a b Caines, Matthew (24 March 2017). "'A food business's biggest challenge is getting to £1m in turnover'". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ Bamford, Vince (30 October 2015). "The Coconut Collaborative launches almond milk yoghurt". The Grocer.
- ^ Gilliver, Liam. "Dairy-Free Giant, The Coconut Collaborative, To Be Manufactured In The US". Vegan News, Plant Based Living, Food, Health & more. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ "Growth Capital: Gü founder James Averdieck keeps it sweet even after". standard.co.uk. 25 January 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ^ "Person Page". www.thepeerage.com. Retrieved 25 December 2020.