Gorgeous cheesecakes refine strategy with Blackpool Growth Business Academy’s support

With the Blackpool Growth Business Academy’s support, Blackpool-based cheesecake company, Gorgeous Cheesecakes, are working with Academy specialists to strengthen existing customer relationships, build awareness, and expand their product offerings.  

Founded in 2010 by Matthew Watts and his wife Sharon, Gorgeous Cheesecakes began as a passion project at home.

After securing two major retailers in 2014, Selfridges and Barton Grange Garden Centre, the business was required to scale quickly, leading to the acquisition of their first dedicated production facility.

Since then, the family-run business has grown, as daughters Matilda and Yasmin joined the team alongside long-serving production staff.

Despite this success, the pressures of rising ingredient costs, increasing wages and tighter margins started to prove difficult.

Matilda, brand ambassador, said: “It felt like we had come to a standstill.

“There were a lot of uncertainties within the business, and we were unsure what path to take next. We needed an outside opinion, someone to be able to help us see things more clearly.”

After hearing positive feedback from other local businesses, Matilda contacted the Academy and was introduced to business growth specialist Adam Botterill. Working alongside Adam they have developed a clear strategic action plan focusing on customer segmentation and retention and comparing their B2B and B2C performance.

Matilda said: “Once Adam had helped us to set out a clear strategy, things felt a lot more manageable.

“It helped us stop trying to do everything all at once and to start making more confident and informed decisions.”

An early priority for the company was to improve cash flow. With encouragement from the Academy, Gorgeous Cheesecakes decided to trade at the Manchester Christmas Markets, boosting brand awareness and providing a timely financial uplift.

Continuing from the Academy’s support and with a clearer strategy in place, Gorgeous Cheesecakes are developing a new frozen cheesecake range. The Academy’s support is covering everything from phased storage solutions to logistics planning, ensuring growth doesn’t come at the expense of stability.

Matilda added:“Coming from a small town and having access to such a valuable free resource is incredible. Working with the Academy has been transformational; it has given us greater clarity and confidence in our decision-making. There is always more to learn, and the Academy’s guidance has had a genuinely meaningful impact.”

Gorgeous Cheesecakes’ journey highlights how expert guidance from the Academy can help businesses at any stage to refine their strategy and continue to grow. Blackpool businesses looking for strategic support are encouraged to contact the Blackpool Growth Business Academy team to explore how they can benefit from their fully funded support.