Inside track Q&A

Peter Cullen, founder of the Jelly Bean Factory Peter Cullen of the Jelly Bean Factory, based in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, went into business with his son Richard in 1998. They employ between 50 and 60 people in the area, depending on the time of year

What’s the most unique thing about your business?

We make between 12 and 15 million jelly beans per day . . . It’s a lot of jelly beans. We export them then to more than 50 countries.

Our largest market is the UK, although Europe as a whole would be more, while the US and Canada make up 25 per cent of our business.

One of the most unusual flavours we were asked to make was Marmite. It’s a huge brand in the UK and one of the most unique flavours we’ve ever made. If the volumes are right you can make virtually any flavour you like. We’ve done sausage, onion and tomato ketchup: they were just a few.

Part of the Harry Potter thing was eating peculiar flavours, so we did them for one of our customers in the US which had the Harry Potter franchise.

The most unique thing about our business? Virtually everybody likes our product . . .

One of the nicest presents you can give is a packet of jelly beans, and it always puts a smile on the person’s face. From young to old, people just love them. It’s a happy environment to work in.

What was the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?

I think perhaps when I was told: “Keep it simple, stay focused, control your costs”. I think I was given that piece of advice by somebody in the Irish Management Institute in Sandyford years ago when I was only a young fella.

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made in business?

Possibly not always listening to the best advice I ever received.

And your major success to date?

I think our major success is the fact that we’re seeing our product sell successfully in more than 50 countries. It’s fantastic when you walk into a shop or an airport somewhere far away such as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand or Singapore and see your product.

Who do you most admire in business and why?

The people I most admire in business today are Irish manufacturing companies that are building their businesses during this recession, because it’s tough, but also they are the only ones who are going to pull this country out of its difficulties.

Based on your experience in the downturn, are the banks in Ireland open to SMEs for business?

I can’t speak for other SMEs, although I do hear bad things around the place. But I think the banks are overly defensive, and they should support exporters to a greater extent.

What piece of advice would you give the Government to help stimulate the economy?

The Government has great resources at its disposal in the State’s overseas offices, such as embassies, so it should focus more on the commercial opportunities that exist overseas and bring those opportunities back to Irish businesses.

What’s been the biggest challenge you have had to face?

Starting a new business back in 1998. That was a huge challenge, the hardest thing I’ve ever done. We had come from a company that had gone into receivership, and to start all over again was extremely difficult . . . It’s the best move we ever made, but it was tough.

How do you see the short-term future for your business?

Our business is continuing to grow in our target markets . . . We make a very high-quality product, it’s good value for money, consumers like it, and we also give a good service to our customers . . . If you don’t provide that, you don’t succeed, there’s too much competition out there – people will take advantage . . . Our business is growing, we’re a profitable company and we expect to continue to grow over the next three to five years.

What’s your business worth, and would you sell it?

It’s worth an awful lot of jelly beans. What its value is I don’t know, and it’s not for sale.