Last month marked a huge achievement for a small local business as they won an award at the Wales Start Up Awards. 

Shroot, a businesses created during lockdown, won the ‘Rising Star Award’ for their innovation and potential. Exclusive to Welsh businesses, the Wales Start Up Awards ‘provide a unique opportunity to celebrate the achievements’ of businesses that have launched within the last three years, and that are making an impact on the Welsh economy. This year saw a record 750 entries, with Shroot being one of only 90 finalists to have been hand-picked across twenty-seven categories.

Describing the quality of entries in 2021 for the ‘Rising Star Award’ category as ‘exceptional’, Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, Assistant Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Wales, said: “Over the last fifteen months, we have seen record numbers of new firms being created in Wales despite the challenges faced by businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic and this is reflected in the high quality and quantity of the entries to the awards which will make the final judging even more difficult this year. In particular, the Rising Stars category for startups less than 12 months old was the most competitive of all the categories and shows how new businesses have flourished despite the various lockdowns.”  

“We created the Rising Stars award last year to recognise those firms that would be in the very early stage of their entrepreneurial journey but had enormous potential for growth in the future. Yet again, this was the most popular. Category for all those applying for the awards and the process of shortlisting and choosing the winners was one of the most difficult for the judges. More relevantly, all of the Rising Star finalists were started during the Covid-19 pandemic and had to develop their market during the worst economic environment in three centuries. Yet, they have come through this challenge successfully, and the creativity, innovation and sheer hard work demonstrated by all the finalists suggest that entrepreneurial talent in Wales can overcome almost any barrier and thrive in the most difficult of conditions.” 

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During the pandemic, Jude Cook, from Penarth, was helping her daughter with home schooling whilst working in Environmental Management when she began looking for a ‘fun lockdown project’. After growing a variety of micro greens on her windowsill, Jude discovered her passion. As explained on their website, ‘Jude loves animals and nature, but is by no means green fingered. Flowers don’t fare well in her care, but as Jude discovered, that’s the beauty of microgreens- they’re so easy to grow and very hard to kill’. 

Keen to share her new micro green obsession with friends, Jude used her creativity to overcome the pandemic and so, Greens & Greetings was born- ‘a post-able, watertight, plant pot and envelope in one.’ 

Having shared her idea will Penarth mum and friend, Carolyn Davies, they both decided to work together and form Shroot, a ‘budding young business based in Wales, selling blooming great gifts to sow and grow’. 

Speaking about the award, Carolyn said: “We were delighted to win a Rising Star Award at the Wales Start Up Awards last month. Shroot is a small Welsh business with big ideas and a bold ambition to grow. To be recognised for our innovation and potential by the panel of judges who are well respected entrepreneurs, CEOs and business leaders, is a real honour. And in such a competitive category too!”

“The awards ceremony was held in the Depot in Cardiff. It was a fun evening, meeting other finalists, and enjoying the buzz of being shortlisted (and being out after the difficult 18 months we’ve all had). Finding out that we’d actually won an award was a massive bonus!  A lot has happened in the 10 months since we started trading. Our expanding range of Greens & Greetings is now sold in over 40 stores across the UK (including Hamptons in Penarth), as well as on our website. We recently launched our latest design especially for Christmas and we’re also developing some new gift ideas which will be on sale soon. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

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Professor Dylan Jones-Evans added: “The judges at the Wales Startup Awards were especially delighted to be able to give Shroot a Rising Stars award for developing their business at a time when most of the economy was closed and for creating a product that we expect many will enjoy in the future”