WHILE other 16-year-old lads were spending their free time playing video games, teenage boys Emilio Rimini and Kieran Chauhan had their sights set on much bigger plans.
After getting a buzz from selling sweets to classmates, the business-savvy pair set up a cleaning product venture from their mums’ kitchen tables.
And now, using money from part-time jobs and some savings, they’ve moved The Green Co into their own warehouse with seven members of staff – and the company is set to bring in £2m during this year alone.
Speaking to Fabulous, Emilio, now 22, says: “We’d both always shown a business acumen from selling sweets at school, to reselling clothes and shoes, it’s a big part of who we are.”
Dundee-based Kieran, 22, adds: “We started the business at school as part of a Young Enterprise scheme.
“We excelled on the scheme and ended up coming second in South England.
“We felt really passionate about the idea, and enjoyed the scheme so much we decided to continue the business on further.”
The boys decided to focus on cleaning and household products, but wanted to avoid using plastic. They’ve since shipped over 120,000 units of products to over 150 countries.
Kieran explains: “When we started the business, plastic waste was (and still is) a growing and pressing issue for the planet.
“The household cleaning and laundry market is vast given the fact that everyone needs to use these products, from those with families, to gym goers who always have kit to clean – we’re able to help everyone looking for sustainable cleaning options.
“We thought it was suitable to name ourselves The Green Company to help signify the aims and values of the business.”
The first product the entrepreneurial duo made was beeswax food wraps, an alternative to cling film.
Kieran explains: “We made these ourselves, in our kitchen using a heat press, cotton sheets, beeswax and several other ingredients – at the start we would burn the tips of our fingers off frequently.”
Now their best-selling item is their laundry detergent GreenSheets, with sample packs costing 95p, and their 64 load being £14.95 or £12.56 on subscription.
Starting a business in 2018 while juggling school work was initially a challenge, and they spent all their weekends and holidays hard at work.
They also had to start their business without any investment and with a tiny sum of money.
Emilio says: “We didn’t have much capital between ourselves, but we were able to make it work.
“We used savings and money from part-time jobs to help launch the business and purchase stock and goods for the trade shows, as the business grew we were then able to reinvest in the business.”
Kieran adds: “When we started, Emilio invested several hundred pounds into stock which was sold at trade shows – it doesn’t sound like a lot, but it was at the time.”
The entrepreneurs said that launching the business from their parents’ homes was “hassle” at first, but it quickly expanded.
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Emilio says: “The business grew out of both our homes whilst we were at school, which caused hassle and mess for both of our mums who were having to deal with boxes of stock.
“We sold our products at country shows, with the first being the Hertfordshire County Show.”
However, their business has gone from strength to strength, and they were later able to move to their own warehouse.
Kieran says: “We started from our bedrooms to Emilio’s dorm at university, we first had a small office in the summer of 2021, and then we moved into a larger office, then in 2022 we moved into our hybrid office/warehouse in Dundee.”
The pair now have seven employees at The Green Company and sell their products in “refill shops, farm shops and various other independent retailers”, and increased their turnover by 250 per cent since last year.
But it hasn’t always been plain-sailing.
The business grew out of both our homes whilst we were at school, which caused hassle and mess for both of our mums who were having to deal with boxes of stock
Emilio Rimini
“There have been various challenges along the way, Covid being our first big one like it was for many businesses, as this was right at the start of our journey,” says Emilio.
“There have continued to be bumps in the road along the journey, however we have found a way to weather them, and have done so by constantly supporting each other throughout the journey.”
However, the friends and businessmen insist that anyone who has the urge to start their own business should take the plunge and go for it.
Kieran says: “Just start.
“We started doing various other things and has been trial and error across the last six years.
“We have stuck at it, been open minded and taking every failure as a success.”
