Business management

Simmer Eats on turning a side project into a thriving business

Simmer Eats co-founders and brothers, Simmy and Jhai Dhillon joined Angellica Bell on the NatWest Business Show

24 Oct 2023 . 1 min read

After helping out friends and teammates by cooking them flavoursome home cooked meals, they decided to capitalise on the idea by selling to fellow students while at university.

Originally a side-project to help with extra funding for university and a fledgling football career, Simmy and Jhai eventually went all in creating Simmer Eats.

It’s now a nationwide ready-to-heat and eat delivery business that puts flavour first.

The brothers’ Business Confession:

Jhai told Angellica: “We're six and a half years in, we've never had an actual business plan. But we seem to be going alright!”

But as Simmy explains: “Yes OK, we've never had a business plan, but it's kind of been a blessing in disguise in a way. I think had we started with a business plan, we probably wouldn't have made it through the first couple of years.

“Yes, we didn’t have a written plan but definitely a strong idea. That seed was enough for us. We've changed directions so many times. We started off selling single meals as a healthy takeaway to students. Then to family and friends, but we were three years in before we launched a nationwide delivery.”

When I was playing [a high level of] football growing up, I would often get given diets by clubs. Basically, just bland and boring food. So, I would take it home and say ‘Mum how can you actually make this tasty’?

Jhai Dillon

Co-ounder of Simmer Eats

Simmy’s Business Inspiration

On bringing an idea to life

“It’s all about your passions. If you're passionate about something and you've got a really good idea and you can spot a market and there's gonna be a market for it, then go for it!”

On recruitment

“Hire people that will care about a business that they haven't founded, as much as the founder does.

“I think the phrase hire slow; fire fast is actually very true. It’s very important not to just hire the first person that comes along. You have just got to take your time to hire and go through the process - be quite diligent with it.”

Watch the episode to find out more about the brothers’ inspirational business journey.

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