A former stockbroker is set to increase production of his sweet balsamic dressing 25 fold after investing his life savings in new machinery.

Colin Hanna has poured £60,000 of his own money into buying the new bottling plant which will see the production of his most popular dressing increase from 400 bottles a day to a potential 10,000.

Manufactured in Italy, the filling line, which became fully operational at the end of July, will herald a new era for Little Doone Foods, which moved into a 3,500 square foot premises in Alva Industrial Estate last year after securing a £20,000 RSA grant with the help of Business Gateway Clackmannanshire.

Colin, who launched the business in 2007, believes the increased capacity, which will reduce filling time for the classic glass bottle from 2.5 minutes per bottle to 2.5 seconds, will allow him to target stockists he feels can best represent his brand.

He said: “The business has always been blessed with more work than it can handle – in the run up to Christmas I was working day and night to meet client demand.

“This new production line will not only allow me to produce much more than the 60,000 bottles I poured last year, I will be able to take on three new staff and reduce the trade price of our most popular bottle making it even more attractive to our core market – independent retailers and small, specialist supermarket and deli chains.

“I believe in my product to the point where I have invested a large chunk of my own money in this expansion. I’ve also turned down three of the big four supermarkets because my range is unique, there is nothing else like it on the market, and I want to retain my brand image and not be squeezed on price.

“People may think I’m mad but sticking to my principals has opened up dialogue with a small supermarket chain that covers the north of England which is top of my list of most wanted. I believe, with the factory’s new capacity, that the deal will come to fruition sooner than anticipated.” Colin added: “Transport links are going to be crucial to the successful expansion of my business and that is why I relocated to the central belt. Business Gateway was instrumental in helping me find my new premises, and once we’d identified where I wanted to be my adviser helped me with the RSA application that has part financed the move.

“She also provided assistance when speaking to the local council and has been very supportive throughout the whole relocation process which has been exciting and frightening in equal measure.” Alison Davidson, Business Gateway manager, said: “Colin has produced a fantastic range of products that have a similar taste to high end Balsamic vinegar but don’t have the same high price tag. This has made them very popular, not just with consumers but with chefs in hotel kitchens such as One Devonshire Gardens.

“His beliefs have helped him stand tall when making decisions that could make or break his enterprise, and we’re glad that our help finding new premises and applying for the RSA application has allowed him to take a step closer to realising his expansion plans.” Unable to find a balsamic dressing that would match the one he tasted in a restaurant, Hanna decided to make his own reduction at home. After some trial and error he came up with a recipe that his friends and family thought was outstanding.

Buoyed by their response the stockbroker, who had been made redundant in 2006, decided to swap his suit for an apron and launched Little Doone Foods, initially working from a leased kitchen at the Scottish Rural College’s Ayr campus.

He said: “I was amazed by the restaurant dressing but so disappointed when all I could find were harsh substitutes in the supermarket. I’d seen a reduction made at an open kitchen and decided to give it a go.

“I quickly found out that it’s very easy to burn balsamic! I played around with flavours, eventually sticking to a recipe using all natural ingredients that include balsamic and cane sugar alongside vanilla and chocolate extracts and spices.

“That mix is my ‘original’ flavour and provides the base for my 13 different flavours that include raspberry, garlic, chili and whisky, as well as my high end bottle that is poured by hand.” For more information on Little Doone Foods, which is stocked in 250 outlets through the UK including Loch Fyne Oysters, Chatsworth House and Hopetoun House Farm Shop, visit www.littledoone.co.uk To find out how Business Gateway Clackmannanshire can help your business visit its local page www.bgateway.com/clackmannanshire or call 01259 208426.