Former Frodsham High pupil and fiancee on mission to save the British apple land deal with Tesco.

Aug 18 2011 by Katie Bamber, Chester Chronicle

A FORMER Frodsham High pupil and his fiancée have landed a dream deal with a retail giant – after setting up a business in their back bedroom.

Only three years ago, Paul Gorman gave up his well-paid job as an I.T. consultant to help partner Michelle McKenna on her mission to save the British apple.

Now the couple are celebrating after supermarket chain Tesco agreed to stock their Clippy’s Apples preserves in 800 UK stores.

Paul, 40, said: “A lot of people are quite cynical these days and they almost don’t believe our story. They say ‘I bet you have a big company behind you’.

“But we want to show people that you can challenge the big boys.”

Michelle, 37, came up with the idea for Clippy’s Apples in 2007, after appearing on the third series of Masterchef.

“It just came to me like a bolt of lightning that the business was going to be about apples,” she said.

“Paul was like ‘right, but what are you going to do with them?’.”

Using apples from the garden of the couple’s house in Sale, Michelle – known as Clippy to friends because of her love of hair clips – set up a mini production line in the garage.

Shortly afterwards Michelle became pregnant with the couple’s daughter Rosie – but kept cooking throughout, even buying a higher chair so she could keep stirring her jellies, chutneys, conserves and relishes.

Paul, who grew up in Frodsham and attended St Luke’s Primary School and Frodsham High School, decided to quit his job in 2008 to give his full support to Clippy’s.

He said: “Running your own business is like a rollercoaster. You have your ups and downs and you have to learn to ride the waves.

“One thing I have always wanted is just to leave a bit of a legacy. I don’t just want to be here and just sort of fade away.”

Paul’s dad Jimmy was bailiff at The King’s School in Chester for 20 years, while his mum Irene works at the city’s Cheshire Building Society.

Jimmy said: “It’s remarkable what they’ve done, considering they had no backing.”

“They still have a way to go, but it’s a fantastic achievement. I wish his grandad was still alive to see it. I’m proud of him, very proud.”

Clippy’s Apples products includes Apple Pie Conserve, Apple, Garlic and Thyme Jelly and Apple, Tomato and Roasted Garlic Relish.

The range can be found in Tesco, Asda stores in the North West, Booths, Harvey Nichols and Fortnum and Mason, among others.

Michelle also runs a one-woman workshop tour ‘Preserving the Nation’ and the couple organise Jam Week, an annual celebration of British preserves.

For further information about Paul, Michelle and Clippy’s Apples, visit www.clippys.com or www.preservingthenation.org.