Market sweet stall launched in back of a van preparing to 'start again' to survive

[dutchman]

American candy retailers Maverick Flavours have humble beginnings, and are hoping they call pull through to April



A Coventry Market trader who started his business out the back of his van has said he has accepted he will have to "start again" to survive until non-essential shops return.

Maverick Flavours is an American Candy business, run by couple Alex Ricardo and Leigh Holmes.

The stall has humble beginnings, starting out as a mobile shop in the back of their van.

Their offerings of American sweets, cakes, drinks and cereals became so popular, that 18 months ago they made the move into Coventry Market.

But just as footfall and walk-in custom improved, the country was plunged into lockdown as the pandemic spread.

The shop has an online Instagram following of 40,000, but building a real life customer base has been an extraordinary challenge. Alex Ricardo filled CoventryLive in on how they plan to make a comeback.

Following Monday's announcement on the roadmap out of lockdown, all non-essential shops should be able to re-open on April 12.

“I never knew the specific date we just take each day that it comes, when we found out there’s a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, we can prepare ourselves to go back into the market.

“Realistically we’re going to have to start again, we’re going to have to restart it all, how successful will it be this time, are there actually going to be people coming to the market?” Alex Ricardo told CoventryLive.

He said they are going to proceed with caution as they gear up for April 12: “It’s good and it’s bad, we don’t know how long it's going to be for, are the public going to be out and about shopping? We will be prepared fully with all the Covid rules.

Maverick Flavours has 40,000 followers on Instagram, but envisage a tough road ahead in returning to connect with real life customers at Coventry Market.

“We’re trying to hit the market that’s not on social media, our 40k followers are pretty much in the Coventry and West Midlands area, people know what we’re about and what we do, but I’m just wary that the general footfall of that market, is there going be people coming about like they used to? What am I going to be like in the future, am I going to still have a shop or will it be online only?

“It’s very strange, we started as a small idea back of the van type of job then my living room.”