PENARTH-BASED business Shroot has been selected as a finalist for the 2021 Wales Start-up Awards.

After just over four months of trading the new business has been chosed for the ‘Rising Stars’ category - for businesses that demonstrate innovation and future potential. 

Owners Jude Cook and Carolyn Davies say they have had great feedback so far about their launch product – Greens & Greetings.

"We’ve exceeded our sales targets and are already being stocked in eight stores across the UK," they add.  

"Greens & Greetings are unique and innovative – there’s nothing else quite like them on the UK market. 

"Microgreens are growing in popularity as more people become aware of their health benefits.

"There are plenty of grow your own microgreen kits available to order, however we are the only UK business combining greeting cards with microgreens." 

The awards are exclusive to Welsh businesses that have launched within the last three years and provide a unique opportunity to celebrate the achievements of those new firms that are making an impact on the Welsh economy. 

There were a record 750 entries this year, and Shroot is one of 90 finalists to have been selected across twenty-seven categories covering all sectors in Wales. 

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, Assistant Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of South Wales who created the awards back in 2016, was delighted at the high number of entries into this year’s competition during the worst economic crisis ever.

“Over the last fifteen months, we have seen record numbers of new firms being created in Wales despite the challenges faced by businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic and this is reflected in the high quality and quantity of the entries to the awards which will make the final judging even more difficult this year," he added. 

"In particular, the Rising Stars category for startups less than 12 months old was the most competitive of all the categories and shows how new businesses have flourished despite the various lockdowns.” 

44 per cent of the finalists are female entrepreneurs, and as two women running Shroot, the duo are excited to be among them. 

The awards are due to take place on September 9th at the Depot in Cardiff. 

Find out more by heading to https://www.shroot.co.uk/.