An award-winning Cornish bakery business has the recipe for success in a niche market, after working with business coaches from Transform to refine their business strategy.

Husband and wife team Phil and Christine Jensen launched Peboryon, a gourmet luxury wedding and celebration cake business.

They launched the business two years ago from their home in Penzance, and since then the company has grown to a nationally renowned cake business.

Their work has been featured on a new Channel 4 show, and they are also finalists in the Cornwall Business Awards, held later this month.

Baking originally as a hobby, Christine made cakes for family and friends.

Her baking rapidly grew into a business opportunity when she won a national cake competition, and was praised for expert execution, creativity and structural design.

Actively capitalising on this success led to interest and regular orders from prestigious hotels and corporate events companies seeking something sweet and entirely unique.

Now Peboryon is a preferred supplier to The Dorchester and Langham hotels along with several leading events companies in London.

They also supply a number of boutique bakeries, artisan cafés and hotels across the South West.

In order to meet growing demand for their decadent and distinctive masterpieces, the Jensens have been working with business coaches from Transform, a support programme for businesses in Cornwall with ambitions for high growth.

It is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and delivered by Oxford Innovation, specialists in supporting entrepreneurship and improving the competitiveness of small to medium sized enterprises.

Helen Stembridge, Oxford Innovation business coach for the Transform programme, spent five months working with Peboryon, utilising her expertise in effective sales techniques and international marketing, having led sales and marketing teams in both the public and private sector in the UK and the United States.

She said: “Christine and Phil have a fantastic entrepreneurial spirit, passion and boundless creativity.

"Their cakes have to be seen to be believed, the levitating Yoda is a particular favourite of mine.

“The last five months have been a very collaborative coaching process.

"My focus has primarily been to act as a sounding board and to challenge the ideas and approach to growing the business.

"I’m certain Peboryon is in a great place and well on its way to further growth and a very bright future.”

Christine Jensen said: “The last two years have been a phenomenal journey which has wildly exceeded our expectations.

"What began as a cottage business took off quickly. Although Phil has a strong background in management, neither of us had formal training or experience of running our own business and generating the rapid growth we needed.

“Transform was recommended to us by Cornwall’s Growth Hub who have seen the benefits it brings to other businesses.

"The support and advice we’ve received through Oxford Innovation’s coaching team has been really helpful.

“Our coach Helen, helped to bring clarity to our plans to develop the business sustainably. Together we’ve identified three key priorities to improve work-life balance and drive growth by finding new premises and securing funding for new equipment and revenue development.

“The next 12 months is all about progressing to the next level. Our target for the current financial year is a turnover exceeding £100,000.

"We’ve just moved to new premises and currently employ two members of staff to help with admin and baking. In the coming two years we want to create five high-value, full-time roles."