A couple from Altrincham have just been crowned Great British Entrepreneurs of the Year for their vegan chocolate brand.
The founders of the vegan chocolate brand, LoveRaw, have also been named Family Business Entrepreneurs of the Year, as well as the coveted Great British Entrepreneurs of the Year – both for the North West region – at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2020.
They are now in the running to be named overall Great British Entrepreneurs of the Year 2020 at the National Finals.
With an amazing success trajectory, co-founders – husband and wife team Rimi and Manav Thapar – started LoveRaw in 2013 with a budget of just £600.
They adopted the mantra “chocolate first, vegan second”.
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Since then, the couple’s transparent approach has allowed the business to become an established provider of all-vegan, 100% natural chocolate with no palm oil, no dairy and “no compromise”.
The annual Great British Entrepreneur Awards – now in its eighth year of running – aims to celebrate the inspiring stories of entrepreneurs across the UK and recognises the hard work, determination, creativity and resilience required to rise above the rest.
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With the current restrictions in place due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic preventing the regional finals taking place at a live event, Rimi and Manav won the award during a virtual ceremony.
They were joined by all other regional finalists online.
Despite complications with the global pandemic, LoveRaw launched its first vegan milk chocolate bar range back in April – alongside the unveiling of a major re-brand – and their most recent product is the first to launch exclusively online.
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The delicious Cre&m Wafer Bar is a world first and it was created right here in Greater Manchester.
LoveRaw
Speaking on the win, Rimi Thapar – CEO of LoveRaw – said: “We are beyond thrilled to have won not only one but two GBEA awards. We didn’t think we were in with a chance, so we watched the ceremony in our pyjamas, eating vegan yoghurt out of the tub.
“For the past seven years, we have been hamsters in a wheel going round and round, unable to take a step back and acknowledge our achievements. We couldn’t be prouder that our hard work has been recognised and we are ecstatic to have been selected as the winning entrepreneurs for the North West.
“Congratulations to all the winners – we look forward to the finals!
Manav Thapar – Managing Director at LoveRaw – added: “I cannot believe we won.
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“Rimi and I consider our dedicated team to be part of our family, not just our family business. From all of us at LoveRaw HQ, we’d like to thank our suppliers and advisors for allowing us to create something special. We cannot wait to see what the coming months bring.
“2021 is going to be an exciting year for us as a company – keep your eyes peeled.”
From everyone here at The Manc, a massive congratulations goes out to Rimi and Manav – you’re flying the flag for Manchester.
You can find more information about LoveRaw via the website here.
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Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK – this is why
Emily Sergeant
A list of the top 10 most affordable cities in the UK has been revealed, and Manchester has made the cut for one very specific reason.
On a bit of a budget? Aren’t we all.
The cost of living crisis has been raging on for quite a few years now, and unfortunately, despite how much we all wish for it to, it doesn’t appear to be slowing down – with prices for everyday items, especially typical fridge and cupboard stables, shooting up by the day, even though supermarkets are showing efforts to prevent it.
And it’s the noticeable price increases in groceries that led delivery insurance provider, Street Cover, to uncover which UK cities don’t strain your food shopping budgets too much just yet.
As it was found that food and non-alcoholic drinks inflation reached 1.3% this past summer, a new study has revealed that Sheffield is officially the most affordable city in the UK, with several other northern locations on the list.
Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK / Credit: MCC | Aldi
The study compared the 2026 Grocery Index for the largest UK cities with the UK average, as well as available 2025 Grocery Indices, to track the changes in food affordability.
The cities are ranked by the index difference from the national average – which is 67.3 – but the report also uses direct monetary values for a grocery basket to provide some additional context too.
Manchester took sixth place on the list, with an average grocery basket price of £23.08, while some of the other northern cities in the top 10, besides Sheffield at number one, include Liverpool, Leeds, and Newcastle.
Top 10 Most Affordable UK Cities For Groceries
Sheffield
Milton Keynes
Liverpool
Reading
Newcastle
Manchester
Leeds
Bristol
Cardiff
Southampton
As the only other North West city in the top 10, Liverpool may have come in third place overall, but the study found that the grocery bill here is the smallest in terms of actual monetary numbers – with it setting shoppers back £22.08 for a regular supermarket basket, which is a whole £1 cheaper than in Manchester.
“Data shows households in the North East of England have the lowest average food spend in the country, around 11% below the UK average, while Yorkshire sits 6.6% below,” Al Taylor, who is the Head of Street Cover, commented on the study’s findings.
“Sheffield’s position at the top reflects lower property costs for retailers, less competition from premium chains, and a supermarket landscape dominated by value-led options.
“The practical implication for household budgets is significant – the difference between budget and premium shopping can easily be £1,000 or more per year for a family, which can be spent on other things or saved for future plans.”
Featured Image – Aldi
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Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’
Emily Sergeant
Call yourself a clever clogs? The BBC is currently looking for contestants to take part in what is widely considered the hardest quiz show on TV.
That’s right – Only Connect is back for another series on BBC Two.
Presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell and first broadcast all the way back in 2008, Only Connect takes TV quizzing to the next level, as it sees two teams compete against each other by finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues.
In this quiz show – which viewers have dubbed one of the most challenging there is – knowledge only takes you so far, as the ability to think laterally is also deemed ‘vitally important’.
A casting call for the upcoming 2027 series has been shared on the BBC website, with people from Greater Manchester encouraged to apply.
Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’ / Credit: BBC
The casting call reads: “The popular BBC Two quiz show presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell returns for a new series in 2027.
“Only Connect is seeking teams of three players OR single applicants or teams of two looking for like-minded teammates to pool their combined wits to solve fiendish conundrums and vexing puzzles.
“This is the quiz series where, as in life itself, knowledge will only take you so far: patience and lateral thinking are also vital. It’s all about making connections between things which may appear, at first glance, not to be connected at all.”
Reckon you’ve got what it takes then? Applications are now open, and all applicants must be aged 18 or over and a resident in the UK or Channel Islands.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd October 2020 
