Bournemouth might not be a place you'd associate with exotic South Asian spices, but these are the lapses where opportunities present themselves. Seizing the moment was half-Sri Lankan, half-British Bournemouth University graduate and entrepreneur Illana Smith. In a short period of time, Illana has grown Hari Hari into an instantly recognisable presence on the local food scene.
Before she gets her own spot hosting Saturday Kitchen and becomes too famous, I seized my own moment to find out the story so far...
How did Hari Hari came about?
Before she gets her own spot hosting Saturday Kitchen and becomes too famous, I seized my own moment to find out the story so far...
How did Hari Hari came about?
Not wanting to go back
to working for someone else was the first driver. I had many different business
ideas but the idea of curry was the most appealing simply because everybody who
ate my Sri Lankan curries said they were never able to recreate them at home. This
led to the birth of Hari Hari.
What were the challenges you had to overcome?
I basically had no
idea how to start a business. A year of research set me up ready to
launch. I read a lot …. and I mean an
awful lot!! I spoke to as many people as I could who ran their own business
already to get advice and tips. I made Environmental Health my best friend ;) I
knew I would have to work closely with them as I was in food, so made contact
very early on. They were brilliant and offered me a wealth of further advice
and information.
I knew what I wanted
(how it looked, how it would work etc.) but wasn't up to date with the
legalities of it and that took time to learn. I made some great friends along
the way on this research journey and absolutely thrived on the learning. It is
these friends that led me to new contacts, new connections…a little like a
snowball effect until I was ready to set Hari Hari free.
People probably know curry spices, but your
business is based around Sri Lankan spices specifically. What is the key
distinctive difference?
The flavour!! The
flavours are very different to Indian spices. I have tried to cook curries
using the spices readily available here but it just doesn't taste the same as a
curry back home. The whole time I have been in the UK, I have always had my
stash of Sri Lankan spices with me, which I either brought over myself after a
holiday there or got family and friends to bring for me when they came over.
They are the same plants, but a different strain and I am certain that the
soil, climate and so on plays a part in why they taste different.
 |
| Spicing up Wimborne Food Festival |
Your website is a good example that these days you can't just sell a product – you have to educate people and tell a story. Did you have to learn this aspect of the business and what proportion of your time would you say is spent on it?
I think I have been
lucky in the sense that I have always approached Hari Hari as a journey. I see my customers as being passengers on
that journey with me, so it is only right that I tell them all that background
and nitty gritty of what is going on. It wasn't a conscious decision, it was
just the way I viewed Hari Hari from the outset. It’s my baby and I want
everyone to feel the passion of Sri Lanka and its food, culture, heritage
through what Hari Hari is about. I was
lucky in that I didn't have to learn it - it was just the way I worked! In
relation to the journey and social media I probably spend too much time on it. I
am now trying to become more time efficient and am beginning to schedule
postings etc. - forward planning to help free me up to do other jobs.
Who has inspired you along the way and why?
My mum inspired me. She
brought me up to be independent, to be able to stand on my own two feet and the
drive to succeed came from that. I still remember at a very young age (about 12
I think) my mum gave me the talk on why it was so important to do well at
school, get good grades, get a good job so I could buy all the things I want,
travel the world etc. I very flippantly replied with, “I’ll just marry a rich
man” to which she replied, “What if he has an accident and can’t work and you
are left to get a job?!” I got what she was trying to say and she has been my
source of inspiration to achieve ever since!
What would represent success for you? At what
point would you be able to say, 'Mission accomplished’?
I don’t know is the
honest answer. I would like Hari Hari to become a household name (I have seen
my logo’ed lorries driving up and down the motorways delivering my stock across
the land) but I think as long as I am learning I will always keep
going.
Imagine I'm a fairly conventional cook who
tends to buy familiar herbs and spices from a supermarket I know well. How
would you convince me of the benefits of trying one of your spice packs?
Hari Hari spices are
set up in an easy-to-follow step-by-step process. It really is as simple as
1-2-3. The recipe instructions are very straightforward and you can make the
dish as fiery or not as you like. I always show people the spice kit explaining
what you do - fry your onions, garlic and ginger (if using) with spice pack 1,
add your product and spice pack 2 along with your coconut milk and/or water
(depending on your preference) and then at the end you add Spice Pack 3 - you
control the chili so you can add as little or as lot as you like.
The spices themselves
are relatively mild. It’s the chili that gives the dishes the kick. As they are
pure spices, the kits are also perfect in relation to food intolerances. They
are suitable for people with dairy, gluten, wheat, nut, soya, salt and sugar
intolerance. This makes them very versatile little kits and the fact that the
finished curries freeze really well means that there really is absolutely no
waste as any left overs can be frozen for another day - saving you on cooking
time too!
I see that you used to work in HR and have
lived in Sri Lanka and the UK. What do you miss most from both the corporate
world and Sri Lanka, and what do you love most about what you're doing now?
I was born and grew up
in Germany, which is still a key part of my childhood. I have many friends
there and try to go as often as I can. With my Dad still living there, my ties
are still pretty strong to Germany.
I think I miss the
regularity (in a bizarre kind of way) of corporate work and the being able to close
the office door and leave work at work. Though that was great, it is also the
thing I love most about working for myself. No two days are the same, I am
constantly learning, growing and work never stops for me. To the point where I
have a notepad by my bed as I quite frequently wake up during the night with an
idea. I have learnt to jot it down there and then, or else I forget it by the
time the morning comes around.
Growing up in Sri
Lanka was certainly an idyllic life. I was very fortunate in what I got to see,
do and experience and life there is certainly special. With wonderful people,
culture, food and climate you can’t really go wrong. I miss the heat! I
definitely miss that! But being in the UK affords a certain freedom that is not
quite so readily available in Sri Lanka.
My life has been a
journey and it is sort of coming full circle, combining all the elements of what
I love from my experiences in Hari Hari and if I can get you to enjoy that
journey too and fall in love with Sri Lanka and its food then…..mission
accomplished :)
Tracey Collins from Ajar Of here
As always, if you'd like to share your story or leave your thoughts, leave a comment below or get in touch through editor@dorsetgourmet.com. Enjoy!
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