Elysia

 ◇ In Greek mythology, Elysium means a blissful place, where Ancient Greeks went for a happy afterlife.  ◇ 

The name refers to the second life they give to the products they use to make breakfasts and aperitifs that would otherwise go to waste. 

We met up with Sophie, the founder of Elysia a food social enterprise making delicious breakfasts and aperitifs from high quality, local food left surplus from artisan brands. Sophie came up with the idea early in 2016 after realising how much perfectly edible food goes to waste mainly due to last minute order cancellations and food which fails to meet the aesthetic standards that make it saleable. 
Sophie then set out to create a business with a solution to food wastage. You can choose to order ad-hoc or on a subscription basis with your Elysia parcel delivered to your door. Elysia is ideal for companies hosting breakfast meetings, networking events and even for personal orders.

Artisans: EasyBean, Rubies in the Ruble, Nom Nom Chocolate, Lucocoa Chocolate, Bread Ahead, Husk & Honey

Elysia is not just another food start-up. They are taking a two-pronged approach to the business model with 30% of their team members coming from a disadvantaged background who are experiencing high barriers to employment. After a 2-year employment history, they will be supported to either find a new job thanks to the skills they would have gained at Elysia, or they will have the opportunity to become self-employed with the Elysia franchise model. Sophie is partnering with community organisations such as; The Prince’s Trust, Crisis Café and the Passage to reach prospective Elysia team members.