Wilson and Ellingham began their bakery business with a stall at the Whanganui River Markets in February 2018. Since mid-2019 their new shop has sold takeaway food, coffee, biodynamic baked goods, fermented breads, pastries, sandwiches, bagels, cookies and doughnuts.
Because the grant from The Generator was a gift, the business started without debt. Ellingham and Wilson have been able to pay themselves a wage and support their families.
They have employed a fulltime barista and another person for one day a week, and are considering opening for longer and restarting their market stall.
"It's nice to be able to provide jobs," Wilson said.
The Generator is a new funding avenue from the Ministry of Social Development and was officially launched in August. Its funding is available in five New Zealand regions, including Whanganui.
It has $700,000 to give away every year, mostly in grants of $2000 to $3000.
Wilson read about it and approached Thrive Whanganui, a charitable trust that promotes social enterprise. He discovered SourBros was eligible for funding because he and Ellingham would both qualify for a Community Services Card, and because they have a good idea.
Thrive Whanganui employs Paul Fletcher to work with The Generator applicants, director Nicola Patrick said. The applicants also complete tasks online.
Patrick has a list of others seeking Generator funding. They're a varied lot and she's excited by their possibilities.
"It shows the value of a small injection of money at the right time, with a good person on the ground and a good process."
