Harry Specters
52°23′20″N 0°15′45″E / 52.388972°N 0.262428°E Harry Specters is an Ely, Cambridgeshire-based chocolatier established with the express purpose of providing employment and free work experience for autistic individuals.[1] It was founded by Mona and Shaz Shah in 2012; the Shahs themselves have an autistic son.[2] The name Harry Specters was their son's idea when he was 14 years old. When asked how he came up with the name, he said it "...came from my head". After working with many autistic young people, the company believes that autistic people can be very intuitive. They are very loyal, have great attention to detail and love to be social. 60% of the company's profits are reserved for social goals.[1] For every £1 spent at Harry Specters, 69p social value is created (using Cost Benefit Analysis)
Harry Specter's products received one Three-Star rating and two One-Star awards in the Guild of Fine Food's Great Taste Awards for 2014.[3] As well, the Guardian ranked their chocolate Easter egg as the best chocolate made by a social enterprise in 2014.[4]
As of 2024, the company has helped 350+ autistic people through paid work and free work experience. In addition the company has won the following awards:
- A total of 34 awards for their chocolates from Guild of Fine Food and Academy of Chocolate.
- Community Business of the Year Award - Ely 2023.
- Cambridgeshire Business Awards 2022 - Diversity & Inclusion Great British Entrepreneur Award - 2020 Regional Winner London & East of England.
- Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award (UK) - Citi - 2017/18.
- National Food & Drink Competition winner 2022, UK - ALDI & Channel 4.
- Kings Award for Enterprise, UK, 2024.
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Chocolate entrepreneurs with a social aim", by Jonathan Moules, in the Financial Times; published 1 February 2015, retrieved 18 April 2015
- ^ Sawston chocolate-making company Harry Specters employs people on the autistic spectrum - and plans to expand, in the Cambridge News; published 25 April, 2014; retrieved 18 April, 2015
- ^ 2014 Winners - Great Taste Award Publication at Great Taste Awards, by the Guild of Fine Food; published 2014; retrieved 18 April, 2015
- ^ The Guardian best social enterprise Easter egg award, in the Guardian, by Charlotte Seager, published 16 April, 2014; retrieved 18 April, 2015