Successful business owners, who revolutionised afternoon tea in Northampton, continue to expand offering
A pair of successful business owners, who revolutionised the way afternoon tea is offered in Northampton over the past decade, have continued to grow and expand their offering.
Amy Whiting, from Duston, founded Amy’s Vintage Teas in 2013 when she started collecting vintage china.
Working as a waitress at the time and being a mother to two young children, Amy knew it was time to start something of her own.
Though her initial idea was to hire out the crockery for weddings and events, she saw a massive gap in the market for the afternoon tea experience to be brought to people’s homes.
She was the first business to introduce having afternoon tea delivered in the town – and has developed and built on the concept ever since.
What started out as providing small tea parties for eight to 10 guests in their home has led to bookings for larger parties, weddings and corporate events for up to 400 people.
In 2019, Amy met Gemma Colby, the owner of catering company The Copper Kitchen. Gemma, from Roade, soon began supplying cakes and sandwiches for the afternoon teas as Amy did not bake herself.
With similar business journeys and the same drive, passion and creativity, the two businesses merged in 2020 and have not looked back since.
Amy and Gemma have only got busier, particularly since they started tapping into the corporate buffet and brunch market.
As they are just as busy during the week as they are at the weekends – making it a seven-day operation – the pair now have a team of waiting and kitchen staff to support them.
When asked how 2024 has been for the business, Gemma told the Chronicle & Echo: “We’re really busy but it’s been amazing. Considering there’s so much in the press about how challenging things have been, it’s great. We have both new and returning customers.”
Though the pair have stuck with their flagship menu of vintage afternoon teas, classic buffets, brunches, grazing tables and antipasti options, they have continued to add new items to keep it fresh for customers.
“We’ve built up more of a corporate base and work closely with Vulcan Works, which is really lovely,” Gemma continued.
“They’re a great asset to the local community and work with small businesses. We provide brunches for them and food for training days.”
One highlight from the year was getting through a summer's day when they had four large bookings, including two weddings.
With the support of their team, they ensured everything ran smoothly and tackled a problem that emerged at one of the wedding venues.
“We say it with every big event, but we’re so grateful for our amazing team,” said Gemma. “Amy and I are only two cogs in the machine. It wouldn’t run smoothly without our team who work so hard and are so enthusiastic.”
The pair hope to continue what they are doing and build on their customer base in 2025 and beyond, particularly in weddings. As a new recommended supplier for afternoon teas at Brampton Grange, the future is looking bright.