Our chosen products for June, is a branch new line. This is Luke’s story in his own words.

The story goes back to a start point of 2017 although Flavour Burst did not start until 26 ^th June 2019 (I remember the exact date as its actually my birthday as well).  I was suffering depression in silence and between me and my partner barely could afford to live at times. My partner’s grandad was ill and needed help too...so my partner quit her job and become a career. This gave us the ability for Helen started a laundry company doing holiday let laundry from home, around caring for myself and her gran and grandad. I still suffered badly and often could not leave the house...so spent time enjoying gardening and growing various produce, the garden was a great release for me. 

End of 2018 I had literally 100's of jars of my home-made chutney...with my home grown produce from the garden. WAY too much for us alone...so we gave it to many of Helens holiday let owners customers to say thank you for being customers as a Christmas present. Come March of 2019 so many customers had asked if we would do little "welcome packs" for the lets with the produce I had made.

I started cooking. Jams and Marmalades at 6 in the morning, I made a Facebook page and put up my story with pics of what I was doing....and suddenly got invited to a small market. Helen again dragged me kicking and screaming (supported me with a gentle, hard handed push....lol). I LOVED it. The feeling was AMAZING and has truly helped me a lot outside of working life too. 

Start of 2023, At home cooking, preparing for market and hand chopping through 50kg of onions, the phone rings again and again I quick wash and dry my hands to answer it (swearing to myself as you do....everything stopping me from doing the job I was trying to do!)... Hello its BBC Gardeners world live and I'm ringing you too..... I hung up. another scam call, BBC ringing me!

I had an email, and a copy and pasted version to my company Facebook page messenger....asking me to call them....it was BBC and the organisers of their markets had been instructed by his boss to invite us to a market with them as the boss had tried our chutney in a welcome hamper whilst on holiday and wanted us his event to purchase some more. Hence how we have the picture of Chris Bavin (a BBC food program presenter) with our daughter Amber. It was amazing being able to meet the people i had watched during my recovery in real life...because of what i had made! This also gave me a confidence boost that my flavours must be good enough to try and get on some shelfs. If a BBC boss wants it...surly shops would appreciate it.