THE managing director of a successful biscuit company is the speaker for the next Herefordshire Conservative Business Forum.

Frank Cornthwaite set up Frank’s Luxury Biscuits in December 2002, with his wife, Lesley, after they had both given up their paid employment as a police officer and school nurse respectively.

They began the business by baking biscuits in their home kitchen, which they outgrew within six months.

They subsequently outgrew a shared industrial kitchen just 12 months later.

In April 2004 they took on the sole tenancy of a small unit on Holmer Trading Estate in Hereford, where they remained until November 2015, when they had to relocate due to the the closure of Holmer Trading Estate. They are now based at Rotherwas.

While the original recipe was something Frank had grown up with on his parents' farm, with the aid of Lesley, it has over the years, been developed to include more than 30 variations.

There are two things that Frank has fought to maintain with regards to the business. One is that the labels on all the packaging carry the Christian ‘fish’ symbol to signify the importance of their strong Christian beliefs. The second is that the words ‘Made in Herefordshire’ feature on all their products wherever practicable.

The talk is on April 13 at 7.15am for 7.30am at The Harewood End Inn. Breakfast will be followed by a talk and questions. Tickets are £15 for members and £18 for non-members.

To book email anthea@antheamcintyre.com.