A Perth e-commerce business which supplies specialist wines is hoping to expand its product range this year.
Vanessa Tortella, a wine specialist from Italy, started the Wine Hall in the Fair City in 2022.
The e-commerce business currently sells a range of bottles from small, independent wineries in France and Italy.
These specialist wines are sent from Perth to enthusiasts across the UK.
But now, she plans to grow her business after securing funding through Virgin Startup loans programme.
Specialist wines sent from Perth
During her 15 years in the hospitality industry, Vanessa noticed there was a gap in the market for rare wines.
So, two years ago, she decided to start The Wine Hall.
She said: “Putting small wineries on the map and bringing rare bottles to the market has been something I’ve been interested in since I started working in hospitality. I had the idea of starting my own e-commerce business for a while.
“I love sharing my knowledge of rare and independent wines and it’s been an incredible journey so far.”
Vanessa also plans to import larger quantities of the product so she can start selling to luxury hotels, restaurants and other businesses this year.
She added: “The next step is expanding my inventory. In the beginning, I mainly focused on wines from Italy and France.
“But I’m currently sourcing an amazing wine from a producer in Lebanon that has never been exported before,
“I’m eager to start selling not only to private customers but to a range of luxury businesses as well.”
Rise in entrepreneurs over 50 since pandemic
Vanessa is one of the most recent entrepreneurs aged 50 and over to receive funding from the British Business Bank loans programme. Since 2012, they have supplied over £8.5m in loans to Scottish start ups.
Susan Nightingale, UK network director at the British Business Bank, said: “As Vanessa demonstrates, you can further your business ambitions at any age.
“It’s why we encourage anyone with a good business idea to get in touch and learn more about how the Start Up Loans programme might be able to help turn it into reality.
“It is interesting to note the high proportion of the funding during and after the pandemic, suggesting that many people aged 50 and over re-evaluated and took action to pursue their business aspirations.”
She added: “We’re also glad to witness the growth of businesses in more rural areas through our Start Up Loans programme. [This] demonstrates the difference funding can make in boosting entrepreneurship and supporting small business opportunities in smaller communities.”
