Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

Europe's Entrepreneurial Award goes to a Smooth Operator

European Women of Achievement Awards 2004

Europe's most inspired and motivated business women were honoured today (09.7.04) at the 14th European Women of Achievement Awards. In recognition of her pioneering work in the European smoothie market, Josephine Carpenter, MD and founder of thejuicecompany won the coveted EWAA Entrepreneur title.

Since the launch of the awards in 1991, the EWAA has a stellar list of over 60 previous celebrated winners – among them Paula Radcliffe MBE (2003), Angela Rippon (2002) and Ellen MacArthur MBE (2001).

In just four years, Josephine Carpenter has taken a dream and turned it into a multi million pound international business reality. Starting in her front room at home with just £10,000 borrowed from family and friends, her success has been through a combination of gritty determination and a passionate belief in her smoothie products.

This is the thirteenth award thejuicecompany has achieved, Josephine Carpenter commented “I am absolutely thrilled to receive this award from such a prestigious organisation and eminent panel of judges including Sir Melvyn Bragg and yachtswoman Tracey Edwards. It is days like today that make all the hard work worth while!” Josephine added, “I’ve look at the EWAA past winners, this very special award is definitely going to have pride of place on my desk!”

“While an entrepreneurial spirit is undoubtedly needed to build a business from scratch, I am also grateful for the loyalty of the team who work closely with me and who will be with me as we build the company from strength to strength in the future” she added.

Driven by her vision, Josephine's research confirmed her instinctive belief that there was a huge gap in the UK market for a 100% pure fruit smoothie product packaged in a method unique to the smoothie sector. Undeterred by rude rebuttals from financing companies, Josephine sold her car, borrowed money from three friends and financed the company herself.

Today thejuicecompany is the No 1 supplier of smoothies to the UK's food service industry with over 6,000 outlets from Selfridges to Warner Village cinemas serving its smoothies. Her successful launch into retail this year has seen the smoothiepack and Smoothie Smile products available across multiples, high street chains, independents and across the impulse sector.

thejuicecompany is the only global smoothie company with a thriving and rapidly expanding international business exporting to 12 countries around the world from Denmark to Japan, Ireland to Italy, Bermuda to the USA.

Supported by a dynamic management team, Josephine maintains her involvement at every level of the business from product development through to creative input for advertising campaigns.

The Women of Achievement Award will add to thejuicecompany's ever-increasing list of accolades.

All enquiries to UK press office on:

01743 234 220
or e-mail: peter@spiritsolutions.co.uk

Images and interviews are available from the above contact