A Somerset ice cream maker is serving up export growth in the Middle East after securing a £103,000 funding boost delivered by SWIG Finance on behalf of the British Business Bank.
Gelato Bros in Weston-super-Mare has made its entry into the export market by securing a contract with a supermarket chain in Saudi Arabia; this complements its growing list of UK clients, which includes independent health food stores and grocery apps in large cities.
Start Up Loans worth a total of £41,000 and a South West Investment Fund loan of £62,000 enabled company owner Osama Rashed to invest in a larger ice cream machine and fulfil the huge increase in orders for his plant-based choc ices, which travelled 3,000 miles to hit Saudi shelves in August.
Gelato Bros Founder, Osama Rashed, has started exporting internationally thanks to a funding package delivered by SWIG Finance. Photo credit: @JonCraig_Photos
Start Up Loans is part of the British Business Bank and offers personal loans of up to £25,000 per director at a fixed rate of interest and offers free mentoring to help anyone start or grow a new or early-stage business.
Osama initially received a £25,000 Start Up Loan in 2022 and, after repaying part of that loan, secured a further £16,000 Second Loan in 2026 to support the continued growth of the business. A Second Loan allows an existing Start Up Loan recipient to apply for additional funding as they repay their first loan, provided their total outstanding Start Up Loans balance does not exceed £25,000.
In the South West, Start Up Loans are delivered by the Bank’s Business Support Partner, SWIG Finance. Last year, SWIG Finance delivered £8 million in Start Up Loan funding to more than 400 businesses across the region.
The South West Investment Fund (SWIF) offers a range of commercial finance options with small loans from £25,000 and equity investment up to £5m. The fund covers the entire South West region including Bristol, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
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Trading internationally was an unexpected career move for Osama, who was on his honeymoon when the email came in January from a major Middle Eastern supplier. “They told me they had seen our brand and thought it would go down well with their customer,” he said. “To be honest, I thought it was spam – luckily, they chased me a few weeks later and everything moved very quickly after that.”
The business was launched during lockdown as a slightly different proposition. “I was in London, working long hours and moving figures around on a spreadsheet,” Osama explained. “Like so many people during the pandemic, I took to walking to clear my head. I was listening to podcasts by successful entrepreneurs and thought about starting a business of my own.
“I was looking for something unusual that would stand out in a crowded market, and a friend introduced me to mochi – Japanese ice cream balls, which were having a moment on TikTok.”
Having travelled to the home of gelato, Italian city Bologna, to learn the art, Osama applied for an initial £25,000 Start Up Loan, delivered by Outset Finance, and launched his brand with plant-based mochi – made with milk alternatives in signature flavours reflecting his own British-Egyptian heritage (Pistachio Baklawa remains a best-seller to this day). However, as with many start-ups, finding product market fit proved difficult and Osama looked to pivot to a choc ice format – with gratifying success.
A big part of Gelato Bros’ ethos is its “clean labelling”. The antithesis of ultra-processed foods, it aims for customers to understand exactly what’s in the product. “I’d spent my life reading ingredient lists due to religious dietary requirements,” said Osama. “There were so many additives, like flavourings, preservatives, colourings and emulsifiers. A pistachio flavour product might contain only 1% pistachio, and be coloured green using artificial dyes.
Gelato Bros makes with plant-based mochi – made with milk alternatives in signature flavours reflecting his own British-Egyptian heritage. Pistachio Baklawa remains a best-seller to this day. Photo credit: @JonCraig_Photos
“I was keen to head back to more natural foods. A freezer product shouldn’t need preservatives, but these things have become the norm for people. If a food item is cleaner, you should feel better. Our Pistachio Baklawa choc ice is 14% pistachio.”
Trading internationally was a step up, and it was all hands on deck to turn around the Saudi Arabian order, using Osama’s existing ice cream machine. “It made around 2.5kg per batch, and we were looking to put out 100kg a day – around 40 batches,” he explained. “I roped in anyone I could and we worked around the clock. For around four weeks, all our ice cream went into that order, which meant there was little left to fulfil our UK orders – and, predictably, all our stockists sold out during successive heatwaves.”
But the major new customer was a catalyst for the second round of SWIG Finance funding, which were supported by Start Up Loans Senior Officer Suzy Lowe and Business Manager Jim McLaren. The new machine, built to order in Italy, arrived in August and has increased production sixfold.
“I’d wanted one for a while, but Jim said we needed a firmer footing for the loan,” said Osama. “The Saudi order boosted the application, enabling me to apply for a second Start Up Loan and a small business loan together – I didn’t know I could do that, but Jim was super-helpful, and it was his knowledge of what I could borrow that got the ball rolling.”
Having shipped his first order to Saudi Arabia, Osama is now in talks with another Middle Eastern retailer, as well as continuing negotiations with British chains. “I could never have done that with a 2.5kg ice cream machine,” he laughed. He’s now focused on sustaining growth, with the prospect of flavour development in the future. The business is also establishing itself as a local employer in Weston, which is an area in need of economic investment.
The 2026 Great Taste Awards gave its seal of approval to Gelato Bros in the form of a two-star rating for its salted peanut butter flavour, and another star for Pistachio Baklawa. Photo credit: @JonCraig_Photos
In the meantime, the 2026 Great Taste Awards gave its seal of approval to Gelato Bros in the form of a two-star rating for its salted peanut butter flavour, and another star for Pistachio Baklawa.
“Osama demonstrates tenacity and flair for flavours; it really comes across when working with him,” said Suzy Lowe from SWIG Finance. “The Start Up Loan scheme has been able to support this business from conception and now in its next phase of growth – a wonderful success story for Osama with a world of potential to grasp. I’m excited to follow his progress.”
“It is great to be able to help a local business to fund their next stage of growth,” added Jim. “Osama has shown great belief and determination to get his business to where it is today where he’s now getting orders from home and abroad for this great product. Osama was a pleasure to deal with throughout the process, and I wish him continued success.”
Lizzy Upton, Associate Director at the British Business Bank, said: “Gelato Bros is a great example of how different British Business Bank programmes can work together to support an ambitious business as it grows. Osama has taken a business he started during lockdown and built a distinctive product that is now finding customers thousands of miles away. By combining Start Up Loans and the South West Investment Fund, the business now has the finance needed to significantly increase production and help turn that export opportunity into further growth.”
The purpose of the South West Investment Fund is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West. It offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25k to £100k, debt finance from £100k to £2m and equity investment up to £5 million. The fund is increasing the supply and diversity of early‑stage finance for South West smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance.
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About SWIG Finance
SWIG Finance is a people-based lender that provides loans and support to help smaller businesses in the South and West Country grow. We base our lending decisions on potential rather than collateral, which means that we can often support businesses when others can't.
We’re growing every year. In 2025/26, we lent £18.4m to 506 businesses, helping to create and secure over 1,134 jobs and generate £95.2m in social impact. Download the report here.
If you’d like an informal chat about your funding requirements, get in touch with our friendly and professional team to see how we can help: info@swigfinance.co.uk / 01872 227 930