AN award winning jam and preserve maker who had to close her business due to health reasons is entering her latest venture for the Press Business Awards.

Hoping to impress the judges in the New Business of the Year category, Melanie Moss has put forward Amos & Tom's Gourmet Popcorn, after launching the business from her homes in Wetwang, near Driffield, in March this Year.

Mrs Moss previously ran Wolds Cottage Kitchen, winning more than ten national and international awards for her preserves over four years.

However the nature of the cooking led to two sinus operations which ultimately caused her to close the business.

Having seen a gap in the market in Yorkshire, Mrs Moss has returned to the kitchen and created a brand new business Amos & Tom's Gourmet Popcorn.

She said: "In the South of England Gourmet Popcorn has become a huge hit in the last four to five years but as yet no one is producing handcrafted gourmet popcorn in Yorkshire so I decided to blaze the trail.

"While closing the old business I took the opportunity to do face to face market research with my existing customer base to help develop so core products, and also undertook a lot of consumer taste testing."

Mrs Moss had to look to the US to source the key ingredient - the kernel, and after many talks with various corn growers the perfect kernel was sourced and the UK distributor located.

Amos & Tom's Gourmet Popcorn launched at the Dales Food & Drink Festival in Leyburn in May, and despite the worst weather seen in the last four years at the festival, sales exceeded expectations.

The business saw a 25 per cent increase in sales compared to previous years with the Wold Cottage Kitchen business.

Mrs Moss said: "Obviously I'm not comparing products like for like but a 25 per cent sales growth is a positive start.

"Between this festival at the start of the month and the Malton Food Lovers Festival at the end of May, I also secured four new stockists for the new gourmet popcorn, three of which I've never worked with before.

"This number of stockists looks set to increase as enquiries from potential new customers are coming in nearly daily.

"Obviously the new popcorn business has big shoes to fill following the success of Wolds Cottage Kitchen but in it's first year I would like to see it achieve 75 per cent plus turnover of 2014/5 with a 10 per cent greater profit margin.

"After one full month trading this looks achievable but only time and hard work will tell."