College Alumni Charts Grenade Business Success

Aspiring entrepreneurs at Solihull Sixth Form College heard a Solihull success story last week, when ex-student Juliet Barratt came into College to talk about founding the nutrition brand Grenade.

A level Business learners came together in the College's main lecture theatre to hear about the journey from starting the business in a bedroom in Solihull to selling the business to Cadbury’s owners Mondelez. Juliet was able to share with students the successes and the pitfalls of starting your own business and the excitement that comes in the early years of striving to find a place in a crowded nutrition market.

Juliet talked about her previous role as a teacher and told learners about how she craved moving away from a predictable occupation to living a more spontaneous life. She detailed the timeline of how their product evolved from a weight-loss product to a high-protein, low-sugar chocolate bar. There was time at the end for queries and the students asked insightful questions about competition, copyright and selling in international markets.

Business, Accounting and Law Curriculum Leader Michael Albanese commented:

"Juliet Barratt is a Solihull Sixth Form College success story. It was fantastic for our young people to hear from someone who studied A level like them and has gone onto achieve such success. She gave a fascinating insight into the journey she has been on and took an interest in the business ideas that our current learners have too."

14 October 2025