James Averdieck
British entrepreneur (born 1965)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James Averdieck (born November 1965) is a British entrepreneur, the founder of the dessert manufacturer Gü and the Coconut Collaborative.
James Averdieck | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 1965 (age 60) |
| Education | Uppingham School |
| Alma mater | College of St Hild and St Bede, Durham (BA) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder of Gü and the Coconut Collaborative |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
Averdieck was born in November 1965.[1] His father was the owner of a textile business.[2] His grandfather also had his own business.[3] He has a twin brother Ed, managing director of Nokia Music and an older brother Will, who is an inventor.[3]
He was educated at Uppingham School,[4] and received a bachelor's degree in economics from the College of St Hild and St Bede at Durham University in 1988.[5][6]
Career
Averdieck worked for the food companies Safeway and St Ivel for ten years.[4] He founded Gü in 2003, and in 2010 sold it to Noble Foods for £32.5 million.[7]
In 2014, he bought a majority stake in Bessant and Drury, a small dairy-free ice cream company, which he rebranded as the Coconut Collaborative. The company produces ice cream and other desserts using coconut milk or almond milk instead of dairy.[8][9] Its products are produced and sold in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, New Zealand and the United States.[8][10]
Personal life
Averdieck married Annie Geddes in 1993, with whom he has two children.[3][4][11] He married Charlotte Knight on 6 December 2018 at St. Margaret, Kilmersdon, Somerset, England.[12]