Firm's healthy food for truckers

STREET-food success . . . Denver Cooper and his sister Sophie

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THE owner of a new healthy street-food business says he is seeing huge demand from customers, including truckers and taxi drivers, who want to improve their diets.

Denver Cooper, 30, from Chadderton, has launched the Chia Protein Bar based near Drury Lane and the Victoria Trading Estate in South Chadderton.

He spent two years developing the business plan and has received advice from organisations including Oldham Enterprise Trust and funding support through Business Finance Solutions.

He has also discussed his ideas with an organisation called WiFi Oldham, a social enterprise which is active on health and wellbeing issues.

Denver started trading just over a fortnight ago and said: "It's really taken off. I've got over 200 customers a week. People are showing massive interest in what we're offering.

"Some customers are HGV truckers who previously bought bacon-and-eggs every day but now they are going for more nutritional things. I've heard from some of their wives, saying they are over-the-moon with the changes they can see in their husbands. Another customer is a taxi driver who had weight and digestive problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome.

He said customers choose different foods offering a mix of protein, such as chicken or grilled halloumi cheese; carbohydrates, such as brown rice or sweet potato mash; and greens and salads.

He added: "People live really fast lives today. By launching this business, I wanted to give them a healthy option for fast food which isn't going to impact on their diet and health."

After studying at Radclyffe High School, Denver worked for a car wash in Oldham and then in sales, before moving overseas for some time.

He worked in a gold mine in Australia then returned to the UK.

He joined the Prince's Trust as a volunteer and then worked for the Salford Foundation, an organisation involved with vocational training, social and education projects. Denver hopes to recruit more staff as the business grows.

One of his suppliers is Robina Kouser of Buttercups Gluten Free, which makes wraps, cakes and other gluten-free products. She added: "We are delighted that people are becoming increasingly aware of the need to eat healthy, clean food."