Insider Media Limited

A Black Country operator of business-to-business networking clubs is expanding into North America. Business Over Breakfast, known as BoB Clubs, has developed an export strategy and is planning to expand the organisation globally with the help of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI).

BoB Clubs, based in Warley, was established in 2003 by managing director Geoff Cox.

The company creates networks for companies to seek and create business opportunities at fortnightly breakfast events.

In the UK, there are 63 BoB Clubs, which are managed by a team of about 40 area co-ordinators and regional directors. With the help of UKTI, the company developed an export strategy and completed the Passport to Export programme for new exporters.

Cox said: "We particularly appreciated the help from our international trade adviser, Joy Heatley. Joy is always very enthusiastic about our business and has been a fantastic source of advice and information. In addition, she helped us access financial support from UKTI to visit Canada and the USA.

"During this visit, I met a number of potential partners and this led to us forming a joint venture with a Canadian company to cover the whole of North America under a licensing agreement.

"We signed the deal in July and there are already 20 BoB Clubs across both countries, with more opening up all the time.

"These are massive markets for us - over the next 12 months, we will be earning at least £200,000 a year from Canada alone.

"At the moment, export business is about ten per cent of our turnover but we are expecting this to be over 50 per cent next year.

"We have doubled our turnover every year since 2004 and are now targeting Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa and Malta."

BoB Clubs has two employees and a current annual turnover of about £250,000.