News: Millmii on show at Autumn Fair

Millmii, an innovative product developed by a Rotherham graduate, is on show this week at the Autumn Fair 2012.

Nathan Bestwick, who grew up in Rotherham and studied at Sheffield Hallam University, designed the spice mill so that it can be used by people who have limited strength or dexterity in their hands and works by being rolled in the hands without any need to grip or twist.

The playful and stylish design received one of the coveted awards at this year's red dot awards for product design, which were given by a 30-member jury after an evaluation process lasting several days. The product got an honourable mention due to its particularly successful detail solution.

Shortly after graduating, Nathan launched a product and graphic design consultancy called If? Works, which grew from RiDO's Fusion @ Magna Business Centre in Rotherham. He went on to set up a kitchenware firm in partnership with Sheffield-based company Gripple, under its "Incub" programme, which nurtures local inventors with the aim of creating future jobs in South Yorkshire.

Taking place at the NEC in Birmingham, the Autumn Fair is the largest home and gift buying event of the season and showcases new designers and new products.

Nathan Bestwick, designer of the millmii, said: "We are presenting all five colours at the show and on Tuesday, millmii will also be demonstrated on stage at Cook Live.

"We look forward to meeting new customers, and we never tire of seeing the surprise and smiles that millmii creates when people try the product for the first time."

Future products from the Yormii company include Spicemii, Munchmii, Honemii, Pourmii, and more.

Yormii website

Images: Yormii

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News: Millmii wins red dot award for product design

An innovative product developed by a Rotherham graduate has been recognised in a prestigious international design competition.

The Millmii salt and pepper mill from start up company, Yormii, got an "honourable mention" amongst some of the world's leading brand names and product developments in the red dot awards for product design.

The award dates back to 1955 and is now one of the world's largest and most distinguished design competitions. This year 1,800 large companies and independent designers from 58 countries registered to the awards and grabbed their chance to prove their design ability in an international comparison with renowned designers and up-and-coming talents.

Very much an up-and-coming talent, Nathan Bestwick, 26, who grew up in Rotherham and studied at Sheffield Hallam University, designed the spice mill so that it can be used by people who have limited strength or dexterity in their hands and works by being rolled in the hands without any need to grip or twist.

The playful and stylish design received one of the coveted awards, which were given by a 30-member jury after an evaluation process lasting several days. The product got an honourable mention due to its particularly successful detail solution.

Nathan said: "We are thrilled to have been recognised for our innovation and design ability with such a prestigious design award.

"More than 1,000 guests from the design world, industry, society and the media will celebrate the laureates of the red dot design award on July 2 – traditionally in the opera house of Essen, the Aalto-Theater. Afterwards, Millmii will be presented in a four-week special exhibition in the red dot design museum and will then be on show in the museum for a year."

Shortly after graduating, Nathan launched a product and graphic design consultancy called If? Works, which grew from RiDO's Fusion @ Magna Business Centre in Rotherham. He went on to set up a kitchenware firm in partnership with Sheffield-based company Gripple, under its "Incub" programme, which nurtures local inventors with the aim of creating future jobs in South Yorkshire.

Yormii was officially launch at the 2012 Spring Fair International at the Birmingham NEC in February. Future products include Spicemii, Munchmii, Honemii, Pourmii, and more.

Yormii website

Images: yormii.com

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News: Rotherham entrepreneur partners with Gripple to launch Millme

A Rotherham graduate is on the brink of launching his unique range of kitchen implements on the world market.

Nathan Bestwick, 25, who grew up in Rotherham and studied at Sheffield Hallam University, is setting up his new kitchenware brand in partnership with Sheffield-based company Gripple, under its "Incub" programme which nurtures local inventors with the aim of creating future jobs in South Yorkshire.


With several enterprise awards already under his belt for his "Millme" spice mill, Nathan is on track to put his first products into manufacture within a year and take on the big brands of kitchenware. The spice mill has been designed so that it can be used by people who have limited strength or dexterity in their hands and works by being rolled in the hands without any need to grip or twist.

Shortly after graduating Nathan launched a product and graphic design consultancy called If? Works, which grew from RiDO's Fusion @ Magna Business Centre in Rotherham. He has since set up an employee-owned kitchenware company for which a name has yet to be chosen.

He says that the invaluable support he has received both from the Entrepreneur Exchange at Business and Education South Yorkshire (b&e) in Rotherham and Incub has helped him along the difficult journey of protecting and promoting his unique design.

Nathan said: "The most exciting aspect of it all is that the company will be testament to South Yorkshire's prowess in manufacturing and design, and because it will be employee owned, it will serve our region for many years to come, and hopefully become a company that Sheffield can be proud to say is theirs. But first I have got to get my premier product to market and hope that it sells like hot cakes!

"I have started developing my products for manufacture and will be setting up meetings with retailers like John Lewis in the next few months, with the aim of getting the products into the shops by the end of this year."

Nathan's business dream began while he was a student on the industrial design course at Sheffield Hallam University and came up with the idea for his spice mill which works by being rolled in the hands without any need to grip or twist – making it ideal for people who suffer from arthritis and other conditions which restrict the movement of the hands.

He went on to work on a range of kitchen items which can be used by people with limited dexterity, but which are so attractive and practical they will be sought after by all types of consumer.

Nathan was listed in the Shell Livewire Hot 40 2010 and was voted Most Enterprising Student in Central England in 2007.

Jim Lawson of the Entrepreneur Exchange added: "This new company is a great achievement for Nathan and also demonstrates the importance of the Entrepreneur Exchange's contribution to boosting the economy of the Sheffield city region."

If?Works website

Images: B&ESY

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News: Rotherham company wins University challenge

Rotherham design company, If?Works, picked up the £5,000 top prize in Sheffield Hallam University's Enterprise Challenge last month.

25-year-old Nathan Bestwick from Rotherham, a Sheffield Hallam product design graduate, impressed the judges with his innovative kitchenware products, which include MillMe, a spice mill that requires no gripping and works by rubbing it between your hands.

Nathan, said: "I am absolutely delighted to win this year's competition. I wanted to design kitchen products that can be used by people with disabilities but don't lose any of their design values. They can be used by people who have problems gripping or twisting objects or those who suffer from arthritis."

Based in RiDO's Fusion @ Magna Business Centre, If? Works is growing rapidly by providing product, brand and website design services, and employs two talented designers.

Nathan's entrepreneurial drive was in full flow when he invited himself to Denmark to pitch his ideas to one of the largest manufacturers of kitchen products in the world. They were so enthusiastic about the products, they invited him to do a second pitch to the head of international sales and marketing in the evening, and again the next day to the owner of the company.

Nathan said in his blog: "I'll be flying over to Denmark to sign agreements for four of my products (and more to come) this week, and will be launching the new kitchenware brand within the next six months at international exhibitions, starting in February 2011 at the Ambiente exhibition in Frankfurte. The products will be on shelves worldwide within the next year."

Nathan has been listed in the Shell Livewire Hot 40 2010 and was voted Most Enterprising Student in Central England in 2007.

If?Works website
Nathan's blog

Images: If?Works

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