Durham Mustard: How Enterprising North helped bring a County Durham food tradition back to life
Steph Celino preparing Durham Mustard
The challenge
When Steph Celino, a lecturer and busy mum of two, took on the revival of Durham Mustard in 2024, she inherited a rich legacy but faced challenges.
With limited time, equipment, and space, producing just 24 jars at a time made scaling the business difficult. She needed funding, advice, and practical support to grow.
The solution
After discovering Enterprising North through a local Facebook group, Steph connected with Simon Laing, RDC’s Rural Start-up Advisor.
With his guidance, she successfully applied for £3000 of funding.
This allowed her to purchase a high-capacity mixer and convert part of her garage into a dedicated production and storage area.
Their informal, supportive meetings also helped Steph navigate production planning, provided her with new contacts, and helped boost her confidence.
The results
With improved equipment and strategic support, Steph increased her output more than fourfold, jumping from making 24 jars to 100 jars at a time.
Durham Mustard is stocked at popular farm shops and heritage sites like Beamish Museum, Knitsley Farm Shop, Broom House Farm, and Brocksbushes Farm Shop, and Steph continues to grow her presence at farmers’ markets across the region.
More than just scaling a business, she’s brought a forgotten piece of County Durham’s culinary history back to life.
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About Enterprising North
Enterprising North is a UK government funded programme that brings together business support providers from across the region to help new and early stage businesses access expert advice, guidance, and funding opportunities.
Funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the programme is designed to help entrepreneurs turn their ideas into successful ventures.
The Rural Design Centre is the chosen delivery partner for rural Northumberland and Gateshead, providing tailored support to businesses in these areas.
