Happy Dim Sum is dedicated to sharing its love for authentic dim sum with the world. Their journey began with a simple mission: to offer high-quality, delicious dim sum that brings joy to every customer. The programme has massively helped them on their journey.
Discover more: Happy Dim Sum
Islington Business Resilience – Entrepreneur Case Studies
Joey – Happy Dim Sum
Joey and her husband James run Happy Dim Sum, a handmade Chinese food shop based in Islington’s Junction Market. Their business, which offers traditional dim sum, cheung fun, and wonton noodles, was still in its early stages when Joey joined the Islington Business Resilience Programme (IBRP). Eager to find guidance and direction, she wanted help shaping their long-term plans and making practical improvements to grow the business.
The one-to-one consultancy support was especially important for Joey, providing tailored advice that helped her better understand her local market — including customer needs, pricing strategies, and how to connect with nearby schools and community centres. With this insight, she developed party menus and lunch options for schools, helping to raise awareness and build new customer relationships.
More people know about our business after I joined this programme.”
The business planning workshops helped Joey map out costs, staff salaries, and projected spending over the next few years, allowing her to track progress more effectively against their financial goals.
Joey also embraced the programme’s networking opportunities, even catering one of the events herself. These experiences introduced her to other local businesses and encouraged collaboration through customer referrals. As a result, Happy Dim Sum was able to reach a wider audience and offer tailored catering for events and parties.
The grant Joey received through the programme was a major boost. It supported a shop refurbishment by adding storage and upgrading kitchen equipment to improve service and food quality. Part of the grant also went toward marketing, including social media promotion and a new website developed with support from consultant Alex Louis. The website now allows customers to place orders online and promotes the business to a broader audience.
One of the most meaningful uses of the grant was Joey and James’s decision to support the local community by providing ready-made meals to food banks, reflecting their commitment to giving back and using their business as a force for good.
What were some of the valuable skills gained?
Reflecting on the experience, Joey identified digital marketing and business planning as the two most valuable skills she gained. These tools have helped Happy Dim Sum reach new customers — even outside London — and establish a growth strategy for the next three to five years.
This programme helped us go from zero to 100,” she said. “I’m so appreciative to be part of it.”