Sydney student’s takeaway charcuterie board business takes off in lockdown

The 20-year-old had to drop down to part-time study, hire four employees and even rent out a commercial kitchen to keep up with growing demand.

A 20-year-old uni student’s business has taken off in lockdown thanks to Sydney-siders’ desperation for their weekly dose of luxury food.

Lily Avery, from Sydney’s north, launched her takeaway charcuterie platter catering service ‘The Boujee Boards’ on Mother’s Day, May 9.

Just a month later, the city was plunged into lockdown.

What started off as a side hustle soon became a booming business and Ms Avery had to drop down to part-time study, hire four other staff members and even rent out a commercial kitchen to keep up with demand.

In May, the accounting student was selling about 12 boards a week. That number jumped to more than 100 weekly orders because of lockdown.

Earlier this month, on Father’s Day, Boujee Boards did 150 orders in a single day.

“It was a side thing at the beginning,” Ms Avery told news.com.au. “Now this has become my full-time job.”

The fact that “I get to be my own boss” is especially helpful for Ms Avery since she suffers from a chronic illness and is often in hospital — which is how she came up with the idea in the first place.

Lily Avery launched The Boujee Boards in May.

The business has its own uniform for employees.

Ms Avery said that growing up she was “always the cheese board girl at events”, with a laugh.

After getting an invite to a friend’s 21st birthday party in April, she was asked to make a metre-long charcuterie board to feed the 60 attendees.

That night, “a few people came up to me asking for the name of my business,” she recalled.

Just two days later, the budding entrepreneur, who was only aged 19 at the time, went to hospital for surgery to battle her chronic condition.

Sydneysiders have been unable to visit fancy restaurants in lockdown so have turned to this innovative idea.

This was the one metre long board Lily Avery made for her friend’s 21st in April.

Ms Avery suffers from stage four endometriosis and has had four operations in total. She was “in and out of hospitals” in high school because of the illness.

Unfortunately, the operation didn’t go smoothly and she developed an infection.

She ended up having to spend a month in hospital.

“It was quite a traumatic time, I spent my 20th birthday in hospital,” she said.

“While I was in hospital feeling sorry for myself, I came up with the name (of the business) and went from there.”

Lily Avery in hospital earlier this year.

Ms Avery started by creating an Instagram account for her business.

The 20-year-old began with just 200 followers but since May her social media presence “blew up dramatically” by 1000 per cent, now standing at more than 2000 followers.

She worked in childcare and social media management for around 25-30 hours a week but quit both those jobs once The Boujee Boards soared to success.

Instagram was the main way people could order the luxury grazing boards but during lockdown she also decided to make a proper website.

She had to fork out a few thousand dollars in savings to get the catering service off the ground, to make sure she ticked off all the safety boxes, especially being Covid-safe.

Since its launch, more than 1000 customers have visited her business.

Customers spend an average of $100 on an order.

The boards cost between $60-$160 depending on what you get.

Since Ms Avery’s business does around 100 orders every week, that means Boujee Boards makes about $10,000 weekly before tax and other overhead costs.

“This is definitely my full time job,” Ms Avery said.

“I was working seven days a week before. Mondays are meant to be my day off but I don’t think I ever switch off now.”

They have prepared more than 1000 orders to date.

Ms Avery says they cater for most occasions including birthdays, baby showers, missed wedding dates, missed anniversaries, corporate events and even a few bereavements.

With the announcement this week of picnics being allowed for fully-vaccinated NSW residents, Ms Avery has rolled out a new picnic box.

Two months ago, she decided to stop making her staff delivering the orders as the Covid-19 situation worsened.

Instead, she teamed up with Silver Service Taxi Cabs as a delivery service which she says “ gives that extra touch of boujee” to the food.

Have a similar story? Get in touch [e-mail]