Kim Innes | London | Nostalgic Dessert Revolution
- EA
- Apr 11
- 3 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Forbes 30 under 30 | Everywoman Scale Up award Winner
NatWest X Telegraph’s 100 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch | CEO of Humble Crumble
Kim Innes didn’t just build a business — she sparked a dessert revolution.
Armed with a First Class Honours degree in English Literature from the University of Brighton and an early knack for leadership, Kim always had a fire for doing things differently. She wasn’t content to simply follow the path laid out for her. Instead, she carved her own — one bold step at a time. As a university student, she was already standing out from the crowd. She led a team that climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, raising a staggering £60,000 for Childreach International. She also founded Kim.I Tutoring, subcontracting a team of university students and turning a small academic venture into a fully operational tutoring agency — all while juggling lectures, business pitches, and grant applications. She was shortlisted for the Santander/UoB Entrepreneurial Growth Grant and became a guest speaker at her university’s employability conference. This wasn’t just hustle — it was a spark of the entrepreneur she was becoming. After graduation, she sharpened her operational edge. She led teams as a restaurant manager in the French Alps, navigating the fast-paced hospitality world with precision and creativity. As Marketing Executive at Grub Club, she took her marketing skills to another level. She led press outreach, digital strategy, and brokered a major deal with Barclays Premier Banking, opening doors to 1 million new customers and launching a brand partnership with John Lewis. She played a central role in the company’s rebranding, managed major client accounts including TFL, Guinness, and BBC Good Food — and helped create the investment pitch decks that led to Grub Club’s acquisition by VizEat.
But despite her success in the corporate and startup world, Kim couldn’t shake the idea that had been baking in her mind: what if she could turn the UK’s most nostalgic dessert into a next-generation food experience? That’s how Humble Crumble was born — not from a boardroom or investor pitch, but from a simple market stall where Kim sold handmade crumbles, topped with love, creativity, and her signature vanilla custard. The reception? Instant magic. Her crumbles didn’t just sell — they created a buzz. People couldn’t get enough. The market manager of Maltby Street saw the spark and took a chance on the 23-year-old visionary. It paid off.
Kim quickly scaled Humble Crumble into a full-blown crumble empire — with vibrant stalls at Old Spitalfields Market, Borough Market, Camden Market, and Covent Garden, each serving handcrafted crumbles made from locally and sustainably sourced ingredients. It’s not just dessert — it’s an edible experience. Each crumble is baked individually on-site, layered with care, and topped with an aesthetic flourish that’s as Instagrammable as it is delicious.
Her business is now the world’s first dedicated crumble bakery — and a beloved destination for locals, tourists, foodies, and families. What started as a humble dream is now a household name in London’s culinary scene.
Kim’s fearless journey and groundbreaking vision have earned her high honours. She’s been celebrated as a Forbes 30 Under 30 changemaker, awarded the Everywoman Scale Up Award, and featured in NatWest x The Telegraph’s 100 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch. She's not just redefining desserts — she's redefining what’s possible when passion meets purpose.
Today, Kim continues to lead Humble Crumble with the same heart, hustle, and hunger she had on day one — blending tradition with innovation, nostalgia with modern flair. Her story is a masterclass in following your gut, trusting your vision, and proving that even the simplest ideas — when paired with belief and bravery — can shake up the world.
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