A CUMNOCK Academy pupil is cooking up a storm with his homemade sauces attracting a customer base of 6,000 people.

It all began when Zac Burinski was told he was too young to get a paper round at aged 12, but two years on he runs his own business.

Now as he tries to expand his enterprise, Flava Shaka, he is being told he is too young yet again — for business funding this time.

But he did not get to where he is now without determination and perseverance, so he has launched a Crowdfunding appeal.

Zac said: “I have always had a passion for cooking, ever since I was four years old and tried to make toast on my mums cooker...during the night.

“Mum and her friend were trying to eat healthily but loved takeaways so I thought to myself, surely these could be made healthy yet still tasty.

“Flava Shaka was born — I came up with my first healthy mix for smoked shredded chicken.

“Mum helped and put it on her social media and it sold out in minutes.

“Following on from this I made more and again sold out. I then proceeded to add different mixes likes of Salt and Chilli and South Indian.

“These proved very popular as well so I set up a Flava Shaka page on social media and I now have 6,000 followers.”

He has learned from the best, attending a short course with the Entrepreneurial Spark team, which included Sir Tom Hunter and Frank Gormanley.

He added:“I managed to revamp my packaging and learnt about marketing, sales, development and progression.

“To progress I need more equipment, stationery and bigger premises but, due to being only 14, I don’t qualify for loans or business funding,” Zac added.

Proud mum Nicola told the Chronicle that he will need to employ staff as well as the other things needed for the growing business, while her wee car is ‘struggling’.

Visit www.justgiving.com /crowdfunding/zac-burinski for more details on Zac’s story.

He said: “I am finding I can’t keep up with demand.

“It is unbelievable how well Flava Shaka has done and I am trying to get my products into the supermarkets.”