Building the Brands of Tomorrow

“If you’ve got a really progressive, innovative brand, you're not going to hit average rate of sale out the gate - and yet that’s exactly what the system demands. We’re burning through founders and cash chasing short-term wins that kill long-term potential.” What if the biggest problem facing food startups isn’t the buyer - it’s the system they work in? This week, we talk to Andrew Allen, an ex-fo...

“People don’t read - they recognize. If I have to say I’m cool, I’m not cool. But if you look at me and know it, that’s the ultimate power of branding.” What do challenger brands get wrong about design? Why do some refreshes fail while others build billion-dollar brands? And how do you know when to pivot - or just stay boring? In this episode, we talk to Fred Hart - the Colarado based brand strate...

“When you’re bored of saying it, that’s when people are just starting to hear it.” In this episode, Luke Hemsley shares the honest story behind building Wednesday’s Domaine - an alcohol-free wine brand on a mission to preserve ritual without compromise. We get into: Why non-alcoholic wine has lagged behind beer & spirits The messy early days (and the accidental rosé that turned into a bestsell...

“Entrepreneurship isn’t taught - and if you don’t know, you don’t know.” On access, exposure, and who gets to build. In this episode, I talk to Emmie Faust - exited founder, angel investor, and the powerhouse behind Female Founders Rise. We dig into the realities of entrepreneurship for underrepresented founders, why communities are so hard to monetise, and how to lead with empathy, clarity and cu...

“I realised I’m not chasing happiness - it's the happiness of pursuit that matters.” What can pulses, parenting and product launches teach us about building culture-first brands? In this episode, we sit down with Richard Peake, Managing Director at Merchant Gourmet , to talk about shaking up “dusty” grocery categories, embracing chaos in NPD, and why psychological safety- not ping pong tables- act...

“Marketing isn’t just colours and fonts. It’s getting to the beating heart of humanity.” What does it take to build a mission-led challenger brand… backed by mission-led celebrity investors Michelle Obama and Stephen Curry? In this episode, Sam Siegal (ex-PepsiCo, Death Wish Coffee) joins us to talk about launching PLEZi , the US better-for-you beverage brand rethinking sports drinks, sodas- and h...

“What would a Michelin-starred restaurant do?” Applying service-level thinking to ecommerce and customer experience Brodie Meah, co-founder of Top Cuvée, shares how a hospitality-first mindset became the foundation for a wine brand with real staying power. From fine dining in Melbourne to bike courier bottle drops in North London, we cover how community, consistency and a sense of humour helped sh...

“Do things that aren’t scalable.” ManiLife founder Stu Macdonald shares the full, gloriously unpolished story - from a makeshift kitchen and 4,000 hand-blended jars to building a cult peanut butter brand with real depth and a stubborn refusal to do things the easy way. We talk naïveté vs strategy, scaling without losing soul, what most founders get wrong about advisors - and the underrated power o...

Building Popchips in the UK- one snacker at a time What did it take to launch one of the UK’s most successful better-for-you snacks? In this episode, Ruth Fittock flips the mic to reflect on her eight-year journey launching and scaling Popchips in the UK, with Tomorrow Brands commercial lead Sofia DeCrescentiis, from Waitrose day-one listings to handwritten influencer boxes and navigating the bran...

“If you're bored of your brand, you're probably doing something right.” What makes a brand stick- and what causes one to quietly fade out? In this episode, Ruth sits down with Derek Springston , CEO of Boulder-based branding agency Moxie Sozo , to explore the deeper mechanics behind brand resilience. They cover: Why trends are often a trap- and how “being of the moment” can age you fast What US br...

“Direct-to-consumer wasn’t the plan. It was a survival move during the pandemic - but it became our best decision.” Bethan Higson is the founder of Mother Root, a non-alcoholic aperitif brand that’s as bold in its flavour as it is in its mission. In this episode, she shares their 6 year journey to retail. We talk about: Starting slow and building a brand with staying power Why DTC is the best way...

“We’ve turned ‘challenger brand’ into an aesthetic. If you’re marketing only to Sophie from Clapham, you’re not really challenging anything.” In this wide-ranging episode, Ruth is joined by Lottie Unwin- founder of Brand Hackers and Up World They cover: The difference between competition and category-building Why marketing strategy is misunderstood (and underfunded) What actually makes a brand “ch...

“Exit-readiness isn’t a checklist - it’s a constant state of being.” Rhys Harvey has helped steer multiple challenger brands through acquisition (Popchips, Plenish) and is now CEO of OceanSaver. In this episode, we unpack what really matters when you’re building toward scale or a potential exit. We talk: What acquirers really care about (hint: not what founders think) Why repeat rate is the metric...

“Social media has made everything feel a bit less fun. We need more weird, joyful moments - not just QR codes on billboards.” In this episode, Ruth sits down with Tom, a multi-time founder and creative mind behind Glug - a new UK-based olive oil brand. From selling 500 onesies a day at the height of festival culture to building a brand rooted in joy and quality, Tom shares how his early wins, mist...

“There’s no shortage of ideas. What’s rare is the mindset to survive the hard parts.” In this episode Ruth talks to Charlie Gent, founder of Mission Kitchen , a London-based workspace and incubator for food founders. They explore what it really takes to scale a food business today - from product development and manufacturing to community, mentorship, and the emotional highs and lows of founder lif...

“A brand of tomorrow doesn’t wait until they have sales to build a community.” Thinking about launching the U.S? This one is for you. Ruth Fittock chats to Amrit Richmond, founder of Supermercato & community Indie CPG about the first things to think about if you want to try and crack this high risk, high reward market. Plus we chat trends both sides of the pond, what makes a brand succeed, and...

“Sometimes the magic is just staying focused on something really good for long enough.” What does it really take to build a brand that matters — one that lasts, scales, or sells on your terms? This week I’m joined by Jonathan Trimble co-founder of AndRising, a creative ventures company that blends brand strategy, design, and investment into early-stage consumer brands. We talk about the tension be...

“If it’s weird, it’s probably insight.” How do we build brands that actually get people? (And not just the people in our marketing team?) This week, Ruth sits down with Isabel Lydall, founder of research and insight collective Curious to Clear, to talk about what it really means to build a brand around real insight - not assumptions, trends, or the opinions of your mate’s wife. Whether you’re plan...

“Right place, right time - and a team that gels. That’s the magic. You can’t fake that.” Camden Town Brewery was one of the standout success stories of UK craft beer, with a rapid rise leading to a successful acquisition in 2015. In this episode Tomorrow Brands commercial lead Sofia, one of the first employees, lifts the lid on their success. We chat advocacy, passion, the challenges that come wit...

“We’re not chasing hype brands. We’re backing businesses built on real product, real customer love, and a vision that lasts.” Raising capital might be the holy grail for some consumer brands - but is it always the right path? And if it is, how do you stand out to a VC who’s seen it all? This week, I’m joined by Claire Cherry, a partner at a global VC fund focused on backing category-transforming c...

“Your consumer today won’t be the same in five years. Are you ready for who they’re becoming?” This week, we’re talking about trends - but not the fleeting TikTok kind. We're digging into how brands can use real cultural insight to navigate change, unlock whitespace, and build lasting emotional relevance. Joining me is Anna Ward, Innovation Lead at global futures agency Trend Bible. She works with...

“Functional is everywhere now — but if everything’s functional, what does it even mean?” In this episode, I'm joined by Nicole Compen, founder of raye the store - the retail platform spotlighting emerging brands across food, drink, wellness and beauty. With 12 stores and 700+ brands under her belt, Nicole brings a unique, ground-level view of what’s really happening in FMCG right now. We explore w...

“If you’re not willing to lose it all, you’re not playing the game properly.” This isn’t just a chocolate company- it’s a cultural movement. Midday Squares co-founder Nick Saltarelli joins Ruth for a no-holds-barred conversation on what it takes to build an FMCG brand without following any of the rules. From manufacturing their own bars to building an audience like a band, Nick shares the mantras,...

“We talk about progress, not perfection- because this is hard, and it’s just the beginning.” What happens when a heritage brand takes a hard left- and becomes a purpose-driven challenger? In this episode, we hear the powerful story behind Typhoo’s reinvention as a mission-led business focused on ending gender-based violence on tea plantations. From a funeral for “old Typhoo” to a bold new operatin...

“We didn’t just want customers- we wanted bean obsessives. That’s our North Star.” What happens when you build a brand around one big idea- and obsess over it completely? Founder and CEO Amelia Christie-Miller joins us to talk about Bold Bean Co’s mission to make the world bean-obsessed. From cookbook-led PR to remote culture rituals, this is a story of doing things differently- and making it work...