The Fearless Foodie Podcast

How often do you meet people that are in direct competition with you? And how do you feel when you meet them? On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we explore the notion of collaboration over competition and give you ideas about how to reach out to others and work with them in a healthy, productive way.  It’s easy to feel like everyone else out there is doing better than you and if yo...

The food industry changes all the time so if you have a food business, you always need to keep an eye on the horizon. On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we talk to Adrian Short, one of the founders of our podcast sponsor Ulrick & Short, about how he created a once-niche business that has bloomed into a big player in the clean-label ingredients space. Join us for this fun conversati...

“Make technical sexy”. That was the mission that Deborah Kotulla’s boss assigned to her years ago and she’s been fulfilling it ever since. And as you’ll hear on this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, instead of fishnet stockings and tight dresses, this mission was about a whole lot of hard work and communication. Join us for this fun interview that shows just what a wide-ranging and pivot...

Starting a career in NPD is like being thrown in the pool at the deep end. There’s so much to learn and everyone around you is busy and under pressure. They might not have the time to stop and explain to you exactly what’s going on or to help you with your career struggles. So we’re here to do it for them! On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we tell you the four things we wish we’d...

You might have an incredible food product idea, complete with a compelling brand story and an ‘in’ with a big retailer. But unfortunately, the reality of the UK food industry means that even then, you’re not guaranteed to become the Next Big Thing in Food. So on this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we’re sharing the four things you need to know to run a successful food startup.  In this...

Can own-brand businesses compete with big brands? What does it take to get a food product from a new start-up onto the shelves of big retailers? And how do you build and follow a brand strategy over time in a changing marketplace? On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we talk with food marketing guru Christopher Owen about all this and more, and he tells us the scariest marketing stat...

You walk into a crucial NPD meeting knowing that you have bad news to deliver. When your senior colleagues start to question you, you feel your blood pressure rising and your anger boiling up. What if we told you that that behaviour isn’t actually you, but a chimp instead? On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we review Professor Steve Peters’ book The Chimp Paradox . Amy walks us thr...

Today we’re tackling an issue that affects businesses right across the food industry: food safety standards. Whether you’re a feisty challenger brand, a caterer facing your first food safety inspection or a huge food manufacturer, you’re going to learn something from food safety expert Ruth Baker. Grab a pen and paper and join us for this information-packed episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcas...

It’s that item on your to-do list that you keep putting off: self-promotion. You can always find a reason to put it off but avoiding self-promotion might hold you back in your career. On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we explore effective self-promotion. Join us as we discuss what it means, why we’re scared of it and what good, genuine self-promotion can look like for you.  We beg...

On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we chat with recent graduate and food industry trends expert Martha Wood from Ulrick & Short. If you’re interested in anything from finding a job in the food industry to forecasting food ingredient trends to why ingredients are a great place for you to start your food career, this episode is for you!  Martha tells us about her career journey from...

“I’m sorry to interject, but would you mind just please…” Nope, stop right there! On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we’re delivering the important message that it’s ok to be assertive! Tune in to learn our three simple tips to help you be more assertive in your work and home life.  We tell you why it’s important to be assertive and outline some of the reasons why many of us strugg...

Sustainability, food safety, food security and a failure to meet recruitment targets, not to mention the aftershocks of a pandemic: The UK food industry is fighting fires on all fronts. Drawing on the resources of its talented and passionate workforce is the only way to tackle them all. On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we talk to the brilliant Bethan Grylls, editor of the Food Ma...

When the economy is uncertain and your manager’s talking about making budget cuts, it’s definitely time to start thinking about career cushioning. But what is career cushioning anyway? And how do you do it without burning out or looking like you’re not committed to your current job? On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we tell you everything you need to know about career cushioning....

When you work in the food industry, it’s very common to be so focused on your role and your team’s mission that you don’t hear any other team’s perspective. On this episode of the Oh for Food’s Sake podcast, we’re going to correct that. We speak to longtime procurement expert Georgina Willis about the ups and downs of working in procurement and what procurement and NPD teams can do to work better...

You can tell when a team isn’t working together. They could be missing targets, not getting on with each other or turnover might be too high. But these are the symptoms and not the cause. On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we discuss the five key underlying problems that cause teams to not function AND tell you what you can do about it. Tune in to find out how to turn your team aro...

The conversations around diversity and inclusion are getting ever more complex and employees are starting to expect their employers to treat diversity issues as more than just a tick box exercise. But what are diversity and inclusion and how can we bring them into our workplaces? On today’s episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast , we talk to special guest Amie Burke, the Inclusivity Programme M...

Most of the stories we hear about businesses in our culture recount business success, where a small, ballsy go-getter grows into an enterprise giant. It’s rare to dive into the other kind of business stories, where with the best will in the world, the business just can’t keep going. But that’s what we’re doing on this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast. Today we’re talking about liquidating...

Although we love talking about the best aspects of the food industry, we don’t shy away from the difficult ones either. So with a recession in the air and several major companies announcing big layoffs, on this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we’re talking about redundancy.  We give you practical advice on how to cope with the emotional upheaval of being made redundant. Our tips include...

Can you have a career where you grow and feel challenged but still supported, and still stay with the same company for decades? Yes, you can! On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we talk to food industry legend Claire Martino about her long tenure at Bakkavor and what she’s learnt from working in the food industry for 20+ years. Claire walks us through her own journey at Bakkavor, te...

Personal branding is just for people who are self-employed, right? Wrong! If you haven’t started building your personal brand now, you should probably just forget it, right? Double wrong! On this week’s episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we walk you through why everyone needs a personal brand and how you can start building yours.  Listen in as we explain what it actually means to have a pe...

There are plenty of awards up for grabs when you work in the food industry, but none of them are quite like the Nourish Awards! On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we’re talking to the Nourish Awards founder Diana Babics about where she got her inspiration from, what it takes to run an award that spans many chapters and categories and how she manages to taste all that delicious food...

When life is getting you down and you’re feeling overwhelmed with work, family, your health or worries, it’s time to drop your to-do list and start a Ta Da list. On this week’s episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, the last one of the year, we’re reflecting on 2022, discussing what we achieved and what we’d like to work on in 2023. If you’re someone who doesn’t spend enough time acknowledging...

On this week’s episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we’re getting technical about potatoes! We’ve invited a very special guest Debbie Winstanley, an agronomist and potato lover, to talk potato varieties, supply chain logistics, sustainability and storage. Don’t miss the big reveal of Debbie’s favourite potato variety! Pop open a bag of your favourite crisps and tune in. Debbie gives a quick...

One little word really can make all the difference, and it’s ‘no’. On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we’re exploring the power of saying no and what happens when you start to get back control of your timetable, your energy and your life. It sounds easy to just say no, but it’s not always. We begin by discussing when it’s important to say yes, particularly in your work life, so you...

On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake podcast, we’re interviewing a power couple who are making waves in the British food industry. Join us as we talk with our new friends Rimi and Manav, creators of the vegan chocolate brand LoveRaw, about everything from starting a business, to working with your spouse, to coping with Covid-19, to the future of LoveRaw.  Rimi and Manav tell us how they creat...