The Unfounders

In today’s episode I’m joined by two fantastic guests from the brilliant Mr Organic . Head of Brand Stephanie Lee and National Account Manager Margaux Jacquot . I loved digging into the origins, heritage and why behind the brand, as well as unpicking everything around how the range has expanded to over 120 product and counting, and the role independents play in their strategy. The conversation del...

Today's guest is Will Drinkwater Head of Operations at TRIBE . Tribe make delicious, nutritionally focused products like flapjacks, brownies, cereals and more with the aim of supporting their community charity The Tribe Freedom Foundation , helping tackle human trafficking. Will has been in the business nearly 10 years and I loved digging into his journey. We dive into Tribe's origin story...

In today's episode, Nat Slade , Head of Sales and Partnerships at Dirtea , discusses the innovative world of functional mushrooms and their health benefits. We discuss her journey from recruitment in healthcare to leading sales at Dirtea, emphasising the importance of team culture, wellness initiatives, and the brand's commitment to quality. Nat also highlights the challenges faced in the...

In the final episode of our 3 part Mission Kitchen special, I have the pleasure of sitting down with Kerry Hopkins - Head of Brand at Pollen + Grace . Pollen + Grace have been championing healthy, fresh, plant-based food for a decade now, and they don’t show any signs of slowing down. I loved digging into Kerry’s time there pretty much since day one! What is it about her role that’s kept her engag...

In part 2 of our Mission Kitchen special, Mitch sits down with ⁠Jack Parton⁠ , Marketing Director at ⁠Sylt Pickling⁠ . We discuss the innovative concept of pickling liquids, the importance of reducing food waste, and his journey in the food industry. Jack shares insights on community engagement through events, the support provided by Mission Kitchen for startups, and the challenges faced in entrep...

This is part 1 of a 3 part, in-person special filmed live at Mission Kitchen. In this first installment, Mitch sits down with Alex Locke - Brand Manager at plant-based cheese brand Mondarella . Alex shares insights into the plant-based cheese market and her career journey working in brands like Yankee Candle, The Food Doctor and Ocado. We also dive into the collaborative spirit fostered within Mis...

Today's guest is the fantastic Liv Marshall - Head of Commercial at White Rabbit . In this episode we discuss Liv's journey from Unilever to leading a pioneering gluten-free brand. She shares insights on the evolution of White Rabbit's product range, the importance of consumer feedback, and the challenges faced in the food industry. Liv emphasises the significance of working for brands...

Today's guest is the wonderful Holly Barnes - partnership manager at BlendSmiths . She shares her journey and insights into the world of artisanal hot drinks. The conversation explores the origins of BlendSmiths, the importance of quality ingredients, and the role of partnerships in building a successful brand. Holly discusses the challenges faced in the industry, the significance of hospitali...

Today's guest is Ian Wilkinson Sales Director at the powerhouse of a brand Hunter & Gather . They focus on providing real foods with clean ingredients in a world full of UPF's. In the last 12 months, the business has flown from £6.5 million to £11.1 million and with 80% of that coming from online and D2C sales! In this conversation we talk about the importance of building a community a...

Today's guest is the wonderful Sophie Hall - Operations + Product Manager at Spoon Cereals . Operations is rarely given the spotlight it deserves despite it being the backbone of a business. You can't grow a brand if you can't get products from A to B and everything that's involved in making that happen! Brands need people as passionate about Ops like Sophie to help take care of th...

"Take yourself around the counter - if you have a problem or an issue, take that barrier out the way" Today's episode is with David Morrin , the Commercial Director at Whole Foods Wholesale Ireland, shares his extensive experience in the health food industry. He discusses the differences between the Irish and UK markets, the importance of building relationships with brands, and the evo...

Ever wondered what it's like to build a fantastic workplace from the inside out? This week, we're diving deep with Sarah Fairbairn, the Head of People at MOTH Drinks , and she's spilling all the secrets! Sarah shares her journey through various roles in HR, highlighting her experiences at Made.com, Moth Drinks and more. She discusses the challenges faced during the administration of Ma...

Today I speak to one of the most inspirational 26 year olds I have ever met! Lewis Alexander Baxter is the COO of Kurogo , a personal branding agency, and we discuss the importance of building a personal brand no matter whether you're an entrepreneur, or an employee. Lewis also opens up about his experiences with grief and mental health after losing his mother, emphasising the need for open co...

Today's guest is Mike Spurr , the R&D lead at The Good Pulse Co. A company specialising in plant-based cheese made from split peas. Mike shares his journey from nearly 20 years at PepsiCo to the startup world, discussing the challenges and innovations in food science The conversation delves into the importance of communication, curiosity, and the lessons learned from both successes and fai...

Life's heavy enough... Your beer doesn't have to be! Today's guest is Luke Chadwick - On Trade Manager at Local Beer Local are on a mission to lighten up the beer industry with their award-winning, lower-calorie, floaty session pale ale Luke made the move from banking to beer, stepping away from the corporate life at Santander and diving head first into the drink space. He is SUPER pas...

Dean Wilson Hartles is the Director of Food & Drink Concessions at The Restaurant Group (TRG) and has been there for 11 years now. In this conversation I loved digging in to how Dean fell into the world of cheffing by accident as a teenager just over some inspiring conversations with the chefs on his break. How he worked his way up in the industry in various kitchens, working under the incredi...

Today's guest is the wonderful ray of sunshine Lydia Granger - Content Marketing Manager at BOL Foods . We are huge fans of the BOL range at home, from their soups and meal pots, to their new power shakes set to do big things in 2025. Lydia went from studying art and language at University, into a few internships in design agencies. From here she ended up in the world of FMCG and has been with...

Today's guest is a biggie! ⁠Tom Forsythe⁠ was one of the brilliant people behind Sainsbury's Future Brands program, a pioneering program designed to help challenger brands thrive in retail. He's now back in the world of challenger brands as the Managing Director at ⁠Good & Proper Tea⁠ along with founder and wife ⁠Emilie Holmes⁠ . In this conversation we dig into: - Tom's early...

Today's guest is Jorge Longman - National Account Controller at the gut-health superstars Bio & Me . I met Jorge at a YF course for category management last year and I KNEW I had to get him on. He's a man who know's his stuff, and this conversation is rich with insights and tangible lessons for anyone working in the world of retail. We dive into: His first sales role at American To...

Rosie Long is an FMCG superstar, with incredible experience in brands like Tea Pigs, Indie Bay and more. She's now the Managing Director at Blue Turaco Coffee - But what makes their coffee so special? Well POWERFUL COFFEE = POWERFUL IMPACT Blue Turaco is the first coffee brand in the UK that is owned by an African farmer - Wycliffe Sande . We discuss his story of being a farmer & founder a...

Happy New Year! Today's guest is the charming Sam Johnstone - Commercial Manager at Living Things Soda . In this episode we discuss fractional working, what that means, the pro's and cons and way's of making it work. His time working for a number of amazing challenger brands like Minor Figures, Hunter & Gather, Eleat, Saved and more. Why he's now gone back to working full time...

This podcast was recorded on Jessamy’s last day as Country Manager at Karma Drinks - and it’s a beauty! Jess is such a powerhouse in the FMCG world and she does it all with a smile. We discuss her time at Popchips , working under our previous guest Ruth Fittock and what that whole experience was like. Working her way up at Karma drinks across a 5 year career all the way to Country Manager. Freelan...

How do you get people OBSESSED by beans? Well that's exactly what Bold Bean have done! Today I am joined with Martha Jensen , the amazing Brand Manager at Bold Bean Co. Unless you've been living under a rock, you have probably seen and heard all about them, with many celebrity admirers like Jordan North, Ottolenghi, Nigella and Tim Spector. We dig into how they've built such an amazing...

Today I am joined by OOH National Account Manager Tash , from DASH (The fact it rhymes is not lost on her don't worry!) DASH have developed a delicious range of sparkling waters, infused with wonky fruit and no sugar, sweeteners or calories. In this conversation we dig into what it's like to take on the big players in the soft drink space head on. Tash's time working at some other amaz...

Today I am joined by the delightful ⁠India Rawlin⁠ - Brand Manager at ⁠TrueStart Coffee⁠ . India's career path is fascinating - travelling the world to places like India, Mozambique, Argentina and New Zealand whilst working in a number of different businesses along the way. The stories and lessons she's picked up along the way have so much value, and add to the impact she's now providi...