No fluff. No BS. Just the truth about what actually works in food marketing.

In this debut episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, host Kate Williams and the KW Marketing team are flipping the script on what you think grows a food brand.

From why social media won’t drive direct sales (yep, we said it), to why email marketing is STILL one of the top revenue drivers in 2025 - we’re calling out the myths and sharing the real strategies that scale food & drink businesses online.

You’ll hear:

• Why funnels are everything (and how to get yours working fast)
• The truth about influencer marketing (spoiler: it’s broken)
• Why you need to understand your return on ad spend and where to spend
• What Gen Z is really doing online (hint: they’re not scrolling Instagram)
• And why data is your best friend when it comes to growth

Plus, we share our “why” - why we started this podcast, why we’re obsessed with scaling food brands, and why this is the no-fluff marketing advice you’ve been craving.

If you’re serious about growing your food & drink brand... this is where it starts!

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Need help with marketing? Book a Strategy Call with Kate

Subscribe, share, and leave us a review if this episode made you rethink your strategy and tag us @kwmarketinguk to join the conversation.

What does it really take to grow a food brand from scratch and challenge the big players on shelf?

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, we’re joined by Cathy Moseley, founder of Boundless Activated Snacks - a brand that’s tearing up the rulebook on what healthy snacking can look like.

From walking away from a city job to landing listings in Tesco and Waitrose, Cathy’s story is not your typical founder tale. We go deep into the highs, the failures, the learnings, and the bold moves that helped Boundless stand out in a saturated market.

You’ll hear:

• Why challenger brands have to do things differently
• The real story behind Boundless’ failed first attempt at Ocado
• How to understand who your audience really is (and why it’s rarely who you first think)
• Why functional snacking is the future – and how to cut through the noise
• The truth about failure, gut instinct, and why “real” content performs best

This episode is bold, honest, and packed with founder gold.

Whether you’re building your own brand or leveling up your strategy... this one’s for you.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Need help with marketing? Book a Strategy Call with Kate

Subscribe, share, and leave us a review if this episode inspired you, and tag us @kwmarketinguk to join the conversation.

What does it really take to grow a food brand through content in 2025? No fluff. No filters. Just real strategy that works.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Hannah Wilding, the powerhouse behind Bold Bean Co’s killer content strategy. From scaling the brand to 115K+ followers to landing collabs with Jamie Oliver and Tim Spector, Hannah’s approach is proof that content can drive real growth... if you do it right.

Here’s what we cover:

• How Bold Bean built a content machine and what’s fuelling it now
• Instagram vs TikTok vs Email - what’s working now (and what flopped)
• How to turn social followers into customers and email subscribers
• The Bold Bean campaigns that actually moved the needle
• The truth about creators, trends, and what brands often get wrong

If you’re stuck on what to post, tired of chasing engagement, or want your content to actually sell your product – this episode is your permission slip to shake things up.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Follow Bold Bean Co on Instagram: @boldbeanco
• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Want help with your content strategy? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Or join the Food Marketing Club for weekly support, trend updates & content prompts

Subscribe, share, and tag us @kwmarketinguk if this episode gave you a content breakthrough – we love seeing how you’re fuelling your brand growth.

No fluff. No filters. Just the truth about how email can actually drive revenue for your food brand.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, host Kate Williams teams up with Laura and Phoebe from the KW Marketing team to break down what it really takes to make email marketing work.

Forget the outdated advice and overhyped tactics, we’re diving deep into the proven strategies that consistently drive sales for food & drink brands, even when social media isn’t delivering.

Here’s what we cover:

• The money-making email flows you NEED: Welcome sequences, abandoned cart, and post-purchase emails that actually convert.
• How to build a list that buys: Practical tips for pop-ups, checkout opt-ins, and lead magnets that grow a high-quality, engaged list.
• Subject lines, segmentation & CTAs: Quick hacks to boost open rates and click-throughs without spamming your audience.
• Why list quality beats size every time: The real reason you need to clean up your database.
• How to make your email channel a reliable, scalable revenue stream: Even when algorithms and ad costs change.

If your email marketing feels stale or isn’t converting, this episode is your wake-up call. We’ll show you how to build a strategy that gets results and keeps customers coming back for more.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Ready to level up? Join the Food Marketing Club for more email strategies and support.
• Need help with marketing? Book a Strategy Call with Kate

Subscribe, share, and leave us a review if this episode made you rethink your strategy and tag us @kwmarketinguk to join the conversation.

Still stuck posting every day with zero sales to show for it? You’re not alone.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate is joined by KW Marketing’s own Phoebe and Laura to bust the biggest myths we keep hearing about social media.

From “just post more” to “engagement is everything,” it’s time for a reality check. Because while the game has changed, most food & drink brands are still stuck playing by the old rules.

Here’s what we get into:

• Why chasing trends without a strategy won’t get you anywhere
• The myth of daily posting (and why it’s burning you out)
• What is working right now for growth and conversions
• How to structure a content week that doesn’t feel like a full-time job
• Real wins and fails from our own client campaigns
• The difference between community and just chasing likes
• Why social needs to start acting like a sales funnel

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just unsure what the hell to post next – this one’s for you. Real talk, no fluff, and a big dose of truth about what actually moves the needle in 2025.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Join the Food Marketing Club for weekly strategy prompts & content planning support
• Want help with your content strategy? Book a Strategy Call with Kate

Loved this episode? Subscribe, share it with a fellow founder, and tag us @kwmarketinguk, we love seeing how you’re fuelling your brand.

Would you turn down Steven Bartlett after landing a deal on Dragons’ Den? That’s exactly what Will Little from Little’s Coffee did.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Will to share the unfiltered, behind-the-scenes story of growing Little’s Coffee from a family-run Devon roastery into a £4.75M+ retail and D2C success story.

From navigating TV exposure to breaking through growth plateaus, Will shares the wins, the mistakes, and the honest truths of scaling a food & drink brand in today’s world.

What we cover:

• How Little’s Coffee started and what it’s like running a family business
• The Dragons’ Den story: why Will said yes on camera but walked away from the deal
• The breakthrough that helped smash through the £4M plateau
• Why D2C growth is now a priority and how they’re making it profitable
• The channels that are actually working (yes, email marketing still wins)
• The role of founder-led content and community building
• The biggest myths about scaling and the honest lessons Will has learned

This episode is for founders feeling stuck, marketers navigating D2C vs. retail, or anyone wondering what it really takes to build a brand that lasts.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Follow Little’s Coffee on Instagram: @wearelittles
• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Need help growing your brand? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Or join the Food Marketing Club for weekly marketing support, trend updates, and content prompts

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and share it with a fellow founder. Tag us @kwmarketinguk – we love seeing how you’re fuelling your brand growth.

What if local could be the reason your customers keep coming back?

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Tom from Greendale, a family-run Devon farm shop that’s proving just how powerful community-led marketing can be.

From launching their own Love Local Festival to turning sourcing stories into brand loyalty, Greendale has built more than just a food business - they’ve built trust, connection, and a fiercely loyal customer base.

What we cover:

• The Greendale origin story and how the brand has grown
• Why local sourcing still matters (and how to make it resonate)
• Behind the scenes of the Love Local Festival and what it achieved
• How community-first marketing drives loyalty and repeat sales
• The balance between digital growth and storytelling
• Tom’s practical advice for brands wanting to go ‘local first’ in 2025

Whether you’re a founder thinking about how to deepen loyalty, or a marketer exploring ways to connect beyond the product, this one’s full of practical ideas and real talk.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Follow Greendale on Instagram: @greendalefarmshop
• Visit www.greendale.com
• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Want ongoing marketing support? Join the Food Marketing Club
• Ready to scale? Book a Strategy Call with Kate

Enjoyed the episode? Hit subscribe and share it with a fellow founder. Tag us @kwmarketinguk - we love seeing how you're fuelling your brand growth.

Paid ads! Love them or loathe them, they’re still one of the fastest ways to grow your food brand... but only if you do them right.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate is joined by Laura and Phoebe to cut through the noise and share the paid social strategies that are really working in 2025. From common mistakes to winning formulas and budget hacks, this is the no-fluff guide you need before diving into Meta ads.

Here’s what we cover:

• The mistakes food brands make that waste budget (spending too much too fast, ignoring creative testing, skipping retargeting)
• Why UGC-style ads and “real” content are beating polished campaigns every time
• The minimum spend you need to see results — and when it’s time to scale
• The lever strategy for Q4: how to go all in when your ads are working
• Why your email list might just be your most powerful paid ads tool
• The best formats to test (stories, reels, carousels) and how to stop Meta auto-generating ugly versions of your creatives

If you’ve been burning money on Meta ads or aren’t sure where to start, this episode will give you clarity, confidence, and a few “aha!” moments to fuel your next campaign.

• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Want help with your ad strategy? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Join the Food Marketing Club for weekly support, trend updates & content prompts

If this episode gave you an aha moment about your paid ads, hit subscribe and tag us @kwmarketinguk – we love seeing how you’re fuelling your growth!

Q4 can make or break a brand, and for The Cornish Cheese Co, it was the turning point.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Ben Stansfield, who has just gone all in on running the business full-time after their most successful Christmas yet.

Here’s what we cover:

• The Q4 campaign that turned handmade cheese into record-breaking sales
• How email & Meta ads worked together to fuel growth
• What it takes to scale when every product is still made by hand
• The mindset shift of going full-time in the business
• Why balancing brand values with growth has been key to success
• Ben’s biggest surprise lesson from Q4 2024 and how it’s shaping his 2025 strategy

If you’re sitting on the edge of your next big move, this episode will give you the clarity and motivation to go all in.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook – How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Want tailored support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Join the Food Marketing Club for weekly support, trend updates & content prompts

If this episode resonated, hit subscribe and tag us @kwmarketinguk - we love seeing how you’re fuelling your growth.

Q4 is here, and it can make or break your year.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate, Laura, and Phoebe unpack the real tactics we’re using with food & drink brands right now to drive Christmas sales, protect margins, and finish 2025 strong. From planning last delivery dates to building bundles, structuring ads that convert, and levelling up email and website performance - this is your no-fluff Q4 playbook.

Here’s what we cover:

• How to plan your Q4 strategy from your last delivery date
• The offers that actually work: bundles, free delivery, and gifting ideas
• Website fixes to increase conversion rate and AOV
• How to structure ads for discovery → consideration → conversion
• Why email and automations should underpin everything
• Creating hype through VIP-first launches and early access campaigns
• Standing out in a crowded feed (authentic storytelling + brand tone)
• Black Friday vs. Green Friday: how to stay profitable and on-brand
• What to measure daily: revenue first, list growth second

If you’re feeling behind, this episode will help you make confident, data-backed decisions to end the year on a high.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook – How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Want tailored support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Join the Food Marketing Club for weekly support, resources & live training

If this episode helped you prep for your biggest quarter yet, hit subscribe, leave a review, and tag @kwmarketinguk - we love seeing how you’re fuelling your Q4 growth 🎄

Mission isn’t just a buzzword - it’s the backbone of great marketing.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Amy from Hunter & Gather about building a purpose-led brand that drives genuine community and commercial results.

Here’s what we cover:

• The Hunter & Gather story: from education-first platform to avocado mayo & oil, and a cross-category range
• How to turn values into packaging, storytelling, and campaigns that convert
• The commercial power of purpose: loyalty, community, and margin upsides
• Community in action: the Hunter & Gather “Tribe” shaping products and advocacy
• Scaling authentically: team of 30, quarterly self-reflection, and navigating investment
• Omnichannel done right: website, Amazon, Tesco, Holland & Barrett, Boots
• Hot take: the challenger campaign that pulled millions of views (and a cease & desist)

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn “purpose” into a true growth driver, this conversation is a must-listen.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Learn more about Hunter & Gather
• Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly support hub for growing your food brand with purpose
• Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Follow @kwmarketinguk for more food & drink marketing tips

If this episode inspired you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow founder - we love seeing how you’re fuelling your growth 🔥

Scaling can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to drain your budget.

In this team episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate, Laura and Phoebe break down how food & drink brands can scale smart when cash is tight. From lo-fi content that outperforms polish to ads that convert on small budgets and email as the highest-ROI channel, this is a no-fluff guide to scaling sustainably.

Here’s what we cover:

• Why costs (CPC, CPL, CAC) are rising and how to prioritise spend wisely
• Real content that converts: UGC, behind-the-scenes, and factory tours
• Why you should never turn off marketing - only optimise it
• How to run ads that don’t blow the budget (start small → test → scale)
• Why boosting posts aren't the same as ads
• Email as your growth engine: pop-ups, competitions, and VIP segmentation
• Design hacks for higher deliverability (build for images-off, clear CTAs)
• How to plan your scaling strategy (forecast back, keep it simple)
• Why your DTC growth fuels wholesale + retail wins

If you’re scaling on a shoestring, this episode gives you a clear, no-fluff roadmap to keep momentum without overspending.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Want tailored support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Join the Food Marketing Club for weekly support, resources & live training

If this episode resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and tag @kwmarketinguk - we love seeing how you’re fuelling your growth 🔥

From cocktails mixed by the sea to navigating the highs and lows of scaling, Tim & Ria’s story is proof that you don’t need all the answers to grow a brand with heart.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Tim and Ria, co-founders of Bar Buoy Cocktails, proudly crafted on the Devon coast. We dig into provenance, quality, seasonality, and the reality of learning as you go when building a drinks brand.

Here’s what we cover:

• The spark behind Bar Buoy and why it all started with Margarita Fridays!
• How provenance, quality ingredients, and the South West coast shape their brand
• The realities of growth - from bottling in their kitchen to scaling production and launching cans
• Why seasonality impacts everything (and why Q4 prep always feels like a sprint)
• The biggest lessons they’d share with other founders still figuring things out

If you’ve ever felt like you’re building a food or drink brand without a polished playbook, this conversation will resonate. Tim & Ria show that values, persistence, and learning on the job can be just as powerful as strategy.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Explore Bar Buoy Cocktails and follow their journey @bar_buoy
• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook – How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Want tailored support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Join the Food Marketing Club for weekly support, resources & live training

If this episode resonated, hit subscribe, leave a review, and tag @kwmarketinguk – we love seeing how you’re fuelling your growth!

Taking on the giants of big food isn’t easy… but that’s exactly what Paul Brown did.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Paul Brown, founder of BOL Foods, to unpack how he turned bold decisions into one of the most exciting growth stories in food & drink.

Here’s what we cover:

1. The BOL origin story - where it all started, the mission behind the brand, and the pivotal moment that led to going fully plant-based
2. Repositioning the brand overnight - the decision to remove all meat, fish, and dairy, how the team responded, and why bold moves matter
3. Scaling with values intact - growing fast without losing authenticity, becoming an “energised lifestyle brand,” and keeping purpose and profitability aligned
4. The rise of Power Shakes - spotting the nutritionally complete meal trend early and building a category-leading range
5. Disrupting big food - why BOL is still growing while the wider plant-based category declines, and what other brands are getting wrong
6. UPFs & consumer trust - Paul’s stance on ultra-processed foods and how BOL balances convenience with clean, whole ingredients
7. Hot takes from the founder’s seat - the moments where risk turned into game-changing reward, and what every founder can learn from them

If you’re building a food & drink brand that wants to innovate, stand out, and scale with integrity… this episode is one you’ll want to take notes on.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

1. Learn more about BOL Foods
2. Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly hub for digital marketing strategies, templates, and support
3. Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
4. Follow @kwmarketinguk for food & drink marketing insights, email tips & digital strategy

If this episode inspired you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow founder - it helps us fuel even more foodies 🔥

TikTok isn’t about going viral anymore... it’s about creating content that sells.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Laura and Phoebe to break down the TikTok Formula that food & drink brands are using right now to build reach, community, and revenue.

Here’s what we cover:

• Why TikTok still wins for food brands: discovery, community, authenticity, and why follower growth no longer matters
• The winning content formula (HOOK → VALUE → PROOF → CTA) and how to structure videos that actually convert
• Entertainment Score: why entertaining content generates 4.5x more reach and outperforms traditional product push videos
• What to post (and how often) without burning out - from lo-fi content to batching, content pillars, and keyword-first captions
• Hashtags are dead: how TikTok’s search-first algorithm actually works in 2025 & beyond
• Turning views into revenue: TikTok Shop, linking strategies, pixels, and creator partnerships that drive 3x more views
• Our hot takes: real campaigns from real food brands that generated actual sales (not just likes)

If you’ve been trying to figure out why your TikTok isn’t converting or how to use it to grow your food brand... this episode is a must-listen!

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly hub for TikTok strategies, templates, and content ideas
• Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Follow @kwmarketinguk for TikTok, content and food & drink marketing tips

If this episode inspired you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow founder - we love seeing how you’re fuelling your growth 🔥

January is loud. Predictions. Hot takes. New “rules” every week.

But heading into 2026, what we’re seeing across food & drink brands isn’t noise - it’s pressure.

Pressure to grow. Pressure to be everywhere. Pressure from founders who’ve done the “right” things… and still aren’t seeing the results.

So in this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, we're cutting through the chaos to share what we see first-hand inside real food & drink businesses - what’s actually working now, what’s quietly stopped working, and how smart brands are building stronger foundations for 2026 and beyond.

This is a no-fluff Marketing Mastery episode focused on quality growth, not loud growth.

1. Why paid ads are no longer a safety net in 2026, and what food brands need in place before spending a pound
2. The shift from loud growth to quality growth, and why traffic, reach, and virality don’t equal profit
3. How email marketing becomes your strongest revenue channel through retention, lifetime value, and post-purchase journeys
4. Why trust is now a performance metric, not a brand “nice to have”
5. What trust looks like in practice: founder-led content, organic social, stories, and smarter influencer use

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by platforms, trends, and advice, and want clarity on where to focus your energy in 2026, this is the episode for you.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

1. Read our 2026 Marketing Trends blog!
2. Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly hub for TikTok strategies, templates, and content ideas
3. Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
4. Follow @kwmarketinguk for TikTok, content, and food & drink marketing tips

If this episode inspired you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow founder - we love seeing how you’re fuelling your growth 🔥

Launching a new product is risky, especially in snacking.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Louise, Founder of Popcorn Kitchen, to unpack the real story behind the launch of Crunch Corn - from spotting white space in the savoury snacking market to building momentum in Q1 and beyond.

This is a founder-level conversation about innovation, timing, and what actually matters when you’re expanding into a new category, without losing what made your brand successful in the first place.

Here’s what we cover:

1. How a trip to Seville inspired Crunch Corn, and why big, bold, savoury snacks were the opportunity.
2. Entering a new snacking category when your brand is known for gifting and sweet popcorn.
3. Consumer insight over hype: why size, crunch and flavour clarity mattered more than trends.
4. Early launch feedback from farm shops, pubs and DTC, and what surprised Louise most
5. Retail vs DTC strategy and how Popcorn Kitchen approached distribution
6. The power of tastings, real-time feedback, and learning fast
7. Hot take: why most brands launch new products at the wrong time

If you’re a food & drink founder planning a launch, expanding your range, or thinking about how to grow beyond your core bestseller, this episode is packed with honest insight and real-world lessons.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

1. Follow @popcornkitchen and explore Crunch Corn
2. Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly hub for digital marketing strategies, templates, and support
3. Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
4. Follow @kwmarketinguk for food & drink marketing insights, email tips & digital strategy

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a founder who’s planning a product launch this year 🔥

Non-alcoholic wine is one of the fastest-growing categories in food & drink, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies, Kate sits down with Fiona & Alex, founders of Vino Zero, to unpack what’s really happening inside the non-alc wine space, from quality and consumer scepticism to explosive category growth and bold founder decisions.

From landing their first four pallets to supplying major hospitality venues and high-profile events, this is the inside story of building credibility in a rapidly evolving market.

Here’s what we cover:

1. The real reason non-alcoholic wine is booming (and why it’s not a fad)
2. Taste, trust & winning over sceptical consumers
3. The quality shift: what changed?
4. Building a multi-channel business across wholesale, trade & e-commerce.
5. Founder lessons: fast decisions, long-distance partnership & scaling in a new category
6. Our hot take: Will non-alcoholic outperform traditional alcohol in 2026?

If you’re building in a fast-growth category, navigating consumer behaviour shifts, or watching the rise of the sober-curious movement… this episode is essential listening.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

1. Follow @vinozerouk and explore their non-alcoholic wines.
2. Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly hub for digital marketing strategies, templates, and support
3. Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
4. Follow @kwmarketinguk for food & drink marketing insights, email tips & digital strategy

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a founder who’s planning a product launch this year 🔥

Email has been declared “dead” more times than we can count. But inside strong eCommerce food & drink brands? It’s still driving 25-40% of total revenue, and often the highest margin revenue too.

In Episode 19 of Fuelling Foodies, we go deep into what’s actually converting in 2026 and why email remains the most controllable, profitable channel you own.

Here’s what we cover:

1. Why “email is dead” is one of the most damaging myths in eCommerce
2. Owned audience vs rented audience (and why it matters more than ever)
3. The 30% Revenue Rule - what to fix if you’re not hitting it
4. The highest-converting flows: Welcome, Abandoned Cart & the most overlooked revenue driver…
5. Why repeat customers spend 65–70% more than new customers
6. Automation vs broadcasting (and how to use both properly)
7. Strategic list growth: giveaways, downloadable assets & capture-first thinking

We’ll show you how to build an email marketing strategy that increases revenue, improves retention, and turns first-time buyers into repeat customers.

Because if email isn’t driving 30%+ of your revenue, it’s not built properly.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

1. Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
2. Ready to level up? Join the Food Marketing Club for more email strategies and support.
3. Need help with marketing? Book a Strategy Call with Kate

Subscribe, share, and leave us a review if this episode made you rethink your strategy and tag us @kwmarketinguk to join the conversation.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food & Drink Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Harriet, Co-Founder and Marketing Director of Penrhos Spirits - a beautifully British farm-led gin brand turning wonky fruit into premium spirits.

What started as a farming problem, £30,000 worth of unsellable strawberries, became the foundation for a challenger gin brand now stocked nationally in Sainsbury’s, sold across Amazon and travel retail, and recognised for its pioneering recycled aluminium packaging.

Harriet shares the honest story behind building a spirits brand from a family farm in Herefordshire, navigating one of the most competitive categories in food and drink, and the reality of scaling when your product suddenly lands on 400 supermarket shelves.

We spoke about:

1. The Penrhos origin story - how a surplus of fruit sparked the idea for a gin brand
2. Why provenance, transparency and “price with justification” matter more than ever
3. Standing out in the crowded gin category
4. What really happens after landing a national retail listing
5. The moment Penrhos aired its first Sky TV advert (and what it did for sales)
6. Community-led marketing: farm tours, “Sip & Walk” experiences and founder storytelling
7. The realities of scaling a family business - from big wins to “can we actually sustain this?” moments
8. Why collaborations, partnerships and email marketing are powerful growth levers for challenger brands

If you're building a food or drink brand right now, particularly in a competitive category, this episode is packed with real founder insight on how to grow while staying true to your brand!

LINKS & RESOURCES:

1. Follow @penrhosspirits and explore their premium spirits.
2. Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly hub for digital marketing strategies, templates, and support
3. Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
4. Follow @kwmarketinguk for food & drink marketing insights, email tips & digital strategy

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow founder building their brand — we love seeing how you're fuelling your growth 🔥

Brands don’t stall in Q4. They stall in Q2… and only realise it later.

While many food & drink brands wait until peak season to scale, smart brands use Q2 to build the foundations that drive predictable growth later in the year.

In Episode 21 of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, we break down what food & drink brands should actually be focusing on between April and June - what to test, where to invest, and what to stop wasting money on before Q4 arrives.

Because when peak season hits, it’s too late to fix your foundations.

Here’s what we cover:

• Why Q2 is the most important growth window for food & drink brands
• Why creative is now the biggest performance driver (not targeting)
• How bundles can increase AOV by 15–30%
• Why selling occasions converts better than selling products
• The biggest wasted spend we’re seeing right now
• Why acquiring new customers in Q4 is often the wrong strategy
• Why testing now leads to stronger Q4 performance

This episode is especially useful for food & drink brands doing £20K–£100K per month who want more predictable, profitable growth heading into peak season.

If you're planning for Q4, this episode is your Q2 roadmap.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Buy your #FUELLIVE tickets here!
• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Ready to level up? Join the Food Marketing Club for more email strategies and support.
• Need help with marketing? Book a Strategy Call with Kate

Subscribe, share, and leave us a review if this episode made you rethink your strategy and tag us @kwmarketinguk to join the conversation.

Most premium drinks brands don’t fail because of the product… they fail because they can’t stand out.

And in a category like gin, where every bottle looks beautiful on the shelf, that’s a serious challenge.

In Episode 22 of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Howard Davies, Co-Founder of Salcombe Gin, to unpack how the brand became one of the UK’s most recognisable premium coastal spirits brands.

From market positioning and storytelling to loyalty, experiences and luxury branding, this episode explores what it actually takes to build a premium drinks brand people remember, emotionally connect with, and buy into long term.

Because premium brands don’t just sell products. They sell a world people want to be part of.

Here’s what we cover:

• How Salcombe Gin was built from a shared love of sailing, spirits and the Devon coast
• The importance of storytelling in saturated categories
• How packaging, design and detail shape perception
• Why emotional connection drives long-term loyalty
• Creating a lifestyle brand instead of just selling a product
• Scaling without diluting brand identity
• Partnerships, collaborations and experiential marketing
• The future of the premium gin category

This episode is especially valuable for premium food & drink brands looking to stand out in crowded markets, strengthen brand positioning, and create deeper customer loyalty.

If you’re building a premium brand, this episode will change the way you think about storytelling, experience and growth.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Follow @salcombegin and explore their luxurious spirits.
• Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly hub for digital marketing strategies, templates, and support
• Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Follow @kwmarketinguk for food & drink marketing insights, email tips & digital strategy

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow founder building their brand — we love seeing how you're fuelling your growth 🔥

Scaling a premium food brand sounds exciting… until you actually have to do it.

Because growth often brings pressure. More volume. More demand. More complexity. And with that comes the risk of losing the very thing that made customers fall in love with your product in the first place.

In Episode 24 of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Amanda Ringelberg, CEO of Granny Gothards, the award-winning luxury ice cream brand built on craftsmanship, provenance and doing things properly.

Over the last 14 years, Amanda has grown Granny Gothards from a small artisan producer into a nationally recognised premium brand, whilst staying true to the quality, people and values that sit at the heart of the business.

Together they discuss:

• How to scale an artisan food brand without compromising quality
• Why premium brands need to communicate value before customers buy
• The power of getting your product into the right hands
• What founders often misunderstand about premium positioning
• Managing growth whilst protecting brand identity
• Understanding who your ideal customer really is
• Why your team becomes your greatest asset as you scale
• Amanda's biggest lessons from 14 years of building a successful food brand

Whether you're building a challenger brand, scaling an established business, or trying to position your products more effectively, this episode is packed with practical insights from a founder who's done it for over a decade.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Follow @granny_gothards and explore their luxury ice creams.
• Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly hub for digital marketing strategies, templates, and support
• Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Follow @kwmarketinguk for food & drink marketing insights, email tips & digital strategy

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow founder building their brand - we love seeing how you're fuelling your growth 🔥

Most food & drink brands don't have an influencer marketing strategy.

They have a gifting list.

Free product gets sent out. A few stories get posted. Everyone feels busy.

But sales? Not so much.

In Episode 23 of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, we unpack what influencer marketing actually looks like in 2026, and why so many brands are still getting it wrong.

Because influencer marketing isn't dead. But blindly sending product and hoping for results definitely is.

From choosing the right creators and understanding the difference between UGC and influencer content, to tracking performance properly and turning visibility into revenue, this episode breaks down the practical reality of influencer marketing for modern food & drink brands.

Plus, the team debates whether influencer campaigns should be judged on direct sales, why micro-creators continue to outperform expectations, and why different generations buy in completely different ways.

Here’s what we cover:

• Why influencer marketing still works in 2026
• The biggest mistakes food & drink brands make
• How to choose the right creators for your brand
• Micro vs macro influencers
• Why UGC and influencer content aren't the same thing
• How to track influencer performance properly
• How to brief influencers effectively
• Building long-term creator relationships
• How to repurpose influencer content into paid ads

Whether you're spending £100 or £10,000 on influencer activity, this episode will help you approach it with far more clarity, confidence, and commercial focus.

Because the goal isn't more influencers.

It's better marketing.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Download our free guide: The Email Playbook - How one food & drink brand made £56.7K in email sales (with no extra ad spend!)
• Ready to level up? Join the Food Marketing Club for more email strategies and support.
• Need help with marketing? Book a Strategy Call with Kate

Subscribe, share, and leave us a review if this episode made you rethink your strategy and tag us @kwmarketinguk to join the conversation.