Explore every episode of the podcast Building the Brands of Tomorrow

"In my opinion, what makes a brand of tomorrow? Founders, all the way."

In this week’s episode we go inside Ocado's accelerator for early-stage food & drink- Ocado Roots with Genevieve Fitch.

This is a practical, honest conversation about what it actually takes to grow on one of the UK's most data-rich platforms.

What we cover:

• What Ocado Roots is, who it's for, and why Ocado built it
• Why their most loyal, highest-spending customers are the ones putting challenger brands in their baskets
• What buyers are actually looking for - and the pitch mistake that kills most conversations before they start
• The Ocado growth toolkit: what new brands should be doing in their first six months on shelf
• The Buy Women Built and Gen M partnerships - and what Ocado is doing to drive visibility for underrepresented founders
• What long-term brand potential actually looks like from a retailer's perspective

If you're building a food or drink brand and thinking about UK retail, or you work with brands who are, this one's for you.

"You don't know you've got resilience until you go through it."

Toby Hoppy co-founded All Things Dairy with chef and content creator Tom Straker, building a brand that started with a viral butter video and has since grown into one of the most talked-about challenger brands in UK grocery.

This is a conversation about what growth actually looks like when it's faster than you planned for...

We cover:

• Why Toby knew nothing about dairy when he started - and why that turned out to be a superpower
• How a chef with 500 followers and a lockdown experiment became the foundation for a multi-SKU grocery brand
• The cottage cheese launch and what happens when you're 4x your own forecast
• Building a creator-led marketing engine with zero paid social
• Why 60% of their customers in Sainsbury's are under 45, and what that means for category growth
• The equity creator model: how they turned creators into genuine brand partners
• The US plan: butter first, New York restaurant next, and why cottage cheese isn't crossing the Atlantic yet
• Where All Things Dairy goes next and why naivety is still a superpower

If you're building in food and drink, obsessing over growth strategy, or just want to understand what a genuinely modern FMCG brand looks like from the inside - this one's for you.

"When we were bootstrapping and I was comparing myself to founders who'd raised a million before they'd put a product on shelf - there's no comparison. It's not like for like. Make your own path and enjoy it."

Sarah Vachon, founder of Citizens of Soil, joins us for a conversation that covers a lot of ground - from commodity supply chains and regenerative agriculture to physical brand activations, D2C challenges, and building a business without compromising on values.

What we cover:

• How a Greek family, a love of Spain, and a background in sustainability led Sarah to found Citizens of Soil
• Why most olive oil on supermarket shelves is a shadow of what it should be - and what the commodity system has to do with it
• The Olive Oil Club: how a simple subscription evolved into a discovery-led community model
• The Olive Oil Clubhouse pop-up - what worked, what didn't, and why she'd do it again
• Why harvest date matters more than best before date
• The realities of D2C in 2026
• How climate events are directly hitting her producers, and the importance of resilience
• Taking impact investment seriously

If you've ever picked up a bottle of olive oil in a supermarket without thinking twice, this episode will change that.

“A good idea is worth more than a big budget.”

What happens when you stop trying to drink less… and instead build something you can drink more of?

In this episode, Ruth speaks to Tom Benn, founder of Future Chateau - a 5% wine designed for midweek rituals, not just Friday nights.

After six years as “Deputy Squirrel” at Pip & Nut and early experience at Vita Coco, Tom spent five years developing a lower-alcohol wine that isn’t a compromise, it’s grown to be less alcoholic from the start.

They explore:

• Why early-stage brands need emotional clarity, not big budgets
• The myth that low/no should cost less
• How poor innovation damages entire categories
• The emotional stakes of founding your own brand
• Why Slack might be killing productivity
• The overlooked audience driving the mid-strength wine category
• Rebranding in response to real customer insight
• Modern luxury as “freedom without consequence”
• Why earned attention is the only sustainable growth strategy

About Future Chateau

Future Chateau is a 5% wine brand built around permission — giving people the ability to say yes to wine on nights they’d usually say no.

Designed for midweek dinners, work drinks, and reopening cultural rituals without the nuclear hangover.

“You’ve got to be comfortable being uncomfortable.”

What does it take to build chocolate differently?

In this episode, Ruth speaks to Wilf Marriott, Founder & CEO of Islands Chocolate - a vertically integrated cocoa and chocolate brand working directly at source in St. Vincent and beyond.

From aspiring professional cricketer to cocoa farmer and founder, Will shares the mindset shift that took him from chasing leather balls to challenging the global chocolate supply chain.

They explore:

• Why discipline from sport translates into business resilience
• Why owning your supply chain changes everything
• The tension between ethics and price on the retail shelf
• Trade vs retail as growth levers
• Why margin equals risk in FMCG
• The power, and complexity, of building a family business
• Slow, sustainable growth vs chasing rapid scale
• Whether ethical supply chains can ever become the default

Islands Chocolate’s mission is simple but ambitious: bold taste, bold character - rooted in sustainable agriculture.

This is a conversation about doing things properly, even when it’s harder.

"PR at the heart. Think earned first. That's still how I think about campaigns."

How Method Disrupted the Most Boring Aisle in the Supermarket

Holly Rix is a fractional CMO who spent six years at Method/People Against Dirty, helping build one of FMCG's most iconic challenger brands from a standing start in Europe. In this episode we get into what made Method genuinely different - and what founders can steal from it today.

We cover:

• Why naivety and cultural fit beat experience on paper when building a challenger brand
• How Method made cleaning products something people actually wanted on their worktop
• The Method ‘Drag Cleans’ campaign - and why PR-first thinking still wins
• Wild Rhubarb: how one fragrance became a best seller and why it still is
• What founders get wrong about category creation
• Why great design alone is no longer enough

"The most successful founders i’ve worked with automatically get that they have to transform all day every day rather than just be, rather than just read, rather than just think’

Fiona Fitz is the powerhouse behind Brand Growth Heroes - a platform and program that’s quietly transforming how founders build CPG brands that scale.

In this episode, Fiona shares her journey from Nestlé’s corporate corridors to launching Gu in France, and the pivotal experiences that shaped her obsession with brand strategy, executional precision, and founder development.

We talk about:

• What made her leap from corporate to startup life
• Why brand strategy without execution is a dead end
• How her mini-MBA program helps founders avoid repeating the same mistakes
• The three traits that set top founders apart
• The underestimated power of great questions

It’s a rich, honest conversation about founder mindset, brand-building, and what it really takes to scale without losing your soul - or your sanity.

“We always said we’re building more than a salad bar. It’s food, yes, but also design, lifestyle, and technology. All four pillars matter."

In this episode Ruth sits down with Florian, co-founder of Salad Project, the fast-growing, design-led, lifestyle-driven salad bar chain that's redefining healthy fast food. From launching post-COVID in London to opening 11 stores (and counting), including an upcoming expansion into Paris, Florian shares how discipline, culture, creativity, and consistency are driving growth.

Plus: brand partnerships, hiring the right people, product obsession, and why personalization might just be the future of food.

What we cover:

• How launching post-COVID gave them a competitive edge
• The early mistakes that became vital lessons
• Why consistency (not genius ideas) drives food retail success
• Turning a salad bar into a lifestyle brand
• Internal processes for creative collabs
• Scaling pains
• Leading 350+ people while protecting culture
• Their approach to funding and disciplined profitability
• What's next: Paris expansion, product innovation, and more

“People always ask when we’re going into supermarkets. But that’s not our measure of success.”

Today I’m speaking with Nicola founder of Single Variety Co, a multi-award-winning jam brand that’s rewriting the rules of category-building.

From a passionfruit jam on holiday to running her own jam factory, Nicola has built Single Variety Co with no outside investment, no listings in the Big Four, and no salespeople for nearly a decade. In this episode, she shares how she grew her brand one market, one jar, and one loyal customer at a time.

We cover:

• Why she turned down the supermarkets (even when they came knocking)
• Bringing manufacturing back in-house — and what people misunderstand about it
• DTC growth without agencies or hype
• How becoming a mum made her better at business
• And what winning “Best Marmalade in the World” did for the brand

This one’s for anyone building a thoughtful, resilient brand - and wondering if slow and steady really does win.

“You overestimate what you can do in one year, and massively underestimate what you can do in ten.”

From marathon running to market stalls to becoming the UK’s number one peanut butter brand - Pip & Nut’s journey is anything but linear.

In this episode of the Tomorrow Brands podcast, Pip & Nut founder Pippa Murray reflects on the last 11 years of building a brand that now leads its category - without chasing hype, over-raising capital, or losing sight of purpose.

Pip shares the realities of landing a major supermarket listing early - and the cashflow panic, data gaps, and fast learning that followed.

We dig into the tougher middle years, and the patience required to build a low-frequency category. And why, a decade in, Pip & Nut is now growing faster than ever.

We also explore what changes, and what doesn’t when you go from challenger to category leader, how decision-making (not headcount) becomes the biggest blocker to speed, and why capital efficiency and control have shaped Pip & Nut’s definition of success.

Plus:

• Why culture is often forged in the hard years, not the good ones
• Lessons from failed innovation (and why snacking worked)
• Building impact into the business model, not bolting it on later
• What makes a true “brand of tomorrow”

A grounded, honest conversation about patience, purpose, and playing the long game.

“Sometimes you hit a wall. Our job is to figure out do we need a ladder, or do we need a hammer?”

What happens when a global brand exec swaps the boardroom at Belvedere for the startup chaos of a non-alcoholic challenger? Billy Paretti, Global CEO of Clean Co, joins us to talk about building movements (not trends), ditching the “more for more” mindset, and leading with taste, purpose, and a plan- even when the plan keeps changing.

We talk about:

• Why non-alc is not just for non-drinkers
• What big brands get wrong about scaling
• When structure helps - and when it holds you back
• Building desire without legacy
• British brand cues in the US
• Taking instinct seriously when you can’t afford a research agency

This one’s for: Founders, marketers, and commercial leads figuring out how to scale something new and make it stick.

​​"The best brands today don’t start with a category - they start with a person, a problem, and a solution that actually fits."

After a decade building campaigns for Fortune 500 brands like Coke and P&G, creative agency founder Ryan Kutscher traded the boardroom for the beer aisle - and co-founded Dad Strength, a mid-strength craft beer brand for a new generation of drinkers.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The problem no one was solving in the beer aisle
• Why mid-strength beer is more than a compromise
• The shift from broadcast brands to community-led ones
• Building a challenger brand from a very specific niche
• Why AC/DC is Ryan’s favourite marketing case study
• And what really happens when you go on Shark Tank

Whether you’re building in the better-for-you space, launching into retail, or thinking about a rebrand, there’s a lot to take from Ryan’s honest, funny and thoughtful take on modern brand building.

“If you try to make something everyone likes, you end up with something nobody loves.”

In this episode, I’m joined by lifelong friends and co-founders Dom and Jamie, the team behind Allora, the lemon-based aperitivo rewriting the rules of the spritz category. We dive into how decades of FMCG, creative, and brand strategy experience shaped their approach; why friendship has become their greatest strength (not their downfall); and how challenging category norms- from serves to pricing- has given them an unfair advantage.

We also explore:

• DTC done right in alcohol, and why the big players have missed it
• Building a “modern legacy brand” in a category dominated by 100-year-old giants
• What they’ve learned about patience, originality, and pressure as founders
• The realities of working with your best friend

Whether you’re building a brand, scaling a business, or obsessed with innovation in FMCG- this is a masterclass.

“Buzz doesn't equal sales. Scale comes when the product, the team and the partners line up.”

In this episode Ruth sits down with Mike Schneider, CMO and product lead at BevNET, the leading voice for emerging food and drink founders. From legacy lessons to cultural shifts, Mike shares what truly makes brands endure in 2026 - and what founders often get wrong when chasing buzz, backing or expansion.

Expect unfiltered takes on:

• Why simplicity always wins in CPG
• How to spot early signals of staying power
• The biggest mistakes UK brands make when they enter the US
• Why purpose is earned, not retrofitted
• The growing rise of cultural and community-led brands
• And what BevNET really looks for when spotlighting founders

Whether you’re a first-time founder, investor, or operator - this one’s packed with insight, energy, and humour (plus a few lessons learned the hard way).

"Don’t be afraid to go weird and niche. That’s where the magic is."

What will matter to consumers in 2026 - and how should brands respond?

In this future-facing episode, Anna Ward returns to share her latest thinking from Trend Bible’s just-released 2026 report. From redefining wellness and micro-celebrations to the rise of messy premium and fandom-led rituals, we explore what’s shaping the cultural and behavioural shifts ahead - and how FMCG brands can stay both relevant and resonant.

We get into:

• Why mindsets are more powerful than demographics
• The rise of inchstones and why we’re done with perfect milestones
• Premiumisation’s next chapter (spoiler: it’s chaotic)
• Why the kitchen is the new living room
• The mainstreaming of spiritual wellness — and turmeric shots on The Traitors
• Why brands need to stop targeting “Gen Z” and start understanding fandoms

It’s packed with real-world examples, cultural shifts, and actionable prompts for any brand thinking about where to play, and how to show up, in 2026.

“Can you give FOMO to alcohol drinkers? That’s the dream.”

This episode is a deep, funny, and often unexpected dive into the world of Three Spirit - the brand making functional drinks that are unapologetically not replacements for alcohol, but rituals in their own right.

We talk about starting a brand as partners (and parents), taking on the early non-alc stigma, why sexy and weird still wins, and what it really means to build a new category

From London bars to TikTok virality, this is a story of obsession, intuition, and building a product that feels like something.

In this episode:

• How coconut water and BarChick led to a plant-potion startup
• When non-alc meant “not drinking” and why they flipped the script
• What early resistance looked like (and how they designed through it)
• Why “functional” only works when it’s felt
• The realities of being married co-founders (boundaries, blurred)
• Launching in the US
• What they’ve learned about building, parenting, and staying weird

“The more we grow, the harder it is to stay focused. But focus is everything.”

What happens when you build a business not on hustle - but on heart, balance, and radical operational clarity? In this conversation, Ruth sits down with Bold Bean Co COO Ed Whelpton to explore how a fast-growing team can still feel calm, mission-driven, and genuinely joyful.

We cover:

• Why remote-first doesn’t mean culture-second
• What operational beauty looks like behind the scenes
• The case for early hires in finance + people
• How to avoid being the bottleneck as a founder
• Why “focus” is the hardest thing to hold onto at 25 people
• Building an alumni network, not just a team

About Bold Bean Co Bold Bean Co is on a mission to make people obsessed with beans by bringing them the best of beans - starting with jars of beans so good they’ve converted chefs, home cooks, and bean skeptics alike.

“It's about evolution, not revolution - make your distinctive assets better, not different.”

Julie Chen shares the story behind Cheeky Panda - the sustainable brand that turned bamboo into a household staple. From spotting a missed opportunity in China to launching from her spare bedroom, Julie talks about creativity without restriction, learning fast, and leading a major rebrand while staying true to her founding vision.

In this episode:

• The “Eureka” moment that sparked Cheeky Panda 🌱
• Growing a brand from bedroom startup to Tesco shelves
• Creativity without restriction: the early scrappy years
• Lessons from rebranding a purpose-driven business
• Why evolution beats revolution when refreshing a brand

"The idea that got you excited is probably what will excite everyone else. Don’t lose that."

In this episode Ruth chats with Olly Dixon, co-founder of premium soda brand Something & Nothing, about building a brand that’s both creatively uncompromising and commercially smart.

Olly shares how a background in culture, music, and branding led to a category-defying drinks brand, why they ignored the rules of soft drink development, and how an obsession with quality, flavour, and design helped them stand out in one of the world’s most competitive categories.

Expect honest takes on scaling in the US, resisting trend-chasing, and why doing less (but better) can be your best growth strategy.

We cover:

• What sparked the idea for a grown-up soft drink
• The accidental (but intentional) US launch
• Why community beats performance marketing
• Flavor over function - and why it works
• Starting with culture, not category
• How to grow by staying weird

‘Sales is a persistence game’

In this episode i’m joined by Emily Boyce, founder of Sweet Thyme Foods. We dig into the real mechanics of getting on shelf - and staying there. Emily shares a pragmatic, step-by-step route from specialty to scale, how to pitch buyers who get 200+ emails a day, and why persistence beats perfection every time.

In this episode:

• The “stepping stones” route to great distribution
• “Beacon outlets” as brand builders: credibility, discoverability, fast feedback loops
• What buyers actually want (and why long emails kill deals)
• Persistence systems: staying on it when founders are spinning plates
• How to pitch: keeping it short & sweet
• Founder mindset: progress over perfection

Listen if: you’re building a challenger brand and want a calm, concrete roadmap for compounding growth.

“The startup will be a rollercoaster - the founder doesn’t have to be on it.”

On paper everything’s winning; inside you’re burning out. Sound familiar? Thea unpacks the founder rollercoaster - from comparison traps and dopamine highs to the quiet power of staying level. We get practical on using mindset as a growth lever, building “anti-fragile” resilience, and why slower often equals faster.

We cover:

• The startup rollercoaster and staying steady (joy vs dopamine)
• Mindset work that actually moves the needle (neural pathways + self-talk)
• “Slower is faster” - the counterintuitive growth tactic
• Customer obsession as a company-wide pillar (beyond sales/marketing)
• Founder as the most important asset (maintenance > martyrdom)
• Burnout signals: presence, constant thinking, delayed recovery
• Defining success on your terms - and aligning capital/partners

Listen if: you’re a founder, operator, or investor who wants sustainable pace, clearer decisions, and growth without the crash.

“The danger for UK brands launching in the U.S is assuming its the same - it’s not. It just happens to speak English.”

What does it take to build the UK’s #1 canned cocktail brand (in grocery) - and then take it to America?

Rob Wallis, co-founder of MOTH, joins us to talk about how he and Sam Hunt built a high-trust, founder-led business on a foundation of friendship, flavour, and fearless brand bets.

From investing 25% of their first raise into a bold rebrand, to launching into the US with no existing category - Rob shares the moments that defined MOTH’s rise. We dig into:

• How to turn brand copy into a premium ingredient
• When risk-taking is a superpower (and when it’s not)
• Why they built a full creative team in-house
• How to go about your first fundraise
• What most UK brands get wrong when entering the US
• Why “good branding” isn’t just aesthetic - it’s a commercial tool

If you’re a founder weighing rebrands, international growth, or just trying to get your product to beep at the Waitrose till - this one’s for you.

“Time is the only finite resource you have as a founder.”

Ariana’s career arc runs from Juice Press to angel investing, with a deep love for food, wellness and the founders behind them. In this episode, she shares what she looks for in early-stage investments, how to spot a great founder, and why trusting your gut is sometimes better than over-analysing a spreadsheet.

We talk about:

• What separates a “nice-to-have” from a “need-to-have” product
• How great founders manage ego, feedback and growth
• Angel investing realities - why most projections are meaningless
• Protecting your time (and your health) as a founder
• The “better-for-you” shift from optimisation to enjoyment
• Why sometimes the best advice is simple: eat the cake.

Listen if: You’re a founder, investor, or operator trying to balance ambition, wellness and com

“There was a real lack of craft in the category. And I thought - where’s the origin story? The process? The people behind it?”

What happens when a bartender and a brand strategist collide at 2am on a wedding dance floor - and end up building one of the UK’s most original non-alc brands?

In this episode, I speak to Imme and Sam, co-founders of Botivo, the bold botanical drink that’s quietly redefining what non-alcoholic really means.

We talk about:

• How a pleasure-first approach reframes non-A
• The importance of founder chemistry (and weekly emotional check-ins)
• Why launching with one SKU, and making it iconic, was a deliberate choice
• Letting go of the things you built by hand (literally)
• Craft, chaos, and chickens at a regenerative farm in Hertfordshire

Plus: how their yellow piano became a moving bar, and why marketing is mostly saying the same thing, over and over.

This is a joyful, honest deep-dive into co-founder dynamics, brand building from scratch, and creating moments that matter.

“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-founder turned entrepreneur in residence, about the structural blockers that keep great ideas from scaling.

We dig into why the innovation funnel is broken, how corporates and startups talk past each other, and why accelerators aren’t always the answer. Andrew also shares what buyers really want in a pitch (and what to stop doing), why founders should be more willing to walk away, and what a better system might look like - from venture studios to shared-risk retailer models.

Key themes:

• The mismatch between startup pace and corporate systems
• Why zombie businesses persist - and what to do about them
• The risk of founder burnout in a broken validation loop
• How accelerators can help (and where they fall short)
• Why we need a new venture-builder model for food & drink

If you liked this episode make sure you check out our chat with Rhys Harvey on Scaling, Exits and Staying true to the core.

“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 strategist and CPG trade show enthusiast - about what makes great brands stand out, scale smart, and avoid getting lost in alphabet soup.

We dig into 2025 trends, AI and subjectivity, the influencer brand bubble, and Fred’s five brand principles (including “People don’t read. They recognize.”)

We get into:

• Design as strategy, not decoration
• Building distinctiveness vs. chasing trends
• How to test without killing creativity
• The rise (and risks) of influencer brands
• What makes a great refresh actually work

“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 bestseller)
• What bigger players are getting wrong - and why that’s changing
• International growth, category resistance, and why patience is a brand-building superpower

If you’ve ever wondered why wine is so culturally loaded - and how you might build something credible in a space full of sceptics - this one’s for you.

“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 curiosity.

From raising four kids to raising capital - this one’s full of honest lessons on boundaries, burnout, and building something bigger than yourself.

“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- actually powers performance.

“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 how we set habits for the next generation.

“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 shape the Top Cuvée story.

“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 of peanut butter dealers.

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 brand’s acquisition by KP Snacks.

They talk about:

• How a US startup mentality collided with UK market realities
• The power of word-of-mouth before social media
• Why internal culture is make-or-break for scaling teams
• What marketing and sales can learn from each other

And what it really takes to build a brand of tomorrow (hint: it’s not just hype)

If you enjoyed this episode, check out our Brand Success Story: Camden Town Brewery

“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 brands get right (and wrong) about differentiation
• Brand moats vs brand ecosystems- and why the latter matters more
• When a rebrand is a great idea- and when it’s just a bored marketing team

“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 to educate a new market
• Navigating a rebrand while staying close to your community
• Building for women in their 40s and 50s - and why the industry often overlooks them
• Using real customer insight to fuel marketing and innovation

Embracing patience, focus, and small-scale testing to grow with intention

“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 “challenger”
• Content, Reddit, and the underrated power of local Facebook groups
• How it feels to build something when you’re completely out of your depth

It’s a love letter to ambitious marketers, and a reality check for founders everywhere.

If you enjoyed this episode check out our episode with Fred Hart, for more lessons on brand building (from the other side of the pond).

“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 no one talks about enough
• How operations and finance teams can drive brand value
• The truth about NPD - and why most of it gets mothballed post-acquisition
• What it takes to build a business that still stands after you're gone

Whether you're in scale-up mode or quietly building toward an exit, this episode is a masterclass in doing both with integrity.

“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, mistakes, and experiments are shaping this next venture.

They talk about why joy is missing in brand-building, how to do weird, subversive marketing in a post-algorithm world, and how AI is reshaping what small teams can do.

“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 life. You’ll hear about the power of physical space, how DTC has changed early brand building, and why taste still reigns above all.

Plus: which categories are heating up, why pickles and pulses are having a moment, and what makes a "safe place to fail."

“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 our favourite condiments (of the moment)

“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 between building for a billion-dollar exit… and building something that feeds your soul. About designing for scale without losing sight of self. About why some founders burn out and others become magnets for the right kind of momentum.

And we talk about Cabilla, the off-grid retreat in an ancient Cornish forest that’s quietly becoming a greenhouse for founder clarity.

“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 planning a rebrand, a product launch, or just trying to figure out why your customers suddenly care about gardening… this one’s for you.

“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 with rapid growth, how it really feels when something you've been working on sells and being 'all in'.

If you enjoyed this episode make sure you check out another Brand Success Story, where Sofia interviews Ruth Fittock about the launch of Popchips in the UK

“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 consumer brands.

We cover everything from product obsession and omni-channel growth to red flags, community signals, and the very real cost of taking VC money. Whether you’re raising or just curious what investors see from the other side of the table, this one’s full of honest, practical insight.

“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 brands around the world on decoding where culture is heading - and how to stay a step ahead.

We talk about the mechanics of trend-spotting, the power of clashing trends, and what makes a brand truly future-ready. From Queenagers to collagen, fancy pantry to family dynamics, this episode is packed with practical foresight and fresh cultural thinking.

“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 what’s hot (and not) as we head into 2025 — from the next phase of functional foods to the rise of indulgent snacking with a conscience. We also chat about the macro forces driving these shifts, from consumer behaviour and packaging constraints to retail dynamics and social media.

“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, mindset, and madness behind their journey to 40 million bars sold- and why they’re willing to crash and burn in public if it means building something that actually matters.

If you enjoyed this episode, check out the chat with Stu Macdonald founder of Mani Life, for another unfiltered conversation about brand building

“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 operating model, this isn’t your typical rebrand story. We explore how putting purpose at the centre of every decision can be both a compass and a comms challenge- and why it takes the right bums on the bus to make it work.

“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. We talk about how a single North Star has guided everything from packaging to hiring to community, and how leaning into loyalty (not just light buyers) has fuelled bold, sustainable growth.

“No one cares as much about your brand as you do—so earn their attention.”

In this episode, Jacqueline Ellis-Jones, Marketing Director at Pip & Nut, takes us behind the scenes of a brand powered by "squirrel energy"- quick-thinking, resourcefulness, and relentless attention to detail. From nut butter jars embossed with tiny messages to a secret panel of “squirrels” shaping product decisions, this is a masterclass in how small things add up to big brand love.

We talk packaging, product obsession, launching with lean budgets, and why “never settle” is both a strength and a caution.