Oh For Food's Sake – Details, episodes & analysis

This episode is packed with actionable tips and strategies designed to help food industry professionals streamline their workflow and enhance productivity. 

With the industry's fast-paced environment and ever-growing demands, effective time management becomes pivotal to sustaining a rewarding and fulfilling career. 

Drawing from our personal experiences and expertise, we discuss how to prioritise tasks, the concept of time blocking, and ways to overcome procrastination.

We begin by discussing the overwhelming nature of extensive to-do lists and provide insights into how breaking these lists into smaller, prioritised tasks can create a more manageable workflow. 

We introduce the Pomodoro Technique, explaining how concentrated, timed work intervals can significantly boost focus and efficiency.

We also touch on the importance of giving oneself mental breaks, the concept of "eating the frog" (tackling the most dreaded task first), and the reality of estimating task durations accurately. 

We also emphasise the need to balance creative headspace with day-to-day responsibilities, ensuring both creativity and productivity.

Timestamps:

- [00:00:00] Introduction to the summer rewind and the importance of time management.

- [00:02:06] The challenge of working alone and managing time in a hybrid work environment.

- [00:03:22] Basics of prioritizing tasks and organizing to-do lists.

- [00:06:10] Overcoming overwhelming feelings with segmented to-do lists.

- [00:07:39] The impact of procrastination and methods to combat it.

- [00:09:00] Sponsor acknowledgments and appreciation for Dama Ingredients and Simply Lunch.

- [00:10:45] Introduction to the Pomodoro Technique and its benefits.

- [00:12:03] Importance of time blocking and focusing on creative headspace.

- [00:15:27] Strategies for prioritizing and categorizing tasks.

- [00:16:41] The do-delegate-ditch technique for effective task management.

- [00:17:29] The concept of "Eating the Frog" and tackling most-dreaded tasks first.

- [00:18:51] Closing remarks and reflections on time management strategies.

procrastination, food business, work-life balance, project management.

Links and Resources:

Website Link: https://ohforfoodssake.co.uk/

FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ohforfoodsake

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oh-for-food-s-sake/

You can follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_forfoodssake/

For industry consulting from Lucy, connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation from Amy.

See you next time!

In this episode, we have an in-depth discussion about emotional intelligence and why it's becoming increasingly important in the food industry. 

The term Emotional Intelligence was first coined by Daniel Goleman in the 1990s and is defined as "the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathise with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict." 

We talk about how people with high emotional intelligence tend to be better at their jobs than those with just a high IQ, because EQ enables you to understand and work with your own emotions while also being empathetic to others' feelings. 

We also discuss using emotional intelligence to be aware of emotions and measure responses rather than just reacting and we cover the personal and professional benefits of being emotionally intelligent and why it's so relevant in the high-stress food industry.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Episode introduction 

02:09 - Definition of emotional intelligence

03:17 - High EQ vs. high IQ in the workplace

05:37 - Evolutionary reasons for emotions; using EQ to manage responses

08:32 - Benefits of emotional intelligence for individuals and teams

10:18 - Lack of EQ in food industry leadership

12:46 - Top tips for improving emotional intelligence

17:08 - Personalised nature of EQ and its broader impact

17:37 - Episode wrap-up

Links and Resources:

Website Link: https://ohforfoodssake.co.uk/

FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ohforfoodsake

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oh-for-food-s-sake/

You can follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_forfoodssake/

For industry consulting from Lucy, connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation from Amy.

See you next time!

We start by introducing the concept of the Stage Gate process and its relevance in the food industry. We explain it as a series of decision points (gates) where projects are evaluated before moving to the next stage. We then address common misconceptions, such as the belief that the Stage Gate process is a "sales prevention" structure, emphasising instead that it is a flexible framework adaptable to different business needs and projects.

Our discussion moves on to the flexibility and implementation of the Stage Gate process, highlighting how it can be tailored to fit various project complexities. We stress the importance of upfront scoping and understanding project requirements to determine the appropriate process path. The significance of clear roles and responsibilities is also discussed, noting that the process involves the entire business, not just the New Product Development (NPD) team.

We identify critical points in the process where structure is essential and provide examples of how different projects might require varying levels of rigour and flexibility. We also address common problems such as missing documentation, unnecessary meetings, and unclear processes that can give the Stage Gate a bad name, and propose solutions like using templates, clear sign-offs, and proper documentation to streamline the process.

We emphasise the importance of communication and buy-in from all stakeholders, showing how a well-implemented Stage Gate process can lead to better teamwork and project success. We wrap up the episode with our closing thoughts on the benefits of a well-implemented Stage Gate process and encourage you, our listeners, to view it as a supportive framework rather than a rigid structure.

To book onto our NPD Fundamentals course mentioned during this episode please click here

https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk/npdfundamentals

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00:00 - Introduction to the Stage Gate Process

00:01:25 - Common Misconceptions

00:02:47 - Flexibility and Implementation

00:06:03 - Role Clarity and Communication

00:10:20 - Critical Points and Timing

00:12:59 - Sponsor Message: Dama Ingredients

00:13:40 - Common Problems and Solutions

00:15:31 - Significance of Communication and Buy-In

00:17:08 - Closing Thoughts

Links and Resources:

Website Link: https://ohforfoodssake.co.uk/

FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ohforfoodsake

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oh-for-food-s-sake/

You can follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_forfoodssake/

For industry consulting from Lucy, connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation from Amy.

See you next time!

When you’re working in the food industry, it’s easy to get immersed into your role within your department and to not think about what other departments bring to the table. On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake Podcast, we tell you the advantages of taking your blinkers off and gaining a broader perspective on the wider food industry. 

We tell you how our lack of ability to see the bigger picture affected our careers, particularly as we were starting out in the food industry. Then you’ll hear us list some tips on how to see the bigger picture, including what having a mentor can do for your career and why LinkedIn isn’t just for job hunting. We also unpack some of the differences in working in own-branded or branded businesses, both of which offer a different perspective on product development and marketing. 

If you have a story to share about when you started to see the bigger picture in your workplace, please share it with us! You can head over to our Facebook page, or get in touch with us on LinkedIn. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, you can give us a boost by subscribing and leaving a review. 

Timestamps

[1:20] Today’s topic: How to see the bigger picture…and what the bigger picture actually is

[4:10] Why should you care about the bigger picture?

[7:58] How seeing the bigger picture helps you to gain influence and to start your own successful business

[10:50] Mapping out your stakeholders to gain perspective on your role

[12:30] A light bulb moment about what seeing the bigger picture means

[15:54] Asking questions, seeking a mentor and other tips

[20:30] Own-branded or branded businesses: What working in each can bring to your career 

[23:53] What you can to do access the bigger picture in your company

Links and Resources

Find out more about this month’s sponsor, The Seed Group, here: 

The Seed Group

The Seed Group on Instagram

The Seed Group on LinkedIn

You can follow us here on instagram

If you would like further support with myself, Amy for food industry coaching and facilitation find me here on instagram or LinkedIn

For food industry Consulting from Lucy you can find her here on instagram or LinkedIn

See you next time!

On the surface, it seems easy to run an NPD food sample session. All you need is the food, served at the right temperature…at a good time of day….and a stockpile of the right utensils…and the right people in the room…giving feedback in the right way… Actually, it’s not so easy. So on this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake Podcast, we’re giving you a list of handy tips to make your sample session a success. 

We share with you what you need to think about before, during and after your sample session to really nail it. We cover all elements of the sample session and share our best practices that we learnt through years of trial and error. The episode also includes our anti wooden spoon manifesto, which is a timely reminder that the tiny details really count! 

If you’d like to get in touch with us to share your sample session stories, head over to our LinkedIn page or Facebook group and please also let us know if you’d like us to do a future episode about sensory testing and tasting methods. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so that you don’t miss an episode! 

Timestamps

[0:48] Today’s topic: How to nail your NPD sampling session

[3:15] There are so many ways that a sampling session can run away from you!

[4:35] Keeping personal opinions outside of the sampling session

[6:50] Tackling a lack of resources

[8:57] What information are you presenting to the panel? 

[10:15] A really simple tip to set yourself up for success 

[11:27] “How much do I hate wooden spoons?!!” A reminder to watch out for the utensils you use in the development process

[16:45] Not everyone has the language to describe the flavours they can taste 

[17:58] Think about the environment around your sample tasting

[21:12] What to record in your sample session notes

[22:48] Combatting flavour overlap and sampling fatigue

[24:40] Who’s in your panel?  

[28:21] Documenting outcomes 

[29:57] The kitchen vs. factory sample breakdown 

[31:13] Don’t bias your panel!  

[32:25] Our handy sample session summary

Links and Resources

Find out more about this month’s sponsor, The Seed Group, here: 

The Seed Group

The Seed Group on Instagram

The Seed Group on LinkedIn

You can follow us here on instagram

If you would like further support with myself, Amy for food industry coaching and facilitation find me here on instagram or LinkedIn

For food industry Consulting from Lucy you can find her here on instagram or LinkedIn

See you next time!

How can a food business navigate all of the hurdles on the long NPD road to get their new product to market? By calling in the Taste Creators! On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake Podcast, we dive into everything NPD with consultant experts Sarah Fielder and David Neville, who have over 40 years’ experience of helping new foods to hit the shelves.

We begin by introducing our special guests and hearing the biggest challenges that they’ve faced in their food careers, with Sarah sharing a bonus lesson on how she says ‘no’ to food products that just won’t work. We then touch on transitions within the food industry as David explains how he went from being a chef to an NPD consultant and Sarah compares working in food to her 5-year stint in nutritional supplements. Towards the end of the episode, the Taste Creators tell us what kinds of brands they support now and how they help them to thrive in a competitive food market. 

 This episode is an absolute must-listen for anyone who’s involved in NPD, whether you work with a large retailer or are part of a dynamic challenger brand. Please subscribe to the Oh For Food’s Sake Podcast to keep up with our latest episodes and head over to our Facebook or LinkedIn page to let us know what you think. 

Timestamps

[0:47] A big warm welcome to this episode’s special guests!

[2:38] Sarah Fielder’s NPD background

[6:27] How David Neville transitioned from being a chef to an NPD consultant

[9:05] The steep learning curve of bringing a new food product to market

[10:35] So, what is Taste Creators? 

[13:38] The rise of challenger brands and the roadblocks they encounter on the development journey 

[16:04] “It’s such an exciting time in the food industry”

[19:38] Inventing a new stage-and-gate system, bringing in large-scale change: the biggest NPD challenges of Sarah’s career   

[20:30] How to say ‘no’

[24:20] Other challenges that Sarah has tackled in her food career 

[25:38] Moving from food to nutritional supplements - what are the differences? 

[28:48] What you can learn from switching into a different area of the food industry  

[32:15] “Developing the unknown”: Keeping your innovation tank full 

[34:02] What people love about working with Taste Creators and the different kinds of food they work on

[37:10] The core customers that Taste Creators support  

[38:57] What a fresh pair of eyes can bring to your food production business 

[39:57] How to get in touch with the Taste Creators 

Links and Resources

Taste Creators site

Taste Creators on Instagram

Sarah Fielder on LinkedIn

David Neville on LinkedIn

Find out more about this month’s sponsor, The Seed Group, here: 

The Seed Group

The Seed Group on Instagram

The Seed Group on LinkedIn

You can follow us here on instagram

If you would like further support with myself, Amy for food industry coaching and facilitation find me here on instagram or LinkedIn

For food industry Consulting from Lucy you can find her here on instagram or LinkedIn

See you next time!

So many people experience a form of feeling undervalued at work. It might be that your ideas aren’t listened to, or that you’ve been passed over for promotion again, or that you never get a chance to speak up in important meetings. However your feeling of being undervalued manifests itself, on this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake Podcast, we’re sharing our advice on how to increase your influence at work to make your work life happier and more successful. 

We walk you through tackling imposter syndrome and starting to evaluate the voices in your head that tell you that you’re not good enough. You’ll then hear us touch on the importance of communication styles and energy levels, which are good things to gauge when interacting with colleagues and stakeholders. We also give a few tips on how to network to increase your influence in the industry, which in turn will help you to stand out in your own workplace. 

If you’re a fan of the Oh For Food’s Sake Podcast, you can show your support and help us out by leaving a rating and review of the podcast and by recommending us to a friend. 

Timestamps

[0:45] Today’s topic: How to increase your influence at work to feel more valued in your career

[4:20] Watch out for the upcoming course! 

[5:45] Welcome back to our old friend, imposter syndrome

[8:06] Questioning the voices in your head

[11:25] Communication styles count

[14:38] Your voice does matter, but you need to believe it

[16:55] Think about your energy levels

[18:25] Translating your positive mindset to the outer world 

[19:30] Networking to increase your credibility

[21:20] A snappy summary of what you need to work on 

[23:20] Where to go for more help and resources

Links and Resources

Our previous episode on emotional intelligence

Sign up to Invisible to valued 

You can follow us here on instagram

If you would like further support with myself, Amy for food industry coaching and facilitation find me here on instagram or LinkedIn

For food industry Consulting from Lucy you can find her here on instagram or LinkedIn

See you next time!

Today we talk creating a socials-first media strategy with Phia Folkes who’s the co-founder of Seed Group, a food specialist marketing agency and this month’s sponsor of the Oh For Food’s Sake Podcast! Grab a snack and a notepad and listen to us talk about why your food company really needs to rethink its social media strategy. 

Phia lays out the intersection between food companies and social media and tells us how being socials-first benefits all departments of a food company, not just marketing. She gives the Seed perspective on social media and explains what Seed does differently compared to more traditional marketing agencies. Towards the end of the episode, we dive into what being ‘authentic’ on social media actually looks like and Phia shares ideas on how companies can mitigate the risks of being too real or too curated in their social media content.

We’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Seed for being our first ever podcast sponsors! If you want to support the Oh For Food’s Sake Podcast,  please leave us a rating or review and subscribe to the podcast. 

Timestamps

[1:22] We welcome Phia Folkes onto the show and she walks us through her journey to launch Seed

[7:07] “The world of food and drink has shifted hugely”: What marketing has done to keep up with the developments in the sector

[9:24] Can smaller food brands afford to hire a marketing agency? Phia weighs in

[14:00] What sets Seed apart as a marketing agency?

[17:07] Seed is a “safe pair of hands” for food brands

[20:27] Why is social so essential for a food company’s success?

[25:20] Crisis management takes place on social media 

[27:20] Balancing out authenticity, engagement and brand risk

[31:22] Strategy comes first on socials 

[34:05] How you can get in touch with Seed 

Links and Resources

The Seed Group

The Seed Group on Instagram

The Seed Group on LinkedIn

You can follow us here on instagram

If you would like further support with myself, Amy for food industry coaching and facilitation find me here on instagram or LinkedIn

For food industry Consulting from Lucy you can find her here on instagram or LinkedIn

See you next time!

Today’s episode tackles a giant of a problem for the food industry and for society as a whole: sustainability. We speak to special guest Andy Wright, head of sustainability at Greencore, about the big picture for sustainability in the food industry and where we need to do better. 

Andy kicks off the episode by talking about the complex issues of indicating carbon footprints on food packaging, a hot-button issue for the industry right now. He gives advice on what food start-ups can do to increase their sustainability and shares a shocking statistic about how polluting the food industry in the UK is compared to other major industries. He also outlines the solutions that he would like to see and talks about what individuals in the food industry can do to put sustainability at the heart of their company. 

This is a very interesting episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake Podcast that goes into the nuances of food sustainability. If you learnt something or started to think about food sustainability in a new way, please subscribe to the podcast and share it with your industry contacts. 

Timestamps

[0:48] Today, we’ve got a special guest! 

[3:00] Andy introduces himself and talks about his route into working in sustainability and the food industry

[5:38] What sustainability used to look like in the food industry and the picture today

[8:42] Andy’s expert opinion on carbon footprint information on food packaging 

[11:10] “How accurate do you want your data?”: The complex issues involved in calculating the carbon footprint of food items

[14:26] Andy’s sustainability advice for food start-ups 

[16:10] In sustainability, there are no easy answers

[17:35] Brand standards and sustainability labelling  

[19:50] How does the food industry in the UK compare to other industries on sustainability issues?  

[23:15] The National Food Strategy

[25:05] The top 3 solutions that Andy would implement to make the food industry more sustainable 

[27:22] Logic and magic: How do you get different teams of food manufacturers to collaborate on sustainability? 

[29:35] We know the questions to ask but it’s not easy to find the answers 

[30:50] Andy’s message to people who work in the food industry

[32:40] Where to go to connect with Andy

Links and Resources

The National Food Strategy

Andy on LinkedIn

Andy on Twitter

You can follow us here on instagram

If you would like further support with myself, Amy for food industry coaching and facilitation find me here on instagram or LinkedIn

For food industry Consulting from Lucy you can find her here on instagram or LinkedIn

See you next time!

Sometimes work spills into the rest of your life like a giant overflowing bucket and you have to attack it with a mop to push it back to where it belongs. On this episode of the Oh For Food’s Sake Podcast, we’re giving you tips on how to switch off from work at the end of the day so that you can have a healthier, happier home life. 

We tackle some of the common issues of overworking, from putting in the long hours to the effect that not switching off from work can have on your health. You’ll hear us share what we do to switch off from our jobs and learn how you can apply that to your career, even if you work in the fast-paced and demanding food industry. Stay tuned to the end of the episode to find out why being the person who sweeps out the rabbit hutch can be a blessing and how you can find the rabbit hutch in your life!

If you enjoyed this episode, join us over on our Facebook page to share your experiences of switching off (or not switching off!) from work and subscribe to the podcast to  stay up-to-date on our latest episodes. 

Timestamps

[0:45] Today’s topic: How do you switch off from work? 

[1:48] What the stats say about our struggle to unwind from work

[3:50] It’s ok to work outside of standard working hours, as long as you do find time to switch off

[6:35] What you can gain from taking breaks during the work day

[8:22] The difference between tiredness and fatigue

[9:52] How we balance each other out 

[11:07] You can’t finish off your to-do list every day but you can acknowledge what you’ve achieved

[14:08] Another way to create a break between your work life and home life 

[16:20] Laying the ground rules for work talk at home

[20:04] “What works for you changes over time” 

[21:12] Reduce your screen time…. If you want to!

[25:00] The magic of a reset place 

[27:55] In your control vs. out of your control: Why you need to recognise the difference

Links and Resources

You can follow us here on instagram

If you would like further support with myself, Amy for food industry coaching and facilitation find me here on instagram or LinkedIn

For food industry Consulting from Lucy you can find her here on instagram or LinkedIn

See you next time!