HUNGRY. The £600M Brand Exit Expert: How Grenade Disrupted the Chocolate Industry
Oct 13, 2025
Al Barratt, founder of Grenade, shares his journey of creating a successful protein bar brand known for its superior taste and quality. He dives into the importance of innovation, revealing how the right approach to product development paved the way for Grenade's growth. Al discusses the challenges of due diligence before major sales and how investing early with Growthpoint helped professionalize his business. He also highlights how market legitimacy can change with big brand involvement and emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement to stay competitive.
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Fix Forecasting Before Seeking Valuation
- Keep accurate forecasting history; buyers value predictable pasts to trust future earnings.
- Fix forecasting accuracy before pitching valuation-based deals.
From Six Staff To Corporate Exit
- GrowthPoint invested when Grenade had ~£35m valuation and few staff; founders hadn't taken a salary.
- Subsequent investors (Lion, then Mondelez) drove brand expertise and eventual £200m+ sale.
Underpromise And Overdeliver Builds Trust
- High valuations mask true business quality; consistent underpromising and overdelivering builds credibility.
- Buyers value proven, conservative forecasting because many firms habitually overpromise.