Brand Growth Heroes

We're thrilled to welcome back Fuel 10k founder Barney Mauleverer for his third appearance on Brand Growth Heroes. Barney's just wrapped up an incredible 13-year journey with Fuel 10K, and he's here to chat about the grit and patience it takes to build and sell a company. Trust us, if you're a founder facing your own hurdles, you'll want to tune in for this one!Barney's story shows that success isn't always about sprinting to the finish line. Sometimes, it's more like running a marathon. Every experience, good or bad, plays a part in the big picture. His journey is super-inspiring for founders out there, reminding us that there is something to learn from every experience - even the not-so-glamorous stuff like factory floor checks!But wait, there's more! Barney's also spilling the beans on his latest venture. He's just launched the 'FUTURE OF FOOD competition, a cool competition for entrepreneurs who are shaping what we'll be eating tomorrow (unusually, it's free to enter and attend). The final round will be held on November 26th at the stunning venue: The Royal Geographic Society - 16 finalists pitch to win in front of food industry luminaries, with an audience of entrepreneurs, investors, buyers and journalists. I'm lucky enough to be a judge on the day, so come and say hello!Thank you, Barney, for shining a light on the future of the industry/market/how we will feed ourselves. We hope you enjoy this episode and will join us on the 23rd November - register to attend here!By the way, if you're listening to this on Spotify, you'll find a place where it says ASK A QUESTION.You can ask Fiona a question, and she will be able to answer you. So, if you have any questions about this episode or anything you thought helpful, please let Fiona know!Useful links/info:Future Food Competition info hereRegister to attend hereBarney’s LinkedInThe Future of Food Competition is a free, fully inclusive, not-for-profit event. Amidst significant global changes and rapidly evolving megatrends, this challenge shines a spotlight on opportunities and issues in the food industry. By encouraging debate, entrepreneurialism and innovative thinking, we seek to drive progress and positive change. We hope this event becomes a regular highlight in the calendar for everyone passionate about investing in food entrepreneurship.Here's the running order:12am – Attendees arrive and network12.45 – Doors shut13.00 – Setting the scene...Mike Berners-Lee – author of There Is No Planet B and How Bad Are Bananas & passionate expert in Carbon Footprinting.Pen Hadow – Arctic record-breaker and conservationist dedicated to protecting the seas and its wildlife.Kevin Dorren is an AI enthusiast and shifting populations specialist.14.30 - All attendees circulate the Pitch Tables15.30 - Judges preside & with a Popular Vote, and select 3 of the bestMiranda Ballard from NielsenIQ uses case study data to explain how entrepreneurial endeavour can impact big business.16.00 – 3 top finalists invited to pitch in the iconic Ondaatje Theatre + Q&A16.45 – Judges & Popular Vote (Strictly style!) Gold, Silver, Bronze are announced & prizes awarded17.00 - It’s a wrap!Future Food Competition info hereIf this episode inspires you to think about new ways to drive business growth, don't forget to click FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE on your favourite podcast app and leave a review!You won’t want to miss the next episode, in which Fiona Fitz talks with another successful founder of a challenger brand who shares more valuable insights into driving growth. Plus, your small gesture will be truly appreciated.Please don't hesitate to join our Brand Growth Heroes community to stay updated with captivating stories and learnings from your beloved brands on their path to success!Follow us across our socials: Brand Growth Heroes on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.Sign up for the latest news and information on the Brand Growth Heroes Accelerator Programme here.Thanks to my Sound Engineer, Gyp Buggane,Ballagroove.comand podcast producer/content creator, Kathryn Watts,Social KEWS

In this latest episode of Brand Growth Heroes, Fiona sits down with the inspirational human being Ruby Raut, the founder and CEO of WUKA (Wake Up, Kick-Ass), to discuss her remarkable story from growing up in Nepal, where menstruation was shrouded in taboo, to creating a brand that is revolutionising the Fem Care category, and giving dignity back to girls and women every month.Ruby’s background in environmental science and her passion for sustainability inspired her to create WUKA, a brand offering sustainable, leak-proof period underwear that drives positive change in the Femtech space.Ruby highlights WUKA’s incredible milestones, from becoming the first period underwear brand to hit supermarket shelves in the UK to successfully campaigning to remove VAT on these essential products.She opens up about the grit and determination it took to bring her ideas to life, from cleaning toilets at the 2012 Olympics to founding a pioneering company.What we loved learning in this episodeA world-class example of how authentic business purpose can inspire true innovation and customer loyalty.Insights into the process of developing sustainable productsHow focusing on a single SKU instead of a complete range can keep things simple - for you and for your shopperPractical advice for entrepreneurs on overcoming challenges, keeping costs down, and focusing on social impact.Find out today how and why Ruby Raut is reshaping the future of period care for millions.By the way, if you're listening to this on Spotify, you'll find a place where it says ASK A QUESTION.You can ask Fiona a question, and she will be able to answer you. So, if you have any questions about this episode or anything you thought helpful, please let Fiona know!Useful linkshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ruby-raut-49987b58/WUKA websiteIf this episode inspires you to think about new ways to drive business growth, don't forget to click FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE on your favourite podcast app and leave a review!You won’t want to miss the next episode, in which Fiona Fitz talks with another successful founder of a challenger brand who shares more valuable insights into driving growth. Plus, your small gesture will be truly appreciated.Please don't hesitate to join our Brand Growth Heroes community to stay updated with captivating stories and learnings from your beloved brands on their path to success!Follow us across our socials: Brand Growth Heroes on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.Sign up for the latest news and information on the Brand Growth Heroes Accelerator Programme here.Thanks to my Sound Engineer, Gyp Buggane, Ballagroove.com and podcast producer/content creator, Kathryn Watts, Social KEWS.

Listen and learn from Joanna Jensen, the founder of Child's Farm!This multi-award-winning natural skincare brand was founded (like 99% of businesses born to female founders) from Joanna's own need for something that didn't exist in the category at the time: a bath time solution for her child with medically diagnosed eczema.Created in 2010, Childs Farm was the number-one brand in the category by 2019 (ahead of Johnson's Baby, Baby Dove, and Aveeno).Joanna scaled the business to £20 million and decided the time was right to source additional funding for growth, but instead sold to PZ Cussons, which owns brands Imperial Leather, St Tropez and Carex.She describes herself as a driven workaholic, but she is also a brilliant mentor and advocate of female founders and female-founded businesses. She is also an investor in some of the businesses we've had on the show, including Freya Bone Broth and Hunter and Gather (look for their episodes on the show page of your favourite podcast player)During their chat, Joanna gives us many of what Fiona calls "those £500k ‘aha’ moments", including advice on margins, cash flow, when to hire and at what level, what to look for in your team, and more.Fiona’s challenge - how do we all get to the point where we're clear that the solution we're offering doesn't exist out there? Then, we can enter any negotiation, whether with a buyer or an investor, and we feel just as confident as Joanna does.By the way, if you're listening to this on Spotify, you'll find a place where it says ASK A QUESTION! You can now ask Fiona a question, and she will be able to answer you. So, if you have any questions about this episode or anything you thought helpful, please let Fiona know!Useful links:Childs Farm websiteChilds Farm InstagramChilds Farm FacebookEIS AssociationSeed Enterprise Investment SchemeStop It by comedian Bob NewhartIf this episode inspires you to think about new ways to drive business growth, don't forget to click FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE on your favourite podcast app and leave a review!You won’t want to miss the next episode, in which Fiona Fitz talks with another successful founder of a challenger brand who shares more valuable insights into driving growth. Plus, your small gesture will be truly appreciated.Please don't hesitate to join our Brand Growth Heroes community to stay updated with captivating stories and learnings from your beloved brands on their path to success!Follow us across our socials: Brand Growth Heroes on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.Sign up for the latest news and information on the Brand Growth Heroes Accelerator Programme here.Thanks to my Sound Engineer, Gyp Buggane, Ballagroove.com and podcast producer/content creator, Kathryn Watts, Social KEWS.

David Lester and Ben Goodwin, the dynamic duo behind OLIPOP, share their journey of revolutionizing the soda market with healthier alternatives. They discuss the rigorous four-year trial leading to their 2018 launch and their ambitious $500 million sales goal for 2024. The conversation delves into the balance of taste and health, the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, and the importance of resilience. They even touch on their quirky collaboration with a popular franchise, showcasing creativity in brand partnerships.

Sauce Shop Secrets Unveiled: Pam & James Digva on everything from building their own factory to getting a national listing in TescoIf you’re ever wondering what it takes to own and run your own manufacturing facility, then this episode is for you.Brand Growth Heroes host Fiona Fitz has been tasting packaged food and beverage products as part of her job for over 25 years. When she first tasted Sauce Shop's lime and aioli sauce at the Alantra Fast 50 dinner, she knew she had to find out how it tasted so good.So, in this latest episode, Fiona chats with Sauce Shop's founders, Pam and James Digva, who explain exactly how they make products that taste just like they weren’t made in a factory at ALL.They have well over 20 years of food manufacturing experience, and there are just so many nuggets in this interview that we can't wait to share with you.We talk about building your own manufacturing facility while still staying true to the craft, as well as the importance of a dedicated team you can rely on, especially in high growth and challenging times.During the chat, Pam and James reveal their latest listing in one of the UK's largest retailers. Stay tuned until the end, as this source (sauce!!) of growth will really inspire you.Useful links:Sauce Shop® | UK Made Hot Sauce, BBQ Sauce & Ketchup | 35+ varieties(27) James Digva | LinkedIn(27) Pam Digva | LinkedInSauce Shop | FacebookSauce Shop (@sauce_shop) • Instagram photos and videos(31)Sauce Shop (@sauceshop) | TikTokIf this episode inspires you to think about new ways to drive business growth, don't forget to click FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE on your favourite podcast app and leave a review!You won’t want to miss the next episode, in which Fiona Fitz talks with another successful founder of a challenger brand who shares more valuable insights into driving growth. Plus, your small gesture will be truly appreciated.Please don't hesitate to join our Brand Growth Heroes community to stay updated with captivating stories and learnings from your beloved brands on their path to success!Follow us across our socials: Brand Growth Heroes on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.Sign up for the latest news and information on the Brand Growth Heroes Accelerator Programme here.Thanks to our Sound Engineer, Gyp Buggane, Ballagroove.com and our social media manager, Kathryn Watts, Social KEWS.

Episode 69: Freja Foods, Founder Ed ArmitageHow to Hit a £10m Run Rate in 3 Years!In this latest episode, Fiona talks to Ed Armitage, founder of Freja Bone Broth, who shares the secrets behind his award-winning, digital-first, scaling food business. With a vision to become Europe's No. 1 bone broth brand, you'll hear how husband and wife team Ed and Jess built a multi-million-pound brand in just over three years - during extremely difficult economic conditions. Investors like Harry Cain, the ex-MD of innocent smoothies Giles Brook and the ex CEO Unilever Paul Polman, have all invested in the business, find out why here!By the way, we do a quick-fire Q&A at the end, and Ed is incredibly generous with his tips on how to grow a Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) brand profitably, so make sure you stay around and don’t miss these valuable nuggets.Here are the top 5 things you will learn from this episode:How Ed and Jess have built a business that turned over £1M in the first four weeks of 2024 alone!Why Harry Cain, the ex-MD of innocent smoothies Giles Brook ex CEO Unilever have all invested in the businessHow a digital-first brand allows them to avoid the gate-keepers that make business hard in retail groceryHow to overcome the challenges that most consumer brand startups face Ed’s 'turnover per full-time employee' Rule of thumb' that steers you on how many people to employ I hope you enjoyed this episode and that it has helped you and your business in some way! If it has, please hit FOLLOW to subscribe and keep an eye out for the next episode, where I'll talk to another successful founder of a challenger brand who will share more valuable insights into driving growth. Your FOLLOW makes a big difference to me and to my business, thank you.Click the Follow button beside Brand Growth Heroes by finding it on your favourite podcast app here.Useful links:Freja's WebsiteFind the founders on LinkedIn: Jessica Higgins & Ed ArmitageFreja on InstagramFreja on FacebookPlease don't hesitate to join our Brand Growth Heroes community to stay updated with captivating stories and learnings from your beloved brands on their path to success! Follow us on social: Brand Growth Heroes on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.Sign up for the latest news and information on the Brand Growth Heroes Accelerator Programme here.Thanks to my Sound Engineer, Gyp Buggane, Ballagroove.com and my producer, Kathryn Watts, Social KEWS.

Founder Barney Mauleverer describes Fuel10k as 'a 12 year overnight success'In Part 2 of our two part series covering the growth journey & sale of the protein breakfast brand Fuel10k to Premier Foods, learn:The three reasons that Fuel10k was the perfect fit for Premier Foods already impressive national brand portfolioIt Fuel10K 10 years to get to £10 million in revenue but 2.5 years to do the next £10 million£10 million turnover is the magic number: the figure at which your P&L and growth trajectory to change for the betterWhy Fuel10K NEVER had an injection of big bucks & why they wanted to grow their business the old-fashioned wayThe role of Student Reps working in, in universities as part of their field sales and marketing teamWhy it's never too early to build relationships with the M&A advisory worldOne of Barney's key talents is putting the right people in the right rolesWhy Barney and his co-founders gave 1 years salary to those employees who had been in the business for over 2 years.A favour! Could you #Payitforward?I really hope that you enjoyed this episode & that it has helped you in some way!If so, would you take 3 mins to click FOLLOW on your podcast app, as well as leave a review?This small gift from you has a big impact on me ... and on MY business.Thank you 🙏Don't miss your favourite brands talk about how they grew their inspirational businesses!Click the Follow button beside Brand Growth Heroes on your podcast appFollow Brand Growth Heroes here on Instagram, Tiktok, LinkedinBecome part of the Brand Growth Heroes community!Sign up here for news and information on Brand Growth Heroes Accelerator Programme

Are you curious to know what it's like for a founder in the week before a sale of their business?➡ If you're building your consumer packaged goods business with the hope of one day selling it, and if you've ever wondered what it would be like to sell your branded business, then you've got to listen to this. Last week, FUEL10K (protein breakfast range) was sold to renowned UK CPG business Premier Foods.In a two part series, Brand Growth Heroes host Fiona Fitzpatrick talks to Barney😜 Mauleverer about:- How he & his team BUILT FUEL10K- Why it was the right FIT for Premier Foods, and- What it was like for him in the WEEK BEFORE the sale of the business at the end of October 2023.First up - we revisit our episode with Barney from 2020, where the business was already turning over £12M in revenue and present in multiple international markets. Barney Mauleverer cut his teeth in food and drink during the front five years of early stage Innocent Drinks. Leaving in 2006 as European Manager, Barney sought a more entrepreneurial route of his own and set up food brand exporting company Fresh Marketing with pal Alex Matheson.Listen to how Barney and his team built the Fuel 10K business, and in the next episode launching soon, we'll explore what it took to sell the business to Premier Foods.A favour! Could you #Payitforward?I really hope that you enjoyed this episode & that it has helped you in some way!If so, would you take 3 mins to click FOLLOW on your podcast app, as well as leave a review?This small gift from you has a big impact on me ... and on MY business.Thank you 🙏Don't miss your favourite brands talk about how they grew their inspirational businesses!Click the Follow button beside Brand Growth Heroes on your podcast appFollow Brand Growth Heroes here on Instagram, Tiktok, LinkedinBecome part of the Brand Growth Heroes community!Sign up here for news and information on Brand Growth Heroes Accelerator Programme

COOK is an award winning frozen meals company based in the UK.  It’s impressive turnover of £130M comes from its it 98 retail stores and 1000 concessions that it supplies from its own manufacturing facilities.  Yet some 28 years from inception, the business STILL doesn’t sell to any major UK grocery retailers!Founder Ed Perry tells me how he has managed to keep the business 100% privately owned, how their passion for creating a great company culture plays a central role in what they do, and how- to achieve their mission- they still cook using the same ingredients and techniques that a good cook would use at home in orderHere are the top 5 things you'll learn :COOK started with just 1 store in 2006, and now has over 1600 employees and a turnover of £130M...yet is still 100% privately owned!How COOK's core brand promise is the driving force behind their successHow the company's RAW TALENT program strives to help people rebuild their lives and contribute positively to societyWhy Ed advises believes you have to measure your company cultureHow building a business for the long term can give you the freedom to make decisions that can lead to better outcomes for society as a wholeA favour! Could you #Payitforward?I really hope that you enjoyed this episode & that it has helped you in some way!If so, would you take 3 mins to click FOLLOW on your podcast app, as well as leave a review?This small gift from you has a big impact on me ... and on MY business.Thank you 🙏Don't miss your favourite brands talk about how they grew their inspirational businesses!Click the Follow button beside Brand Growth Heroes on your podcast appFollow Brand Growth Heroes here on Instagram, Tiktok, LinkedinBecome part of the Brand Growth Heroes community!Sign up here for news and information on Brand Growth Heroes Accelerator Programme

I've been in love with the bright, punchy and delicious Rude Health brand since it launched in 2006. Originally a muesli business, Rude Health's revenue now comes predominantly from alt. milks, although this is something Camilla never would have imagined when they first launched them!A well-known and much-loved brand in 4 major markets, Rude Health is admired for it's brightly coloured boxes and cartons which inject joy into mornings across the U.K, Portugal & Benelux.Co-founder Camilla Barnard began the business 18 years ago with her ex-husband, with the intention of making healthier eating a celebration, not a sacrifice for as many people as they could. Compared to the expectations of many founders starting out today, you could say that the business has grown relatively slowly, however there's a massive upside to this: Rude Health is still over 90% privately owned, with their only 'major' minor shareholder being....PepsiCo! Here are the Top 9 things you'll learn :Camilla didn't know much about running a product-based business, let alone a food business, before she started, and why this mattered.How Rude Health's earliest vision was always MASSIVE: to make healthy eating a celebration, not a sacrifice.How Camilla is obsessed asking the right questions to her shoppers, consumers and retail buyers, and learn how you can do this too. What the brand-design process for the Rude Health brand looked like, in detail.What the 'clothing' your brand wears says about it in terms of when and how to use it, and whether it's for you or not...Why Rude Health has chosen to play mainly in Grocery Retail and not Online How Rude health split their marketing budget now vs. 3 years agoThe role of new product development in their business and how this has changed over timeHow to recruit the right people for your business - is it skill, experience or mindset?Could you #Payitforward? If you enjoy this episode & it has helped you in some way, will you take 3 mins to leave a review on your podcast app? This small gift from you has a big impact on me ... and on my business. Thank you 🙏Don't miss your favourite brands talk about how they grew their inspirational businesses!Click the Follow button beside Brand Growth Heroes on your podcast appFollow Brand Growth Heroes here on Instagram, Tiktok, LinkedinBecome part of the Brand Growth Heroes community! Sign up here for news and information on Brand Growth Heroes Accelerator ProgrammeEmail Fiona for a 1-1 coaching session: fiona@fionafitzconsulting.comSee how Fiona can help you design and develop group-coaching programmes for your senior commercial and marketing teams: Fiona Fitz Consulting