

HUNGRY.
Dan Pope
HUNGRY is the podcast for Challenger Food and Drink brands wanting to pour gasoline on their growth. Fancy being kind? Want to feel warm inside? Please hit the Subscribe button. You’d really, really make my week.
Episodes
Mentioned books

18 snips
Oct 20, 2025 • 2h 15min
The Cornish Chef Who Revolutionised East London’s Food Scene - Tom Brown
Tom Brown, an award-winning British chef and the mind behind Cornerstone, shares insights into London's dynamic food scene. He reveals that great dining success is rooted in setting and service, often placing food as the last piece of the puzzle. Tom talks about his creative process, his obsession with oysters, and the importance of thoughtful hospitality touches. He emphasizes the need for culinary reinvention while finding joy in solo dining. Reflecting on his mentorship by Nathan Outlaw, he champions empathy in the kitchen and the significance of guest experience.

Oct 16, 2025 • 10min
Espresso: Rory Sutherland - The Fatal Mistake of Being Too Process Driven
Rory Sutherland, a behavioral economist and advertising executive known for his insights into creativity and decision-making, dives deep into the nature of talent and creativity. He challenges the myth of 'effortless genius' by contrasting Mozart's fluidity with Beethoven's laborious efforts. Sutherland argues that distraction can fuel creativity, highlighting Tarantino's four-hour writing rule and unconventional insights from mundane tasks like stacking the dishwasher. He critiques rigid processes in creative fields, emphasizing that true breakthroughs often occur outside structured environments.

Oct 13, 2025 • 2h 26min
The £600M Brand Exit Expert: How Grenade Disrupted the Chocolate Industry
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.

Oct 9, 2025 • 4min
Espresso: Rory Sutherland & Oisín Rogers - Why is Waitrose Posher Than Tesco?
The podcast dives into why Waitrose feels posher than Tesco, exploring the intriguing role of sensory cues. Curation by omission highlights how what’s absent can enhance perceived quality. Lighting, aisle width, and even smell play significant roles in making a store feel premium. It’s revealed that retail presentation can overshadow actual product quality. Lastly, the hosts discuss how rituals and embellishments shape our spending experiences, making transactions more memorable.

57 snips
Oct 6, 2025 • 54min
Seth Godin “The Marketing God” Unpacks the Winning Strategies of Global Brands
In this engaging conversation, Seth Godin, a renowned marketing thinker and author, shares insights on the crucial distinction between strategy and tactics. He argues that successful brands like Dyson and Patagonia embed meaning and culture into their strategies rather than just focusing on promotional tactics. Seth highlights the importance of storytelling, the invisible systems shaping behavior, and the need for consistent creativity. He emphasizes building lasting customer relationships through compelling stories and feedback loops, guiding founders on growing impactful brands.

Oct 2, 2025 • 11min
Espresso: Behavioural Science Lessons From Managing Nightclubs - Pan Koutlakis
Pan Koutlakis, a hospitality entrepreneur and founder of Eat Club, shares his transformative insights on managing nightclubs. He emphasizes that driving customer volume is vital to profitability, often trumping margin concerns. Pan reveals how increasing venue capacity can unlock significant revenue and warns against premature cost-cutting. He advocates for creative strategies to boost weekday demand, suggesting differentiated offerings rather than shutting down during slow periods. His approach redefines growth in the hospitality industry.

Sep 29, 2025 • 1h 55min
Fixing Restaurants, Behavioural Science, Working With Marco Pierre White - Eat Club co-founder, Pan Koutlakis
Pan Koutlakis, the founder of Eat Club, shares insights from his journey in hospitality and tech. He discusses transforming restaurant profitability through dynamic pricing strategies to maximize seating. The duo emphasizes the urgent need for innovative solutions to prevent restaurant closures amid challenging times. They explore market fit lessons from COVID, the importance of consumer engagement, and how tech can streamline operations. Pan also highlights Marco Pierre White's pivotal role in Eat Club and the significance of filling tables over mere cost-cutting.

5 snips
Sep 25, 2025 • 11min
Espresso: Henry Dimbleby - The Big Mistakes I Made Building LEON
Henry Dimbleby, a British food entrepreneur and co-founder of LEON, shares key insights from his journey in the restaurant business. He details how early experiments in visual branding and food photography shaped sales. Queue management techniques bolstered by a strategic till addition led to a remarkable sales increase. Henry discusses the invisible risks to team trust and the importance of pulse surveys for maintaining morale. He stresses that the economy should respect nature's boundaries to avoid systemic collapse, intertwining business success with environmental health.

8 snips
Sep 22, 2025 • 2h 14min
Rory Sutherland Talks Marketing With Britain’s Most Famous Landlord Oisin Rogers
Rory Sutherland, a behavioral scientist and advertising executive, teams up with Oisin Rogers, the innovative restaurateur behind The Devonshire. They dive into why scaling venues can ruin their charm and the concept of 'cost per entertainment hour' that shapes customer experience. The duo discusses the importance of reducing 'silent irritants' in hospitality and how to keep customers coming back, emphasizing human interactions. Learn why well-maintained restrooms can elevate perceived quality and why unexpected generosity builds loyalty in business.

Sep 18, 2025 • 7min
Espresso: Tom Gozney - The Hidden Obstacles of Doing Business in the USA
Espresso's are powered by our wonderful sponsor, Unleashed!1. What on earth is Unleashed, I hear you asking?Unleashed is Inventory management software that talks to your financial and eComm software. We use it daily at Islands. It's BANGING!!2. Why Unleashed will change your life as a foodie founder?Cut admin time in half. Save money. Lots of money. Get lucid clarity on margins. Be all over cash flow, after all cash is king. Manage stock and cash flow.3. The biggest brands in FMCG love love UnleashedYour fave brands like Candy Kittens, Tiny Rebel, TRIP use religiously. Tarquins Gin, Three Spirit, Minor Figures, The Turmeric Co., Volcano Coffee4. Book a meeting with Unleashed by just clicking here!♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here 🍲 🤝 Let's Connect!►Let’s link-up here (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)►Stalk me here (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)
Espresso's are powered by our brand new sponsor, Unleashed!1. What on earth is Unleashed, I hear you asking?Unleashed is Inventory management software that talks to your financial and eComm software. We use it daily at Islands. It's BANGING!!2. Why Unleashed will change your life as a foodie founder?Cut admin time in half. Save money. Lots of money. Get lucid clarity on margins. Be all over cash flow, after all cash is king. Manage stock and cash flow.3. The biggest brands in FMCG love love UnleashedYour fave brands like Candy Kittens, Tiny Rebel, TRIP use religiously. Tarquins Gin, Three Spirit, Minor Figures, The Turmeric Co., Volcano Coffee4. Do yourself a favourGET YOURSELF 2 MONTHS FREE USING THIS magical link ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here 🍲 🤝 Let's Connect!►Let’s link-up here (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)►Stalk me here (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)