🍵 Tina Chen

Do your net zero target dates influence what kind of food commodities you procure? I learnt so much catching up with past students of our Certified Carbon Literacy Project and Food Sustainability Course last Friday. Who’d have thought? 1. Depending on how far businesses have set their net zero targets 2027 or 2040 you might offer a different coffee product as a manufacturer - Super insightful! 2. We debated the relative merits of voluntary sustainability initiatives versus mandatory regulations, discussing examples like the UK sugar tax and Waitrose's commitment to regenerative agriculture. Voluntary initiatives can set best practices and influence the market, while mandatory regulations may be needed to drive more rapid and comprehensive change. Given the urgency of climate action, we know which we’d prefer to see. 3. Some of the certifications and standards have become quite burdensome for sustainability leaders, resembling "Boy Scout badges." I liked that analogy! It’s always great to catch up and learn about progress and challenges with students and see how they’re implementing change in their businesses! Malcolm Hett, Liudmila R., Sarah Inge Parker

16

1 Comment

💫 A big development for grocery packaging in the UK 💫 The tldr on last week’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) announcement and what it means for reusable packaging: 📣 DEFRA announced ‘illustrative’ fees last week 📈 2 to 3+ increase of current tax burdens paid by producers  ⏭ First payments in 2025 🌶 Modulated (eco) fees in 2026 will mean proportionally higher payments for more impactful packaging categories / materials. 💫 Great news for reuse: the biggest step in a packaging revolution, with DEFRA planning a 2025 framework for incentivising reuse, levelling the playing field between single-use and reuse. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ej2KTbYn And please dive in policy folk to correct any detail you think is missing / out of line here! There's not been much reflection on this here (on Linkedin) and it would be good to hear more views.

40

2 Comments

Is it even an FMCG product launch unless you've got a hairnet selfie to mark it!? 🤓 If you've not already guessed from the teasers that have been drip feeding onto social these past few weeks, Pip & Nut | B Corp has our biggest product launch of the year landing tomorrow. I am beyond excited. Although it might look like it's all been plain sailing I can tell you it's not been. So here's my top five learnings from this rollercoaster 🎢 piece of NPD: 🍽 Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best - we spotted people using our nut butters in a certain way for breakfast at home and we then thought about how we'd turn that into an option for them on the go. It's wasn't complicated and in some ways it was kind of obvious, and in my experience those are the ideas that often have legs. 🚪 If it's easy to sell to retailers then you know you're probably solving a problem / creating a product that people want - a simple litmus test on how well things are going to go is how easy it is to get meetings with retailers. I've sold in products to the trade where I've had to bang on the door to get noticed, in comparison this has been like pushing against an open door. Buyers just got it... 💷 Do your due diligence on your factories - despite doing credit and financial checks our first manufacturing partner we worked with to develop the range sadly went into administration just before we pressed go on packaging. This meant we had to start the development process again at the back end of last year, pushing back our launch date from March to July this year. Even though we did our homework, it still didn't go our way and was a reminder of the importance of this step in any development process to reduce headaches down the line. 🤩 There's always a silver lining - even when things go royally wrong (see point 3 🤦‍♀️ !) there's always a silver lining so don't lose hope. With the extra time we've had to develop the product we've made the product 10x better, making improvements to the recipe, process and packaging. In hindsight, I'm glad we've had an extra few months seeing how incredible the range tastes now. 🍾 Don't forget to celebrate the win but also remember that this is just the start! - when you've been working on something for best part of 4 years make sure to mark it with team as getting any new product to market is a massive feat and can easily be rushed past! However, you can sometimes get wrapped up in getting something launched and forget the hard bit actually starts when the products hit the shelves. Invest in getting the team firing on day 1 and make sure to put 💷 behind any new range to get it launched with a bang! Come back tomorrow for the reveal!!

666

59 Comments

"With the indications of growth, popularity and investment continuing, the coming 12 months into 2025 will prove a breakthrough year for #Asian drinks producers" "Unique products such as Li Hing Mu (salted plums), Dashi (Japanese soup stock) and Shio Koji (an umami condiment made from fermented rice) are all appearing on cocktail menus as bartenders worldwide explore the flavour opportunities that the Asian food and drink markets are providing" We would love to see this trend in operators like Loungers plc Mitchells & Butlers PLC Stonegate Group Greene King Fuller, Smith & Turner Young's Pubs "huge indication of where the market for Asian spirits is going in the UK and it shows a clear opportunity for distributors to satisfy the increasing demand for Asian spirits and drinks" Something that distributors like Booker Group Matthew Clark LWC Drinks Inverarity Morton Dunns Food and Drinks Enotria Winecellars Ltd (T/A Enotria&Coe) should capitalise on and we can help being part of your #Asian Drinks Solution! With Suntory Global Spirits seeing huge opportunities and investments into white spirits, we are excited for this trend to finally reach its potential. Exciting times and with new developments in the pipeline... Tarsier Southeast Asian Spirit is ready to take on the opportunities the global market presents. Thank you Tom Bronock for including us as part of your research. We hope that big UK retailers Tesco Sainsbury's Waitrose & Partners Morrisons Asda embrace this hunger by consumers to look beyond #Japanese #southeastasia #thai #vietnamese #filipino #malay #indonesian #cambodian #singaporean #conservation #asia #drinks #spirits

21

9 Comments

Food businesses call for government ACTION on unhealthy diets ... Tesco Nomad Foods & Iceland Foods plus investors say companies should be 💥legally💥 required to report on the percentage of revenue from sales of foods high in fat, salt & sugar (HFSS) Why does it matter? 1️⃣This ratchets the food policy asks of public health institutions and supports the recommendation for mandatory reporting in the National Food Strategy 2️⃣Business need a level playing field to operate. Having a clear policy plan for health in place encourages companies to develop their offering in line with clear and effective sector wide goals 3️⃣Policy change is happening. Calling for greater government intervention on health gives companies first mover advantage for supporting targets and goals that are on Labour's agenda What else should we consider? 1️⃣Reporting and disclosure is only a useful mechanism to better health and / or sustainability if it's part of a wider plan for changing business operations to improve health ...a step, not a final destination (but a step, none the less) Bravo to the companies pushing for this rung on the ladder 🌟

190

25 Comments

Are you one of the +4.5 million people working in food and drink? 🤔 And if so, are you Carbon Literate? If not, increasingly, you need to be. Your job IS a climate job, no matter the role title. 🌱💚 F&B is a huge opportunity to make a positive impact on climate, as well part of the problem - our global food system equates to an estimated 30% of the world's GHG emissions. Future Food Movement has launched a Carbon Literacy Food & Drink Programme in partnership with The Carbon Literacy Project. Details below. Get involved, become Carbon Literate 💪 #foodandbeverage #climate #netzero #climateaction #carbonliteracy

8

#Food and #drink #startups and #scaleups...a quick survey to support Alex Brown's work, with Impact on Urban Health (do check them out!) on understanding the funding gap for startup and scaling food and drink brands, focused on health and wellness... The right finance is always key, and barriers to it can be the biggest hurdle scaling businesses face, finding equitable solutions is essential. links to the survey are in the post below.

4

TASTE OF LONDON - is it worth it? 🤔 Like most of you - I've been gifted tickets every year - simply for working in the food industry. I've enjoyed the odd extortionate G&T, sampled a few crisps and hard seltzers, and people watched the British public slowly turn elegance into debauchery as the evening closes... As someone fascinated in brands and the food industry - I'm obviously curious as a punter. But is it worth it for Bold Bean Co? Levi Levenfiche mentioned in his round-up, "A lot of brands who were there last year - were not here this year." - is this because they saw value elsewhere? 🤷‍♂️ It's a very expensive exercise, and given you're often up against the fixtures of big-budget brands, even to stand out there, you need to invest in production, team, space & feel. So this goes out to all you Taste-goer founders/marketeers. WHY is it worth it? ROI? 📊 Who is the customer? 👥 Do buyers attend? 🛍️

184

79 Comments

For the UK people, I've heard/read that the color BLUE on a drinks menu is becoming the defacto standard color to signify No-Lo Alcoholic drinks. Just seeing if this is something you are seeing more frequently in UK bars/restaurants and if its catching on with most UK consumers, trade people, and those in the No-Lo industry in general. It does bring up an interesting point of the No-Lo sector coming up with an "Universal" symbol or color to denote No-Lo drinks on a menu. This of course is easier said than done as there are cultural differences with color, symbols, words etc... worldwide or even within countries. Also, we as an industry can't even come up with consistent ABV for No/Low drinks, consistent criteria for terms "alcohol-free", "non-alcoholic", "low-alcoholic", and terminology for NA cocktails or is it mocktails? Your thoughts?

1

The nation’s seen huge upheaval in the last eight years. A flawed food system has left the UK at the tipping point of catastrophic environmental and human health crises. We need policies that create jobs, improve rural livelihoods while delivering sustainable and economically viable food and farming systems Restoring this balance and equity requires ambition and vision from Government. The long-term effects of recent policies are still unfolding, but the need for action is urgent. One thing is clear; we must aspire to accomplish more. By considering organic’s four founding principles, our new manifesto identifies solutions that address the huge disparity that exists in current food and farming systems. The Principles of Health, Ecology, Fairness, and care are the roots from which organic agriculture grows and develops. They express the contribution that organic agriculture can make to the world, and a vision to improve all agriculture in a global context. Implementing OF&G’s recommendations would have a massive, beneficial impact on the resilence and fairness of our food system. Organic is a defined farming system and operates to the highest level of compliance to deliver on all four of the principles outlined The recent formal adoption of regulation on nature restoration by the EU shows that, with political will, change is possible. By advocating for policy changes that support health, ecology, fairness, and care, we can create a sustainable, equitable, vibrant and healthy food system. Organic is a defined farming system and operates to the highest level of compliance. Organic is part of the solution to the challenges confronting us but is not just about changing farming practices, it is about championing a profound, positive impact on our society and the planet. #NOC24 #ThePowerOfOrganic #proudtobeorganic #IGrowYourFood #IFOAMorganicseurope #regenerativefarming #ofgorganic #sustainability #agriculturebiologique #health #sustainablefarming #organicfarming #organic #organicfood #organiclife #UKorganic #organicresearchcentre #biodynamic #sustainabledevelopment #farmingforthefuture Paul Holmbeck  Eric Gall  Vicki Hird  Sarah Compson  Alex Cullen  James Cashmore  Adam Forrest  Adrian Carne Cristina Dimetto  Maria Taffurelli  Steven Jacobs  Becky George  Debs Roberts  Jo Barron

47

Great news, but i'd love to know your thoughts, These results show an almost 29% reduction in added sugar consumption for chikdrem and 40% in adults. However, there's lurks a bigger risk: many have switched to artificially sweetened drinks, which are linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular issues, gut disorders, and more. Producing more low-sugar options that are well-formulated, offering flavour without compromising health is the way forward, but big manufacturing needs to be all over this with better formulations and no get out of jail card for being hit with sugar tax by just replacing one 'bad' ingredient for another more fatal ingredient. Stevia glycosides and sucralose, are widely used as sugar substitutes in these low calorie /zero sugar drinks. While they help reduce calorie intake, they come with potential health risks: Stevia Glycosides: Digestive Issues: Can cause bloating, nausea, and diarrhea in some individuals. Blood Sugar Impact: Despite being non-caloric, studies suggest they negatively affect insulin and glucose levels. Gut Health: negatively affects gut microbiota, leading to digestive disorders. Metabolic Effects: Some studies link it to altered glucose and insulin responses, potentially increasing diabetes risk. Heat Instability: When heated,(pasteurised) it can break down into potentially harmful compounds. Our soft drinks are laced with these harmful sweeteners. do we solved one problem but created a bigger one. Overall, great results but it raises concern for what was the solution.. what are yout thoughts? . #Health #Nutrition #Wellness #PublicHealth

10

3 Comments

Really interesting report by Paul Charity and Propel that Soft drinks surge as Gen Z move away from alcoholic drinks. At Boxfund VC we are keen to support non alcoholic drink alternatives. If you’ve got a great product that needs help and funding to grow please contact us at www.boxfund.co.uk ‘ The on premise is witnessing a marked decrease in alcohol consumption across the globe, a shift evident in the UK, with a -23pp net decrease, resulting in a growing appetite for soft drink options, according to CGA by NIQ’s OPUS data. Among the legal drinking age (LDA) to 24-year-old demographic, almost a third (30%) report drinking less than they did a year ago, with 13% completely abstaining from alcohol. This demographic is also more health-conscious, with three quarters striving to lead a healthier lifestyle (74%) and actively seeking to make environmentally conscious choices (73%). However, this reduction in alcohol intake has not negatively impacted younger consumers’ engagement with the on premise sector, with 86% of LDA-24 year old consumers having visited the on premise in the last three months and 60% going out weekly (over-indexing by +17pp versus the average for all GB consumers). Despite the growing preference for non-alcoholic drinks, the total soft drinks sales performance has remained flat. Although certain segments are showing promise, with a +8% year-on-year (YOY) value increase in bars and bar restaurants and a +2.7% YOY value growth in hotels. This data indicates untapped potential for soft drinks during higher tempo occasions, especially among younger consumers who are increasingly adopting ‘zebra striping’ – alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks throughout the night. In fact, 18-24-year-olds are more likely to choose soft drinks in a bar or late-night setting, over-indexing by +6pp versus the average consumer. In terms of consumer preferences when it comes to soft drinks, the focus on fizz remains intact, holding half (49%) of the market share despite health trends bolstering the rate of sale for sport drinks, water plus and juice drinks. This effervescent outlook is driven by consumer desire for value for money and the increased consumption of fizzy drinks among 18-24-year-olds, with almost a third (30%) reporting they are drinking more carbonated soft drinks than a year ago. CGA client director Violetta Njunina said: “As moderation becomes a key trend, particularly among younger generations, the ability to offer appealing, high-quality and health-conscious soft drinks is crucial for success. Suppliers who tap into these insights and align their strategies are better positioned to lead in this new era of beverage consumption.”

8

3 Comments

Read about my obsession with sausage nipples, along with our take on the state of the plant-based market: https://lnkd.in/ei5qf96s

42

5 Comments

Dan Sparshatt of Golden Acre Foods | B Corp talks to Food Manufacture about the evolution of the UK's World Foods category in this exclusive interview #worldfoods #foodtrends #ukfoodtrends

1

I have some big news! THE PACK is raising on Crowdcube 
 After serving over 250,000 plant-based meals to dogs across the UK, we are delighted to open up early access to THE PACK | Certified B Corp upcoming equity Crowdfunding campaign Judy Nadel and I have built THE PACK, on the core belief that plant-based dog food needs to taste great and provide our dogs with outstanding nutrition. 
Our Mission:

Our mission is to build a healthier generation of dogs and take a bite out of the climate crisis. 
How do we do this: THE PACK, crafts unique formulations in partnership with animal nutritionists, vets and food technologists. We are rigorous in our testing of new foods to ensure they are high performance products that give dogs the best life. Products to-date:

We launched the company with our plant-based meat stew wet foods, a total first for the European pet food industry, hypoallergenic and soya free. Late last year we launched our category defining dried food THE PACK, Oven Baked Crunchy Feast with an average rating of 4.90 out of 5.00 This product is a superstar ⭐️⭐️

Our Products are:
 - 100% Plant-Based - Plastic Free - Soy Free - Premium Nutrition - Highly Digestibe 90%+ - Contain pre and post biotics Proven Team: You will be joining a proven team and an incredible group of investors including the likes of Michiel van Deursen, BOSH! by Henry Firth & Ian Theasby Jan Klerken Leo Groenewegen, Kale United, Veg Capital, Accel, Mars Petcare, Loui Blake, CHRIS SMALLING , Simon Day Alicia Robb Kerstin Robinson Stephanie Peritore Victoria Betoeski, Simon Newstead and more 🐶⭐️

Our Journey to includes: - Europe’s first plant-based pet food startup certified B Corp - Finalist PET worldwide Best Newcomer Award 2024 - Finalist Pet Innovation Awards Best New Product 2022 - 250,000 + meals sold in the UK to-date - Over 200 subscribers to regular orders - Listing with Planet Organic Sign up to early-access today and be part of our journey. Link in comments Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment.  #startup #funding #investment #business #crowdcube #pet #petfood #petindustry #plantbased #vegan

86

41 Comments

"You've picked the worst possible time to fundraise in foodtech" - it's a sentence I've now heard too many times recently. 🚀 WTF are we talking about, really? Consumers are increasingly seeking healthier lifestyles, the world is literally on fire (47 degrees in Mali this morning...) and/or drowning (Dubai...or the fact that it's winter where I am in Brussels in April). 🌏❤️‍🔥 And we also constantly hear that "VCs have never been flusher with dry powder." 💰 So what's the deal?! How do we change this? How take we step back from our individual spreadsheets to address this as a systemic issue? Yes, the world is indeed a scary place right now - inflation, instability in the Middle East, Ukraine... the uncertainties are endless. But isn’t this precisely why our mission in food and climate tech are so critical? 🌍💡 We’re not just here to build businesses; we’re here to contribute to saving the planet before it’s too late. The clock is ticking. ⏰ Worst timing? I say: Perfect timing! It's always darkest before dawn, it's time to light this up 🙌🙌 Who's with me?! (and yes Bolder Foods is fundraising...) #Foodtech #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Startup #Venturecapital #Fundraising #altprotein #altcheese

132

27 Comments

🔊 Join us for the next UK Roadmap to Growth Workshop, focusing on Wholefoods and Veg-Led innovation! This event will take place on the 28th of June at the allplants | B Corp™ kitchen🌱 With phenomenal feedback from Workshops 1 and 2, this is a must-attend session for those working within or interested in the whole foods and veg-led categories👍 Participate in one of the roundtable discussions where we will identify 💡 the challenges, opportunities, and key actions 🎯 to be taken forward ✅ Topics will include: 1. Retail food environment 2. Food service food environment 3. Marketing & communications 4. Supply chains & funding 5. Nutrition & healthy habits 6. Policy & regulation (2, 3 & 5 being my personal favourites! 💚 ) There are only a few spots remaining so if you'd like to attend please register asap using the link below: ➡ https://shorturl.at/SLqPM #plantbased #plantbasedfood #nutrition #healthydiets #growth #strategy #roadmap #UK

19

1 Comment

🌟 Exciting Times for Scottish Food Wholesale: £35 Million Investment Ignites Growth 🥳🍽️ Scotland's food wholesale sector is buzzing with a £35 million investment poised to reshape the industry. This capital infusion highlights confidence and signals a wave of innovation and expansion. Catalyzing Growth: The investment is a game-changer, enhancing infrastructure, expanding product offerings, and scaling operations. It strengthens the company's market presence both domestically and internationally. 🚀📈 Supporting Local and Sustainable: The investment focuses on local agriculture and sustainability. By improving technology and logistics, the company aims to optimize supply chains, reduce food waste, and boost locally sourced produce, aligning with the demand for transparency and eco-friendly practices. 🌱🥕🏴 Creating Jobs: This boost will create numerous job opportunities across Scotland, leading to new hires, training programs, and local talent development, thus enhancing the local economy and workforce. 👩‍💼👨‍💼💼 Driving Innovation: Funds will support advanced warehousing and logistics systems, increasing efficiency and service delivery, and keeping the company competitive in a fast-evolving industry. 📦💻🔧 This £35 million investment in Scotland’s food sector is more than financial backing; it’s a catalyst for positive change in communities, the environment, and industry. The future looks bright for this Scottish wholesaler and the broader food sector. #FoodIndustry #Investment #SustainableGrowth #ScottishBusiness 🥳🌿📈

4

1 Comment

Explaining to my Italian friend what I actually do. Afternoon party in West London, one of these kitchen conversations… My Italian friend, who does not speak English that well asked “What do you do?” Me: “I help food and bev founders to grow and exit their businesses.” “Okaaay… but what do you actually do?” Me: “Well, my co-founder Olçar Tosun does brand strategy, another co-founder Ashon Spooner is a fundraising expert and I do growth and exit strategy and financial modelling, … We all started, scaled and exited our businesses. Now we help….” (blah blah blah, this is not going to work) “OK, look, you know I run that pizza company which I sold to Pizza Express?" “Si, I know that.” “Well, I made lots of mistakes and it took me a long time to open 17 sites and exit.” “Okay?!” “Now I help people like me to do the same but not make the same mistakes and do it faster. Capishi?” “Si, I do. Interesting job. And HOW do you do that?” I knew it. I knew he would ask that🤦🏻‍♂️ I will leave it for another story-post. --- From idea to exit – I’ve been there and done that! Pitching, funding, launching, scaling, waving goodbye – I’ve seen it all. DM me for a FREE 1:1 chat to help you do the same.

24

19 Comments