Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford

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Your product is great. People love it. But you're still struggling to sell it.

Sound familiar?

In episode 148 of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, Chelsea chats with Jayne Gallagher, CEO and co-founder of Honey & Fox, a marketing consultancy that helps good food brands turn provenance into sales.

Jayne and her business partner Helen work specifically with food and drink businesses to cut through the marketing overwhelm and create systems that actually drive revenue - without needing a four-year marketing degree to do it.

Tune...

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How do you build a beverage brand when the margins are slim and you have no outside funding and growth depends on you?

You make sales your North Star. Every single day.

In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Ollie Puddick, founder of Innerbloom, a functional beverage brand that's gone from farmers' markets to over 300 retail doors across Australia and New Zealand in just a few years.

Ollie quit his job as a professional firefighter at the end of last year to go...

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Your product is great but is your packaging selling it when you're not there? Packaging is your silent salesperson so you need to make it work.

In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Gwen Blake, founding director of Boxer & Co, a packaging design agency specialising in fast moving consumer goods.

Here's the reality: we make 95% of our decisions by instinct. Colour, shape, and typography trigger autopilot purchases - green signals healthy and handwritten fonts signal crafted and your packaging has three seconds to trigger the...

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You've got a great product. You're posting on social media. But are you actually building a community - or just racking up likes?

In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Sandra and Jordana from Six-Eyed Scorpion, the award-winning crispy chili oil brand that's absolutely nailing brand building in a crowded condiment category.

Sandra is a chef by trade and founder. Jordana is the head of marketing and brand (and a graphic designer). Together, they've built a premium brand that stands out in a sea of...

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How do you really know if your packaging works? If your campaign will land? If your new flavour will sell?

You ask the people who matter most - your customers. Fast.

In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Anna Henwood, CEO of Stickybeak, a rapid consumer testing platform that delivers feedback from your target audience within 48 hours.

Anna reveals her frameworks for marketing effectiveness that help you get more product into more consumer baskets. We dig into the everyday decisions that often leave...

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Building one successful food brand is hard enough. But what if you could leverage your existing production to create multiple brands that serve different markets and price points?

In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with sisters and co-founders Michelle Blyth and Justine Curtis from Cremorne Street Bakers, Balmain Baking Co., and cookï. Over eight years, they've built a wholesale baking business that now operates across three distinct brands - each serving different customers, channels, and price points.

Their retail journey escalated when Coles Local called t...

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You've got a great product, decent packaging, and maybe even a few stockists. But here's the problem: your product isn't moving off the shelf. You're spending all your energy chasing new listings while your existing stockists are losing confidence. 

This is the wake-up call you need.

In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I'm breaking down why so many CPG brands focus on the wrong metric.

I share real examples from brands that are crushing it. You'll hear about brands like Bippy Chili moving 30-40 units p...

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Scaling up from the bench top to commercial manufacturing is one of the biggest turning points for food, drink, and pet food brands. It’s exciting but it comes with challenges too: ingredient integrity, process changes, minimum order quantities, and the founder’s mindset all play a role in whether scaling feels like a breakthrough or a breakdown.

In Episode 141, I’m joined by Naishad Dalal of Food Entrepreneurship Academy, who has worked with countless startups and established brands to take them from idea through to commercial launch. 

We unpack...

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Orders arriving by text at midnight. 

Quantities scribbled on receipts. 

Spreadsheets that don’t match the coolroom. 

The result? Wasted product, missed shelves, and supply chaos retailers simply won’t tolerate.

In Episode 140 of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I speak with Philip Fierlinger, co-founder of Upstock (and one of the brains behind Xero), about why running a modern food business on scraps of paper isn’t just inefficient - it’s a systemic roadblock costing brand owners money, credibility, and growth.

If scaling matters to...

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You think you know what your customer wants… but do you really?

Turns out, most of us get it wrong.

In Episode 139 of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I’m joined by Angela Beswick from Stickybeak - the rapid consumer testing platform - and Bonnie Slade, founder of NaturKidz, whose last-minute product testing changed the trajectory of her pitch to a major retailer.

This one’s a must-listen if you’re launching a new product, updating your packaging, or prepping for a retailer meeting that needs to go ri...

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It’s the milestone every brand owner chases - landing that major retail listing. But without solid systems in place, supply chain slip-ups, inventory miscalculations, and cash flow gaps can turn that win into a serious setback.

If you’ve just landed your first big retail order - or you’re gearing up to expand nationally without running out of stock (or cash) - this episode could save you time, money, and sleepless nights.

I’m joined by Cameron Aboud and Joel Alderden from sc3sixty, a fractional supply chain co...

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Brand owners could literally be leaving thousands of dollars on the table simply because they don’t realise they’re eligible for funding. If you're making, baking or creating - and not claiming the R&D tax incentive - then this is the episode that will help put money back in your pocket.

In this episode of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I’m joined by Anthony Chi from Bluerock Consulting. Anthony is a rare breed who’s both a lawyer and an accountant. He’s worked with countless food and drink...

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Many brand owners think the only way to grow is to do more. More products, more orders, more late nights. But being busy and trying to do it all yourself to save money doesn’t mean you’re building a smarter business.

In this episode of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I’m joined by two brilliant minds who know how to scale without the chaos - Jason Stockton, founder of the ERP system Supply’d, and Ross Galettis from Madhouse Bakehouse, who’s supplying Qantas (and hundreds more) with mouth-wate...

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Scaling or just staying busy?

Too many brand owners are growing, and keeping busy. But don't confuse that with scaling. More stockists, more sales… and a whole lot more stress. Margins stay razor-thin, costs creep up, and burnout isn’t far behind. 

So this podcast season, I’m calling time on the chaos - because it is possible to scale without losing sleep or profits - using systems, strategy and structure.

In this solo episode, I’m breaking down:

🔑 The real difference between growth and scale.
🔑...

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Didn’t make it to Foodpreneurs Festival 2025? Or maybe you were there but want a refresher on all the high-impact opportunities presented at the event, and the practical steps to take now to leverage your learnings and industry connections?

In this episode, I sat down with Naishad Dalal, food scientist, entrepreneur, and founder of the Food Entrepreneurship Academy, and Jason Stockton, operations expert and founder of Supply’d, the ERP system built just for Foodpreneurs.

Together, we unpack exactly what went down at Foodpreneurs Festival 2025 - from the brands to w...

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Scaling a frozen food brand? It’s not for the faint-hearted. Cold chain logistics, merchandising nightmares, and razor-thin margins make it one of the most challenging categories in the game.

But Mrinali Kumar, CEO and co-founder of EatKinda, is flipping the script - proving that bold innovation, sustainability, and smart operations can carve out a winning edge.

In this episode, Mrinali reveals how EatKinda - the world’s first cauliflower-based ice cream - went from a small-town pitch comp in New Zealand to over 120 retail listings, and garnering international buzz...

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Alexandra Bekker, founder of Drink Nimbus, is on a mission to shake up plant-based milk and the sustainability issues that come with it. After a highly successful eCommerce career, she discovered the shocking truth: 138 billion long-life cartons end up in landfill each year. So, she set out to create a better alternative.

In this episode, Alexandra shares how she:

🌱 Validated her oat milk powder concept through surveys and kitchen trials
🛠 Navigated supplier relationships and big MOQs to get production off the ground
📈 Built a scalable operational setup that’s ta...

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Sandra Seah, founder of Six-Eyed Scorpion, has built a premium, seriously flavourful crispy chilli oil brand that’s shaking up the condiment aisle. Voted #1 chilli oil by Gourmet Traveller, her range blends bold Singaporean flavours with top-tier Australian ingredients - and retailers are taking notice.

For episode 131, fresh off landing in Harris Farm Markets, I spoke to Sandra about how she’s scaling smartly, ensuring profitability while keeping quality at the forefront. In this episode, we dive into:

🔥 The strategic shifts that helped Six-Eyed Scorpion secure retail shelf space
🔥 H...

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Burnout is a real challenge in the industry. Many Foodpreneurs start their businesses as a side hustle - juggling production, marketing, sales, packing, and every other task that comes with running a business solo.

But it doesn’t have to stand in the way of scaling.

For episode 130, I sat down with Laura Allan, founder of Isaac’s Snacks, the wholefood bites brand keeping it real with fewer than 10 ingredients. With 900+ Woolworths stores stocking her products and a strong presence in independents, Laura has built what so many Foodpreneurs drea...

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You’ve got the vision - but do you have the supply chain to scale it?

For episode 129, I sat down with Stefan Di Benedetto, founder of Solbevi, the limoncello spritz brand shaking up the drinks industry across Australia and New Zealand. His goal? Nothing short of global domination.

But here’s the reality: scaling a challenger brand isn’t just about a great product, it’s about making smart manufacturing and distribution moves, fast.

Stefan’s story is one of relentless ambition, resilience, and strategy. He went from...

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You’re burning out – but still not paying yourself a wage. So how do you afford a co-manufacturer without cutting corners?

In episode 128 we’re getting real about the biggest challenge many Foodpreneurs face: you’re working non-stop, but your margins aren’t big enough to pay yourself - let alone afford to outsource production.

But here’s the thing: sticking with in-house manufacturing might actually be costing you more.

That’s why I’m joined by Naishad Dalal, food scientist, entrepreneur, and Founder of the Food Entrepreneurship...

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Business isn’t always exciting - and that’s exactly the point.

In episode 127 of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, we’re kicking off Season 13 with a solo session that dives into a truth many overlook: success isn’t about chasing shiny new strategies. It’s about implementation.

Yep, the boring stuff. The routines. The consistency. That’s where growth lives.

This episode includes:

🚀 Why the ‘boring basics’ are your business’s secret weapon - and how ignoring them is costing you more than you think.

🚀 The 90-da...

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Spotting a gap in the market often sparks the creation of something truly innovative - and that’s exactly what happened for Tim and Liam from Bae Juice. They saw the need for a reliable hangover solution and turned it into a thriving business. Bae Juice - a Korean pear juice infused with a unique enzyme to tackle hangovers, launched in 2019, has become a go-to remedy, stocked in over 3,500 stores across Australia and now Brooklyn, New York!

Their approach is all about smart, intentional growth and in this podcast episode, they sh...

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When Roz White and her husband Michael started their first White’s IGA store 31 years ago, they weren’t just opening a business; they were planting roots. Fast forward to today, and they’ve grown into a Sunshine Coast icon with six stores, over 520 staff, and deep connections to their local community.

Roz’s formula for success? A steadfast commitment to people, relationships, and purpose-led retail. From choosing not to implement self-checkouts—valuing connection over convenience—to building partnerships with 200 local Sunshine Coast suppliers, Roz’s vision has always been about more than just...

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When Jarahad Valeri saw parents struggling to get kids to eat more fruits and veggies, he saw an opportunity. That spark led to Welly — a snack company that turns fruits and veg into kid-friendly, gut-healthy bites that parents can trust. Launching Welly Kids in 2022 and expanding to adults in early 2023, Jarahad set out to bring these health benefits to a wider audience. His formula for success? A powerful mix of internal data, direct consumer conversations, and retailer insights that shaped Welly’s path forward to where they are now - stocked in Coles and...

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Mason Bagios didn’t set out to transform Australia’s drinking culture - but that’s exactly what happened when he chose to quit alcohol and embrace cleaner living. This personal journey inspired Kommunity Brew, a brand he co-founded to offer mindful, substance-free options that resonate with a new generation of health-conscious Aussies. From the start, Mason knew that authenticity was key, creating kombuchas, probiotic waters, and botanical shots that were as genuine as his mission.

In Episode 123, Mason shares how he turned this vision into reality, touching on:

🥤 The impor...

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What began as her mum’s cherished muesli slice recipe, evolved into Springhill Farm, a brand house helmed by Fiona Whatley, bringing better-for-you, but equally delicious treats like Slice and Boodles to shelves across Australia. Together with her husband, James, Fiona has transformed a family recipe into a business that thrives on bold choices, from securing Woolworths’ support before products were even made, to shifting focus from product to powerful brand storytelling.

In Episode 122, Fiona shares her journey on:

🍫 Gaining early buy-in from retailers through pre-selling strategies (you’ve got to he...

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Ever felt the frustration of squeezing lemons every day, only to watch the waste pile up? That’s exactly what sparked the creation of Naked Rivals frozen lemon and lime juice. The brand’s co-founders Andrew and Kate Gordon combined a passion for sustainability, with a sharp commercial lens, to build a brand that’s catching waves in retail—and staying on top.

In this episode, Andrew reveals the journey behind a product that’s revolutionising kitchens across Australia. From the first squeeze to securing shelf space in Coles and Woolworths, Andrew sha...

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Grassroots marketing strategies can propel food, drink, and pet food brands from zero to hero, and this episode is all about actionable, boots-on-the-ground tactics to get you there!

Whether you're just getting started or looking to refine your brand's approach, this episode will help you take the next step. I break down three real-life examples of how local, customer-centric efforts turned small unknown brands into household names, including:

✨ Fodbods: Their gut-friendly snack bars weren’t just products—they were solutions for those with digestive sensitivities. Discover how connecting directly with h...

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From brand identity to building customer loyalty, this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford is packed with insights for emerging and challenger brand owners. I sit down with Hannah Murphy from Tracksuit and Matt Kowal from Naked Life Group, two experts who have successfully helped brands cut through the noise in today’s crowded market.

We dive deep into the power of branding—what it truly means, how it can make or break your business, and why packaged food, drink or pet food owners must focus on more than just t...

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For Foodpreneurs the countdown to Q4—the "Golden Quarter"—is officially on with just 16 weeks to go! This is the season with epic sales including Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year periods; unsurprisingly, the time of year when brand owners make the most money.

In this episode I cover how to make every week, from now until then, count so that packaged food, drink and pet food founders make the most of it. 

Listen now to discover: 

✅ Exactly what you need to focus on durin...

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From an aspiring entrepreneur to the CEO of Australia’s leading 'better for you' frozen dessert brand, Cass Spies’ journey is a testament to grit and determination. In this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I sit down with Cass, the powerhouse behind Twisted Healthy Treats.

Cass launched her dream business in 2009 after returning from the UK, inspired by Janine Allis’ Boost Juice franchise model. What started as a retail frozen yoghurt shop quickly evolved into a thriving wholesale business, landing Twisted’s treats in 2,500 supermarkets across Australia, 5,000 school can...

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From award-winning Executive Chef to consumer packaged goods creator extraordinaire, Shaun Quade’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. In this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with the talented Shaun. Shaun and his life and business partner Veronica Fil recently returned to Australia from the US where they scaled a plant-based CPG cheese product called Grounded. 

Together they landed Grounded in more than 2000 stockists across the US, raised $4M in investment and faced the challenges of an industry dominated by big food companies. In this episode Shaun...

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From unlocking funds through grants, and winning awards can both be a game-changer for your business. In this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Madonna Melrose, founder of Melrose International, about leveraging grants to fuel your growth.


Madonna, a specialist in grant applications, shares how understanding the grant landscape and having a clear future growth plan are key to securing funds. With billions of funding dollars available, and with only 35% of businesses accessing these grants, now is the time to get grant-ready!


Li...

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From tech exec to meal kit mogul, Ambika Malvia's journey is nothing short of inspiring. In this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with the amazing Ambika, co-founder of Spicecraft meal kits. Starting from a humble market stall in Sydney, Ambika and her partner, Vikram, have scaled their business to over 430 retailers across Australia.

Ambika’s unique approach to user experience, honed from her background as an electronics engineer, has been the secret sauce to Spicecraft’s success, and she’s sharing her insights in Ep 114...

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From legal aspirations, to drama school, to brand owner and specialty distribution, it’s been an interesting (to say the least!) pathway to the F&B industry for my latest guest on Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast. This week I chat with the incredible Melinda Dimitriades-Catt. As a professional cook, small goods and cheese expert, and speciality food distributor based in Sydney, Melinda has navigated the trenches of the speciality food world.

With her profound love for speciality produce and keen understanding of consumer preferences, Melinda shares insights from her journey, hi...

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“Can you share advice for getting in contact with buyers” is a question I’m asked often. Brand owners can sometimes be afraid to make the approach. It’s understandable, buyers can be pretty elusive and appear on the horizon like demigods with divine powers to consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand owners. But, the truth is, they’re human too. Just like you and I. There are so many ways you can make the approach, but whichever one you choose, you should have the core knowledge that all buyers will want to know regardless...

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Scaling a consumer packaged goods (CPG) business is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. There are so many options on how you can go-to-market and they all look shiny, delicious and different. But, what are the real opportunities? And the real pitfalls?

There are more than 20,000 new food and drink products launched every year and the go-to-market strategy for each can just be like choosing a goodie from a mixed box of chocolates, too much choice, unless you know what you’re doing. Of t...

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What happens when you’re not from the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, you’ve managed to bag $1M dollars in investment (I know right!) and you want to scale a big food business? You move to the other side of the world and participate in an accelerator program, lean heavily into everything you can learn and source as many contacts you can to grow your business fast and go on to land 200 retailers in just 12 months.

That’s what happened to Veronica Fil, former CEO of Grounded Foods Co. and her pa...

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Buyers inside the Pitch Hub at Foodpreneurs Festival told me what brands and products they really loved and wanted to see more of.  Would you like to know what they told me? How handy would it be for you to understand why some brands were chosen, by the buyers, to pitch and others weren’t?

Now you can. 

In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I invited Brent Vrdoljak and Mia Van Tubbergh to talk with me immediately following Foodpreneurs Festival 2024. Brent, a marketing strategist; Mia, a sale...

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According to Warren Spence, founder Motor, a brand design agency and my guest in this episode, the modern world is as fast as a Japanese bullet train and our generation is fixated on digital media content. Let’s just say, according to Warren, that visual communication is a little out of control, mainly because of social media but it will only get faster. Supermarkets, pharmacies and other retailers stock thousands of brands that create visual noise. Products are competing fiercely so to cut through the ‘blah blah basic boring’, you need to disrupt, be out...

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Want to know all the steps to develop a food or drink packaged product for commercial scale? Want to bring a product from overseas and launch it in your local market? How about trying to get ahead of the food trends and launch a product before anyone else does?

All these questions and more are answered in this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast where I chat to food scientist and entrepreneur, Naishad Dalal from Food Entrepreneurship Academy. Naishad has launched over 110 products for 35 startups, so he knows a thing...

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Are you scaling your food, drink or pet treat brand and have taken time to think about how to get stocked into all the stores you’ve successfully landed? What about how much it’s costing you to store inventory rather than landing it on the retail shelf? Or how much each carton is costing you to deliver so you can work out what your precise CLOGS are?

You quite possibly haven’t!!!

Supply chain is not the first thing Foodpreneurs think about as they’re making amazing products. Well… th...

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What should your sales script be when you get a ‘no, yes, or maybe’ response from a buyer?
 
In this episode I speak with sales superstar, Mia Van Tubbergh from Elm Professional, and she tells you.
 
For each reply, Mia says, there’s a response that you can have prepared, even if you’re not sure what they’re going to say, because sales is a predictable cycle. A Foodpreneur just needs to get to know the steps.
 
Listen to this episode and walk away knowing:
 
 💸 what to...

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Getting product off the shelf and into more consumers’ baskets requires knowledge of what your consumer responds to, and what turns them off. Finding that out can be hard.
 
 In this episode I speak with Sally Breden, Managing Director of The VGood Company, a busy working mum with brand management and product development expertise who launched VGood pea-not spreads to bring to life a dream of making healthier options more delicious and accessible to more people. 
 
 Sally knows how to discover the language her consumers want to hear. 

You do...

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Do you know you can get money back in your pocket for all your hard work crafting delicious new products, experimenting with exciting ingredients, or streamlining your production process?
 
All those research and development (R&D) efforts could translate into government funding. It's like getting paid to create!
 
In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with with head of manufacturing and R&D tax incentive expert Jessica Olivier from RSM business advisory. Jess and her team have helped countless emerging and challenger brands in the fo...

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The first 90 days after your product lands on the supermarket shelf are crucial to your long-term ability to keep it there.

Setting up your rate of sale to continually improve will avoid the risk of your product being delisted. One of the fundamentals of getting this right is by ensuring your first promotional plan doesn’t sit outside of what else you’re doing. In fact it should complement your existing activities and tie back to your overarching business strategy.

Strategy should never change, but your tactics will.

...

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Many food and drink founders dream of landing their product on the shelves of the major supermarkets.

But why do they make it so hard for Foodpreneurs to do so?

In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with Allen Roberts, a former FMCG senior executive with food giants like Vegetable Oils which became Goodman Fielder, Cerebos the makers of Fountain Tomato Sauce and Dairy Farmers. 

Allen and I talk about the big issues for small brands when working with the majors and the m...

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You might be a small business but that doesn’t mean you have to spend more than you earn. There might be a constant list of activities on your ‘to do list’, all seemingly urgent to keep your business afloat, but what are the things that are the most important that will put more money in your pocket, and not more money in the pockets of retailers or distributors?

In this 100th episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I outline six ways for consumer packaged goods businesses to be more profit...

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Many food and drink founders dream of taking their brand global.

But where do you start, what does it take and what are the challenges that come with expanding into international markets?

In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with Kathryn Bricken, founder of Doughlicious - the London Dough Company. Kathryn shares the secrets behind scaling her cookie dough empire in just a few short years. We explore her journey from a London factory to landing on shelves in some of the largest retailers across...

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Many small packaged food and drink businesses see PR as complex, ill-defined, or expensive. But what if it could be simple, affordable, and highly effective?

In this 2nd Anniversary episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I explore the power of PR for Foodpreneurs. Join me as I chat with PR expert Celia Harding, who's worked with both major brands including Smirnoff, and boutique favourites like Mr Black Coffee Liqueur.

Celia breaks down insider tips and tools to get your brand noticed, without breaking the bank (or spending anything...

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The world's top business leaders know the secret ingredient for scaling success: people. Not just employees, but a powerful network of mentors, allies, and even family.

In these turbulent times, going it alone limits your growth potential. That's why in this 2nd Anniversary episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast,  Episode 97: Behind the Scenes Look of what it Actually Takes to Scale, Scott Mendelsohn, the people-first powerhouse behind Australia's Raw C and Lesser Evil brands, shares his story of success by finding his ‘tribe’. He went from two shipping conta...

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Forget the fantasy of buyers begging for your product. In the real world of packaged food and drink, thousands of brands are vying for limited shelf space. To stand out and get noticed, you need a strategic game plan.

In this 2nd Anniversary episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I talk with RangeMe founder, Nicky Jackson, the queen of connecting suppliers with retailers. Nicki spills the beans on how to crush the buyer game and land more accounts. Get ready for insider tips and tricks on:

👀 Strategies for handling rad...

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Picture this, you’ve just launched a food brand with no FMCG experience, producing in a saturated market from your garage in a local town. Fast forward four years, and that brand is now a household name, generating millions in revenue, selling nationally and internationally, and self-manufacturing not only your product but others as well.

It may sound like a dream, but it's the reality for Cian Dawson and Courtney Brown, co-founders of GYM BOD – a better-for-you ice cream brand that has skyrocketed since its conception. With a dedicated following among fitn...

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In the competitive world of packaged food and drink, your brand and packaging are your megaphone, your spotlight, your key to conquering the aisles, landing on more shelves and building loyal customers.

In this 2nd Anniversary epsiode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with with design experts Bex Deere and Nat Townsend from Griffin Grace. They've helped countless challenger brands in the food and beverage space cut through all the visual noise on shelves, and they're here to share their wisdom.

These design wizards unveil...

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Knowing what trends are happening in your industry is a smart way to find out how to not just stay on top of what’s happening, but ahead of it; differentiating yourself from a lot of the competition while doing so.

Brands that don’t evolve, get left behind. It’s not about jumping on every new trend that comes along or creating a new product to meet every consumer’s demand. It’s about being in the know, staying attuned to consumer trends, and knowing which of these trends align with your...

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2023 was for many, a shock to the system. A steep change in consumer behaviour relative to previous years. We heard ‘cost of living crisis’ mentioned continually on the news. But was it all bad for emerging food and drink consumer packaged good brands? 

Absolutely not. 

In this week’s Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast episode, the final for 2023, I review what the landscape was like for startups and emerging brands and help you prepare to make more sales in 2024. 

Becoming aware of the marketplace patterns; the changing condition...

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Navigating social media as a brand owner is like wielding a double-edged sword. Master it, and you're on the path to becoming a household name, raking in sales through heightened social awareness. Misstep and you might find yourself pouring heaps of time into creating content that goes unnoticed or fails to captivate. Add the ever-evolving landscape of multiple platforms to the mix, and the challenge to stay on top of and adapt to constant changes becomes a wild (and exhausting!) ride.

My guest this week on the podcast is Mary Proulx...

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We are now two-thirds of the way through the ‘golden quarter’ – typically retail's most profitable period. But from what I’m hearing, it hasn’t been terribly ‘golden’ for many. Weekly I encounter food and beverage entrepreneurs facing challenges in profitably growing and scaling their food and drink businesses.

After 30 years of industry experience, the reasons for their struggles are usually very clear to me. This is why this episode is all about putting more money in your pocket (not just making sales, but increasing profit); and how to do this during this to...

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The ‘selling’ aspect of creating a packaged food and drink brand is often an afterthought for food or drink entrepreneurs; when really it should be second only to creating a top-notch product. Why? Beacause your brand story, ingredients or packaging won’t mean a thing if you can’t sell.

Someone who knows the importance (and skill) of selling is Paul John Legaz, the founder of VinZero Drinks - premium non-alcoholic wine, beer and spirits sourced from around the world. 

Paul has a background in media sales, so when h...

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Avoiding burnout poses a significant hurdle for food and beverage entrepreneurs. Limited resources often prevent them from hiring, leading to the common issue of stretching themselves too thin. This, in turn, hampers their business's ability to scale.

If you’re like my latest podcast guests, who not only enjoy handpicking the fruit that goes into every single bottle of their product, but also engaging directly with customers, how do you then expand your business and bring your products to a wider audience

You use distributors.

This week on...

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Innovation in the food and beverage industry drives competition over big food flavour rotations and provides consumers with more choice.

My guest this week on the podcast is Mark Beattie, a self-proclaimed ‘innovation junkie, that has transformed the humble egg into a successful business catering to the hospitality sector.

Mark’s company, Eggzi, produces free range and pasteurised eggs for chefs and bartenders, and is a perfect example of how true innovation paired with strategy and systems can create a profitable business that doesn’t need to compete on price...

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Imagine getting your kids off to school, unpacking all the cooking equipment you need to make your next product batch, cooking all day, then packing it all away before the kids get home. It’s an exhausting cycle that can limit the ability for a normal home life, and prevent you from putting more money in your pocket due to not being able to scale.

Natalie Harris, the co-founder of Danny Balboa’s Sauce Co, an award-winning hot sauce and spice rub brand, was experiencing this daily. Natalie and her partner Dan...

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The best business leaders in the world know that to scale and take a business to the next level, it requires one key ingredient – people. 

And the ‘people’ I’m talking about are not just people who work in your business, it’s also your business network and mentors, your community and your family and friends.

The reality is, in these challenging economic times, there's a limit to how much your business can grow if you're shouldering all the responsibilities and trying to do it all alone.

My latest g...

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Times are tough for many right now. The cost-of-living crisis has people pulling back on spending, which affects many small businesses, Foodpreneurs included.

But for those with packaged food and drink products who are wondering “How can I boost sales and profits when households are tightening their belts?", I have a solution for you, and it is simpler than you might expect.

And yes, I’m going to share it with you. 

In episode 83 of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I unpack my Scale Up Money Map...

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Often in the journey to build a successful packaged food or drink business, Foodpreneurs get tunnel vision on creating a delicious product, securing shelf space, and making sales, but one key aspect that can be the difference between success and failure is often overlooked.

It’s the decisions you make. 

You can either get out of your comfort zone, decide to have a growth mindset, and be the driving force that elevates your business to soaring success, or let it remain a mere (expensive!) pastime.

My guest on...

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Getting a packaged food and drink  product on a retail shelf…If I had a dollar for every time I heard this topic come up with Foodpreneurs, well, I’d be very wealthy 💰

And predictably so, as securing placement for a product in retail stores is a top priority for Foodpreneurs seeking to expand their business through wholesale channels.

Whether you're new to approaching buyers, have faced previous rejections, or are looking to expand  your current retail presence, understanding how to captivate buyers and provide them with essential information about you...

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Introducing a new product into the market is not easy. There’s a lot to consider, including market research, production, branding, packaging, marketing, distribution, sales, and much more. It's a venture fraught with uncertainty. What adds an extra layer of risk is managing an overseas supplier and launching a product featuring an age-old, traditional seed from overseas that's largely unfamiliar to most Australians.

But this is exactly what my guests on the podcast this week did.

In the latest episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with Me...

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Making your food and drink brand stand out in a crowded market can be challenging. Retail shelves are more competitive than ever, with thousands of new food and drink products launched every year. 

But there is a way to cut through the noise and boost your profits (even in these tough economic times with consumers cutting back on spending). 

How? By implementing key actions and focusing on the right things based on your level of revenue. 

In the latest episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I’m sha...

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Getting eyeballs on your products and making your brand seen, liked and purchased by consumers can be challenging, time consuming and expensive. However, there is a cost-effective way for time-poor business owners to boost brand awareness and drive product sales through a marketing strategy that is often overlooked. I'm referring to collaborations (or collabs!).

In this week's episode of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat to Jess Ruhfus, the founder of Collabosaurus, an innovative marketing platform that facilitates smart collabs and partnerships between brands. As a  brand owner herself, J...

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Foodpreneur Lisa Steny took a bold leap from a thriving corporate life to carve a niche for herself in the dairy industry. 

That’s the simplified version of her story. The truth is, Lisa left a lucrative career in Finance and Banking, with zero experience in the food industry, to move to Bali and start producing luxury dairy products in a country that had no history of dairy production. And then Covid hit. 

Despite the challenging launch timing, her commitment to top-tier quality and keen customer insights have driven 8 Degr...

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If you’ve never worked with a food and beverage distributor, but are thinking about it, there’s a lot to consider, such as who to work with.  How to work with them? And what margins you have to play with?

Regardless of who you decide to approach to distribute your product, and what margins you’ve agreed on, there is one thing that can make a HUGE difference in whether your experience working with one is successful and financially rewarding.

And this is, how you see the relationship.
Duration: 00:44:38

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Have you ever successfully arranged to pitch to a potential buyer but as you were driving to the meeting, allowed your fears to overpower you, resulting in you not showing up and missing out on an opportunity to grow your business?

Janessa Rutter has.

It's likely many of you can empathise with the fear that Janessa has grappled with. As a Foodpreneur striving to secure shelf space through successful pitches, she has often been plagued by imposter syndrome and a tendency to ‘play small’ when it comes to her bran...

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Transitioning your business focus from DTC to wholesale can be a daunting process at the beginning. It requires reevaluating your business, marketing, and logistics strategies, as well as a careful review of your margins and pricing. Additionally, deciding whether to involve intermediaries further adds to the complexity. 

This week on the podcast I chat to Helen Tricarico, brains and brewer behind the acclaimed Hoti Kombucha. We delve into her journey of transitioning from DTC to wholesale, which was triggered by a sudden change in her DTC space, leading to the loss o...

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It’s almost a wrap on Q2 - a time when Foodpreneurs should have been taking advantage of the numerous special occasions to sell products, and sell HARD.

Did you?

If not, there are still opportunities in quarter 3 to hit your sales targets for 2023, despite increased operating costs. It’s how to increase your product profit margins, even with these rising running costs that I go through in episode 73 of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast. It is 100% possible, and I’m going to tell you how.

I’m also g...

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It is widely known that launching, growing, and scaling a packaged food and drink brand is hard which is why I made it a whole lot easier by creating the Foodpreneurs Festival - a years worth of sales, promotion, and networking opportunities for Australian Foodpreneurs. It’s been a few weeks now since the Festival and I’ve been digging into the data to provide even more information that will help food and drink entrepreneurs grow their packaged food and drink brands. I’ve sat down to analyse feedback, spoken to retailers, industry expert...

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There’s so much more to consider when designing your branding and packaging than just making it look ‘pretty’. Your branding and packaging can be the difference between blending into a sea of similar products and not getting stocked, to standing out from the crowd, landing on more shelves, and getting into more consumer baskets.

This week on Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with Bex Deere and Nat Townsend from Design Agency Griffin Grace. Nat and Bex have worked with a lot of brands in the F&B space and kn...

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Stress, financial woes, burnout and self-doubt. Many if not all Foodpreneurs have suffered these at some point in their business. But did you know there are issues specific to to Indigenous-owned packaged food and drink businesses you may never have thought about. 

In celebration of National Reconciliation Week, this week on the podcast I spoke to Sharon Brindley, a Yamatji/Noongar woman who owns and runs the 100% First Nations chocolate and tea brand Jala Jala Treats; and is dreaming of taking her products global. At times the conversation is raw, talking a...

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Many Foodpreneurs tend to overthink their pitches, whether this is on the phone trying to get a meeting with a buyer, or in-person during an actual pitch. This is understandable; considering the amount of time that has gone into creating a product or brand, and the fact that getting into a retailer is a big step in scaling a packaged food and drink business.

"What do I say?", "Is my product even good enough?", "What do they actually care about?", "What info do they want/need"? The overwhelm can be paralysing...

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Landing a meeting with a buyer, and impressing them once you do is not easy; if it was, everyone with a packaged food and drink product would be on shelves. You need to nail your sales pitch so you land a meeting, and then get stocked; but what exactly do buyers want and need to hear before they’ll even consider putting your product on their shelf?

Here’s a hint, it’s not just how great-tasting your product is, or how good it will look on shelves.

Despite needin...

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Sales. Just the word can have some Foodpreneurs running to find the closest table to hide under. But what if the way you thought about selling your product was based on preconceived ideas, and by reframing how you think and feel about the sales process would instead fill you with confidence and make you feel more empowered and at ease in your next buyer meeting or when calling or emailing a buyer for the first time

That’s exactly what I go through with Mia Van Tubbergh, the Sales Partner from El...

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Imagine starting a food brand without any FMCG experience, manufacturing a product in a saturated market, out of your garage in your local town. Now imagine four years later that brand is a household name, is turning over millions of dollars in revenue, is selling nationally and overseas, and has just purchased their own facility to manufacture their product, and products for other Foodpreneurs.

Sounds unreal. But it’s not.

This week on the podcast I chat with Cian Dawson and Courtney Brown, the co-founders of Gym Bod – A bett...

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The plant-based food and drink category has grown and evolved tremendously in recent years. We now have plant-based chicken, beef, sausages, cheeses, milks, chocolates, eggs, you name it there’s a plant-based alternative for it. 

But have you ever heard of plant-based tuna?

In episode 64 of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I (virtually) sat down with BettaF!sh co-founder and co-CEO, Deniz Ficicioglu to learn how her startup is making waves across Europe with their ‘tu-nah’ product that looks, tastes and feels exactly like canned tuna, but is made from se...

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You created a product to solve a personal problem, or because you noticed a gap in the market for your delicious product. But did you start off thinking about creating a brand? It’s unlikely.

If you listened to last week's episode, which was part 1 of my 2 part series on brand-building strategies, you would've heard that 99% of Foodpreneurs don't succeed because they fail to create a brand. Creating a brand, powered by strategic planning, thinking and implementation will help you succeed where others don't; and you need to be adaptable, organised an...

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You’ve done all the hard work. You've created a great-tasting product, designed your packaging, organised your labelling, and spent hours upon hours finally getting your product into a retailer.

Unfortunately, this won't equal success.

In order to be in the minority of packaged food and drink products that actually make it long term, you need to get your product off the shelf, into more consumer baskets and through the checkout time and time again. And in order to do this you need to build a brand.

Ge...

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Thinking about barcodes might not be the most exciting part of creating a product as a Foodpreneur, but it usually is the first step in getting your product retail-ready (and a very important step!).

Barcodes can actually do some pretty cool things, like help you sell internationally, make your product look preferable in the eyes of a buyer, help you manage your entire supply chain, as well as even help the industry be more sustainable!

In episode 61 of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with Marcel Sieira...

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If you think you don't have the time to sit and review your business activities each quarter, think about what it could be costing you in time and money if you don't properly review what you're doing. You won't know what activities, processes, and strategies are working, and which aren't. Without a proper debrief, you'll end up doing the same things, while still trying to get more sales. 

But as the saying goes, you can't keep doing the same thing, expecting different (better) results. 

In episode 60 of The Foodpreneur wi...

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PR might seem daunting, unnecessary or expensive to small packaged food and drink business owners, but it can be anything but. Foodpreneurs can leverage media coverage to get a huge amount of eyeballs on their brand, with little to no budget, and there are things you can do during your day to help build out your brand story, all of which will can  be used to generate publicity. 

This week on the podcast I chat with PR expert Celia Harding who has worked with major, and boutique brands in the F&B...

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As a Foodpreneur, trying to create a successful brand, in an industry that’s notorious for being tough to make it in, is financially, mentally and emotionally taxing (not to mention all the physical effort that comes into cooking and packing products). You’ll likely experience the rollercoaster of not only being in the F&B industry, but also being a business owner, and some days you can question yourself and your decision to become a food founder.

BUT you are not alone. My guest this week on Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford...

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As Foodpreneurs (and in life in general), you'll experience many moments you might think of failures. Whether it's getting a 'no' from a retail buyer you've been communicating with for months, to a major piece of equipment failing right before fulfilling a big order, to thinking your entire business is a failure. 

These moments will test you, but if you change your mindset around what a failure is, they need not break you (and often can be a catalyst for something greater).

This month we celebrate International Women's Day a...

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I know that marketing can be a point of confusion and overwhelm for many foodpreneurs; where do you start? What channels should you use? Google? Meta? Tiktok? How much budget do you need? What to do if you don't have any budget? Ultimately, in a digital world filled with competitors and 'noise', how does your brand get noticed and stand out to consumers and retailers enough so that they put YOUR product on their shelves, or in their baskets?

In this week's episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, my guest...

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Having worked with foodpreneurs for many years, I know that the chance to get into the mind of a retail buyer is priceless. Knowing how to land a meeting with them, how to get onto their shelves, and even how to get them to respond to your emails and/or phone calls would be an invaluable opportunity for many of you.

That's why in episode 55 of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with specialty retail buyer Tim Sykes from the AMAZING Gertrude Grocer, and ask him all the things you've...

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If you currently use, or are considering using a distributor to distribute your products to a retailer, have you accounted for the margin to pay yourself as well?

Using a distributor can help increase your stockists but it is another expense that needs to be accounted for when pricing your product 💸, which is why pricing correctly for distribution is so important.

In this episode I talk with Hayssam Bejjani, The Chief at Cartel & Co, a boutique food and beverage brand partnership and distribution company,  about distribution best practises for pack...

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Do you want to get your product in more stockists and onto more shelves?

What about getting your product off those shelves, into more baskets and through check-outs?

Of course, you do. No business can run off passion or the sweet scent of cookies baking… 🍪

You’ll want to listen to this updated version of one of our most popular podcasts from 2022, where I chat with Christina Basile, owner operator of Panetta Mercato, a collection of five family run grocery stores sourcing high quality food and drink product...

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Last year when I made this episode, making money in the food and drink industry was hard. With global market issues and increased competition, it may be even more difficult in the current climate.

This was our number #1 episode in 2022 and for good reason. 73% of packaged food and drink brand owners don’t pay themselves a wage because there is no profit to set aside for all their time and effort, and if you're a foodpreneur reading this, you may already know that from first hand experience.

Listen to my...

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Having a business partner can be great. Someone to share the workload with, someone who brings their own set of skills into the business and someone to support a crazy idea of starting a food business that involves selling a product using an ingredient hardly anyone knows about…..

Sounds, well brave, doesn’t it. But that’s exactly what my two guests this week on Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast did. And not only have they built a thriving business with their black garlic being adored by many high profile chefs, but a...

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Did you know that 320 people in Australia search for ‘handmade chocolate’ every month on Google? How about that 2,900 people in the US search ‘best kombucha’ online EVERY MONTH. And that’s just a fraction of searches people all over the world make looking for packaged food and drink products to buy online.

Now, if you’re a Foodpreneur who sells directly to consumers from a website, you’re going to want to be in front of those eyeballs 👀 👀 👀.

That’s why if you’ve got an ecommerce website, I’ve got a treat for you. On Fo...

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In a perfect Foodpreneur world, your product would have buyers knocking at your door. The reality, however, is a little different. With thousands of packaged F&B products out there, and only so much shelf space, it’s essential that products and brands stand out from the crowd to get onto (and off of) more shelves.

In this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast I chat to RangeMe founder, Nicky Jackson. As the founder of a platform that connects retailers with suppliers, Nicky knows what it takes to stan...

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There’s a reason food and drink businesses that remain current do well. Aligning your business – whether that be packaging, tastes, or ethics – with what customers are interested in help products get on, and off shelves.

This doesn’t mean a major overhaul of your brand or products every year to be ‘on-trend’. There are a number of industry trends I’ve discovered through extensive research and my own experience helping small, medium and big brands succeed in the market that can be incorporated into an existing business strategy to help foodpreneurs r...