“People always ask when we’re going into supermarkets. But that’s not our measure of success.”

Today I’m speaking with Nicola founder of Single Variety Co, a multi-award-winning jam brand that’s rewriting the rules of category-building.

From a passionfruit jam on holiday to running her own jam factory, Nicola has built Single Variety Co with no outside investment, no listings in the Big Four, and no salespeople for nearly a decade. In this episode, she shares how she grew her brand one market, one jar, and one loyal customer at a time.

We cover:

• Why she turned down the supermarkets (even when they came knocking)
• Bringing manufacturing back in-house — and what people misunderstand about it
• DTC growth without agencies or hype
• How becoming a mum made her better at business
• And what winning “Best Marmalade in the World” did for the brand

This one’s for anyone building a thoughtful, resilient brand - and wondering if slow and steady really does win.

“You overestimate what you can do in one year, and massively underestimate what you can do in ten.”

From marathon running to market stalls to becoming the UK’s number one peanut butter brand - Pip & Nut’s journey is anything but linear.

In this episode of the Tomorrow Brands podcast, Pip & Nut founder Pippa Murray reflects on the last 11 years of building a brand that now leads its category - without chasing hype, over-raising capital, or losing sight of purpose.

Pip shares the realities of landing a major supermarket listing early - and the cashflow panic, data gaps, and fast learning that followed.

We dig into the tougher middle years, and the patience required to build a low-frequency category. And why, a decade in, Pip & Nut is now growing faster than ever.

We also explore what changes, and what doesn’t when you go from challenger to category leader, how decision-making (not headcount) becomes the biggest blocker to speed, and why capital efficiency and control have shaped Pip & Nut’s definition of success.

Plus:

• Why culture is often forged in the hard years, not the good ones
• Lessons from failed innovation (and why snacking worked)
• Building impact into the business model, not bolting it on later
• What makes a true “brand of tomorrow”

A grounded, honest conversation about patience, purpose, and playing the long game.

“Sometimes you hit a wall. Our job is to figure out do we need a ladder, or do we need a hammer?”

What happens when a global brand exec swaps the boardroom at Belvedere for the startup chaos of a non-alcoholic challenger? Billy Paretti, Global CEO of Clean Co, joins us to talk about building movements (not trends), ditching the “more for more” mindset, and leading with taste, purpose, and a plan- even when the plan keeps changing.

We talk about:

• Why non-alc is not just for non-drinkers
• What big brands get wrong about scaling
• When structure helps - and when it holds you back
• Building desire without legacy
• British brand cues in the US
• Taking instinct seriously when you can’t afford a research agency

This one’s for: Founders, marketers, and commercial leads figuring out how to scale something new and make it stick.

​​"The best brands today don’t start with a category - they start with a person, a problem, and a solution that actually fits."

After a decade building campaigns for Fortune 500 brands like Coke and P&G, creative agency founder Ryan Kutscher traded the boardroom for the beer aisle - and co-founded Dad Strength, a mid-strength craft beer brand for a new generation of drinkers.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The problem no one was solving in the beer aisle
• Why mid-strength beer is more than a compromise
• The shift from broadcast brands to community-led ones
• Building a challenger brand from a very specific niche
• Why AC/DC is Ryan’s favourite marketing case study
• And what really happens when you go on Shark Tank

Whether you’re building in the better-for-you space, launching into retail, or thinking about a rebrand, there’s a lot to take from Ryan’s honest, funny and thoughtful take on modern brand building.

“If you try to make something everyone likes, you end up with something nobody loves.”

In this episode, I’m joined by lifelong friends and co-founders Dom and Jamie, the team behind Allora, the lemon-based aperitivo rewriting the rules of the spritz category. We dive into how decades of FMCG, creative, and brand strategy experience shaped their approach; why friendship has become their greatest strength (not their downfall); and how challenging category norms- from serves to pricing- has given them an unfair advantage.

We also explore:

• DTC done right in alcohol, and why the big players have missed it
• Building a “modern legacy brand” in a category dominated by 100-year-old giants
• What they’ve learned about patience, originality, and pressure as founders
• The realities of working with your best friend

Whether you’re building a brand, scaling a business, or obsessed with innovation in FMCG- this is a masterclass.

“Buzz doesn't equal sales. Scale comes when the product, the team and the partners line up.”

In this episode Ruth sits down with Mike Schneider, CMO and product lead at BevNET, the leading voice for emerging food and drink founders. From legacy lessons to cultural shifts, Mike shares what truly makes brands endure in 2026 - and what founders often get wrong when chasing buzz, backing or expansion.

Expect unfiltered takes on:

• Why simplicity always wins in CPG
• How to spot early signals of staying power
• The biggest mistakes UK brands make when they enter the US
• Why purpose is earned, not retrofitted
• The growing rise of cultural and community-led brands
• And what BevNET really looks for when spotlighting founders

Whether you’re a first-time founder, investor, or operator - this one’s packed with insight, energy, and humour (plus a few lessons learned the hard way).

"Don’t be afraid to go weird and niche. That’s where the magic is."

What will matter to consumers in 2026 - and how should brands respond?

In this future-facing episode, Anna Ward returns to share her latest thinking from Trend Bible’s just-released 2026 report. From redefining wellness and micro-celebrations to the rise of messy premium and fandom-led rituals, we explore what’s shaping the cultural and behavioural shifts ahead - and how FMCG brands can stay both relevant and resonant.

We get into:

• Why mindsets are more powerful than demographics
• The rise of inchstones and why we’re done with perfect milestones
• Premiumisation’s next chapter (spoiler: it’s chaotic)
• Why the kitchen is the new living room
• The mainstreaming of spiritual wellness — and turmeric shots on The Traitors
• Why brands need to stop targeting “Gen Z” and start understanding fandoms

It’s packed with real-world examples, cultural shifts, and actionable prompts for any brand thinking about where to play, and how to show up, in 2026.

“Can you give FOMO to alcohol drinkers? That’s the dream.”

This episode is a deep, funny, and often unexpected dive into the world of Three Spirit - the brand making functional drinks that are unapologetically not replacements for alcohol, but rituals in their own right.

We talk about starting a brand as partners (and parents), taking on the early non-alc stigma, why sexy and weird still wins, and what it really means to build a new category

From London bars to TikTok virality, this is a story of obsession, intuition, and building a product that feels like something.

In this episode:

• How coconut water and BarChick led to a plant-potion startup
• When non-alc meant “not drinking” and why they flipped the script
• What early resistance looked like (and how they designed through it)
• Why “functional” only works when it’s felt
• The realities of being married co-founders (boundaries, blurred)
• Launching in the US
• What they’ve learned about building, parenting, and staying weird

“The more we grow, the harder it is to stay focused. But focus is everything.”

What happens when you build a business not on hustle - but on heart, balance, and radical operational clarity? In this conversation, Ruth sits down with Bold Bean Co COO Ed Whelpton to explore how a fast-growing team can still feel calm, mission-driven, and genuinely joyful.

We cover:

• Why remote-first doesn’t mean culture-second
• What operational beauty looks like behind the scenes
• The case for early hires in finance + people
• How to avoid being the bottleneck as a founder
• Why “focus” is the hardest thing to hold onto at 25 people
• Building an alumni network, not just a team

About Bold Bean Co Bold Bean Co is on a mission to make people obsessed with beans by bringing them the best of beans - starting with jars of beans so good they’ve converted chefs, home cooks, and bean skeptics alike.

“It's about evolution, not revolution - make your distinctive assets better, not different.”

Julie Chen shares the story behind Cheeky Panda - the sustainable brand that turned bamboo into a household staple. From spotting a missed opportunity in China to launching from her spare bedroom, Julie talks about creativity without restriction, learning fast, and leading a major rebrand while staying true to her founding vision.

In this episode:

• The “Eureka” moment that sparked Cheeky Panda 🌱
• Growing a brand from bedroom startup to Tesco shelves
• Creativity without restriction: the early scrappy years
• Lessons from rebranding a purpose-driven business
• Why evolution beats revolution when refreshing a brand