James Watt, co-founder of BrewDog, delivers a masterclass in startup growth, brand innovation, and scaling a global beer brand. He reveals how BrewDog's meteoric rise was fueled by speed over perfection, customer feedback, and learning from mistakes.

He shares stories of risky pivots, customer-driven innovation, and the painful lessons of scaling too quickly, including the hiring missteps that led to a complete culture overhaul. James believes being wrong faster is better, customer feedback is the ultimate barometer for success, and he shares some unconventional tactics that propelled BrewDog to become one of the most valuable beer brands on the planet.

=============
ON THE MENU 
=============

- Why speed always trumps perfection in business
- The power of failing fast and pivoting hard
- How BrewDog kept its edge while scaling globally
- Customer-centricity: BrewDog's not-so-secret superpower
- Lessons from costly mistakes (and how to bounce back stronger)

===========================================

♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It'll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲  


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🌟Espresso's are powered by our sponsor Unleashed!🌟

1. What on earth is Unleashed, I hear you asking? Unleashed is Inventory management software that talks to your financial and eComm software. We use it daily at Islands. It's BANGING!!
2. Why Unleashed will change your life as a foodie founder? Cut admin time in half. Save money. Lots of money. Get lucid clarity on margins. Be all over cash flow, after all cash is king. Manage stock and cash flow.
3. The biggest brands in FMCG love love Unleashed. Your fave brands like Candy Kittens, Tiny Rebel, TRIP use religiously. Tarquins Gin, Three Spirit, Minor Figures, The Turmeric Co., Volcano Coffee
4. Do yourself a favour. Feel free to reach out to the utter legends Josh and Bryony at Unleashed, book in a 20 min chat with this magical link. Even if nothing comes of it, it's worth having a chat.

Click this magical link: https://hubs.la/Q023F_V90

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Ben Branson founded Seedlip Drinks. 

Seedlip pioneered the Low to No movement. 
The Low to No Movement helped more people go sober.
More sober people, led to more happier people. 
More happier people, more productive people.

We REALLY don’t understand the power of Sober (just yet) 

It’s unfathomably enormous. 

In 50 years, we'll teach kids in school. 

Going sober is discovering coffee. 
Going sober is discovering electricity. 
Going sober is discovering penicillin. 
Going sober is discovering Nandos Garlic Bread & Chicken Thigh combo (dun kno, my G) 

Honour to sit with LEGEND and great friend, Ben Branson

Recorded at our Live Podcast + Supper Club back in May at Coal Rooms, Peckham 

We’ve got 7 more Live Podcasts + Supper Clubs coming up this year.
16 peeps MAX. 
Exclusive for our Newsletter readers only. 
Wanna hang out with the donny food & drink founders? 
Subscribe in comments below. 

ON THE MENU 

1. Why Building a Brand is like jumping off a cliff and building the plane on the way down

2. Unveiling The Seedlip Success Blue Print: Local vs. Global vs. Micro vs. Macro 

3. “You want people to think you’re idea is f*cking stupid” - you want strength either side 

4. Where are your 1000 true fans GLOBALLY? It’s easier to sell to a bar Barcelona vs. a pub in Lincoln 

5. Why Seedlip Chased Credibility “… I never once said Seedlip was great, I let other people do that?” 

6. The world’s changed, so has the way you build brands: “social media is blurring the borders” + “everything is happening at the same time” 

7. How Seedlip cracked the EXPORT ENIGMA: get them to pitch to YOU

8. Julian Metcalfe, Pret a Manger Founder “Simplicity is Hard, Complexity is Easy” 

9. Ben Brand “Make it SIMPLE, Don’t SIMPLIFY it” 

10. How Founders can think "Fast & Slow" + Rick Rubin “distraction is not procrastination”

11. If you’ve got an idea…. If it’s REALLY a good idea DON'T LET IT DOWN 

12. Don’t second guess yourself as you get bigger… “Never hire a great CV and a middle aged man”

👌

==============================================
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►North Star: (www.northstarbc.co.uk)
  Get your FREE 30min Consultancy Session with North Star 👉 https://calendly.com/andy-northstar/free-30mins-with-north-star-team

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🤝 Let's Connect!
►Let's link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)
►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)
 

 "We only sold 20 burgers in our first market run."



Espresso's are powered by our brand new sponsor, Unleashed!

1. What on earth is Unleashed, I hear you asking?

Unleashed is Inventory management software that talks to your financial and eComm software. We use it daily at Islands. It's BANGING!!

2.  Why Unleashed will change your life as a foodie founder?

Cut admin time in half. Save money. Lots of money. Get lucid clarity on margins. Be all over cash flow, after all cash is king. Manage stock and cash flow.

3. The biggest brands in FMCG love love Unleashed

Your fave brands like Candy Kittens, Tiny Rebel, TRIP use religiously. Tarquins Gin, Three Spirit, Minor Figures, The Turmeric Co., Volcano Coffee

4. Do yourself a favour

Feel free to reach out to the utter legends Josh and Bryony at Unleashed, book in a 20 min chat with this magical link. Even if nothing comes of it, it's worth having a chat. Click this magical link



♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here 🍲 

🤝 Let's Connect!

►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)

►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)

It’s Christmas. I’ve stuffed my face all week. Drunk. Don’t know what day of the week it is.

And am having some rest as 2025 is going to be HUGE

Reposting one of the most downloaded episodes of all time which was recorded 2 years ago with Waitrose.

Alas. 

Back to the left overs 

Normal service resumes next week 

🤝 Let's Connect!

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  Get your FREE 30min Consultancy Session with North Star 👉 https://calendly.com/andy-northstar/free-30mins-with-north-star-team

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►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)
 

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🌟Espresso's are powered by our sponsor Unleashed!🌟 

1. What on earth is Unleashed, I hear you asking? Unleashed is Inventory management software that talks to your financial and eComm software. We use it daily at Islands. It's BANGING!! 
2. Why Unleashed will change your life as a foodie founder? Cut admin time in half. Save money. Lots of money. Get lucid clarity on margins. Be all over cash flow, after all cash is king. Manage stock and cash flow. 
3. The biggest brands in FMCG love love Unleashed. Your fave brands like Candy Kittens, Tiny Rebel, TRIP use religiously. Tarquins Gin, Three Spirit, Minor Figures, The Turmeric Co., Volcano Coffee 
4. Do yourself a favour. Feel free to reach out to the utter legends Josh and Bryony at Unleashed, 
book in a 20 min chat. Even if nothing comes of it, it's worth having a chat. Click this magical link: https://hubs.la/Q023F_V90 

🤝 Let's Connect!
►Let’s link-up here (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)
►Stalk me here (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)  

🤝 Let's Connect!

►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)

►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)

🤝 Let's Connect!

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🤝 Let's Connect!

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Why do so many food & drink brands struggle on D2C? 

Why do MOJU or SURREAL absolutely kill it ?

Jack Rubin knows D2C better than anyone I know 

The D2C Donny 

Honour to wax lyzzy about how he’s built Purdy & Figg into a HUGE WHOPPA brand 

Love D2C or love Behavioural Science - you’ll love this 

ON THE MENU: 

1. Charlie Munger’s Lollapalooza Principle for Building HUGE D2C Brands 

- Business Model - spend X make Y

- Allowable cost of acquisition

- Contribution on first order

- Future order + continuity plan

2. P&F Behavioural Science Context Reframe:  = “Cheapest candle vs. the most expensive cleaning product” + “Give your home a Spa Day”

3. Behavioural Science Secrets behind McDonalds $ 1.2 Million Law Suit “1.2 million is one hourswork for McDonalds” 

4. KFC and OGILVY Selling Fries In Australia - how to create intangible value through 

- Loss aversion

- Social morning

- Anchoring

- Value pay off

5. Food & Drink Brands YOU MUST “get out of the Super Market Mindset if you want REAL D2C success ” 

6. P&F Relentless Focus + Three levers to grow any brand “founders make the mistake of doing all at the same time” 

New channel

New products

New markets

7. Founder HACK: “reading a book in the working day is the most underrated hack of all time”|  Effective > Efficient. 30000 ft vs. 3 cm problems 

8. Why P&F Produce 10000 adverts a week using AIDA “Attention, Interest, Desire, Action”

9. Why Curiosity is the birthplace of creativity = Maximise output NOT input

10. KNOW YOUR MARKET “a bad team will win a good market, a good team will lose in a bad market” 

11. Alex Hormozi D2C Sales Principle; “Time to value” + “Effort to value”: £10,000 Liposuction vs. £10 Fat Loss Book. 

12. Alex Hormozi Context Shape Shifting “You believe what you want to believe” 

13. Founders Ask yourself: What if we just DO ONE THING WELL for another 5 years?” 

14. How AG1 7x Sales using "The Effective Executive"+ Seth Godin’s “Psychographic” vs “Demographic” Rule 

15. Leadership Principle: Instinct vs. Intuition “instinct is more physical”. train instinct

🤝 Let's Connect!

►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)

►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)

==============================================
🌟 HUNGRY's Absolutely Bloody Marvelous Sponsors🌟
=============================================

►North Star: (www.northstarbc.co.uk)
  Get your FREE 30min Consultancy Session with North Star 👉 https://calendly.com/andy-northstar/free-30mins-with-north-star-team

---------------------------------

🤝 Let's Connect!
►Let's link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)
►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)
 

James Watt shares why price laddering is the ultimate growth hack most brands ignore. From £1.25 basics to £10 ultra-premium brews, discover how BrewDog uses this strategy to attract everyone—from first-time buyers to hardcore fans. We break down how offering different price points boosts accessibility, creates perceived value, and drives trade-ups to more profitable products.

ON THE MENU:

What Price Laddering Actually Means (Hint: It’s Not Just About Money)
How BrewDog Converts Lager Lovers with Accessible Options
Why Limited Editions Give Credibility to Your Core Range
The Psychology of Pricing: How to Make £3 Look Cheap
This episode is a masterclass in using pricing to build a brand universe that works for both customers and the bottom line. Don’t miss it!

===========================================

♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲  


============================================
🌟Espresso's are powered by our sponsor Unleashed!🌟

1. What on earth is Unleashed, I hear you asking? Unleashed is Inventory management software that talks to your financial and eComm software. We use it daily at Islands. It's BANGING!!
2. Why Unleashed will change your life as a foodie founder? Cut admin time in half. Save money. Lots of money. Get lucid clarity on margins. Be all over cash flow, after all cash is king. Manage stock and cash flow.
3. The biggest brands in FMCG love love Unleashed. Your fave brands like Candy Kittens, Tiny Rebel, TRIP use religiously. Tarquins Gin, Three Spirit, Minor Figures, The Turmeric Co., Volcano Coffee
4. Do yourself a favour. Feel free to reach out to the utter legends Josh and Bryony at Unleashed, book in a 20 min chat with this magical link. Even if nothing comes of it, it's worth having a chat.

Click this magical link: https://hubs.la/Q023F_V90



============================================

00:00 - Intro: Why Price Laddering Matters
00:38 - Defining Price Laddering
03:50 - The Psychology Behind Pricing

🤝 Let's Connect!

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►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)

Book a North Star Demo - by emailing the legend here

[email protected]

Wanna land Tesco Sainsbury's CoOp or Waitrose & Partners in 2025?

Well, my friend, good news

listen up.

Delighted to welcome Kieran South founder of North Star on to the poddy 

We chat all tingz Category management

Category Management is THE secret weapon you didn’t know you needed 

The thread from founder vision <> buyer goals <> retail success = build mahoosive brands. 

Yes, North Star are a poddy sponsor

No, we’re not flogging their gear

This is jam-packed with value, that’ll transform your pitch decks. 

ON THE MENU: 

1. Defining Category management for 3 years olds

2. The Difference between Category Management for BUYERS vs BRANDs

3. PerfectTed: What ACTUALLY is incrementality: if we took this SKU off shelf, would shoppers switch?

3. 3 Golden ways to drive incrementality that NO ONE Thinks About (this is gold))

4. Why Brands who think about their brand LOSE, but, brands who think about the category WIN

5. How do you grow a category for dummies ?

- more shoppers in stores (Tesco club card) 
- More shoppers in store buying more in your category = penetration
- Weight of purchase 

6. Never Forget: Your shopper CHANGES as you move from early adopter to household brand 

7. Why Category Management is “turning on the lights” no more guessing

Full ep Monday

🤝 Let's Connect!

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Ever wondered what it takes to run a top-rated gastropub? Brendan from The Unruly Pig breaks down why Michelin-starred restaurants often struggle to make money, dealing with sky-high costs for fancy ingredients and skilled chefs⁠. What's super interesting is how they've cracked the code at The Unruly Pig. While fancy Michelin spots might serve 45-60 people on a Saturday night, they're pumping out 100-120 covers⁠. But here's the clever bit - they've actually simplified their menu over time, focusing on doing fewer dishes really well instead of trying to please everyone⁠.
It's a brilliant look at finding that sweet spot between high-end dining and running a profitable business, all while keeping the locals happy and attracting food tourists from across the country

♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. 

Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲


 ============= ON THE MENU ============= 

• Michelin-level quality comes with high costs: High labor costs for skilled chefs and expensive ingredients make it difficult to be profitable at the Michelin-star level⁠⁠​
• Volume vs. quality balance: While Michelin restaurants typically serve 45-60 covers on a Saturday night, The Unruly Pig serves 100-120 covers while maintaining high quality⁠
• Menu simplification is crucial: They learned to reduce menu size over time to maintain consistency and quality, rather than trying to please everyone⁠
• Customer flow management: Controlling the flow of orders and not overwhelming the kitchen is essential for maintaining quality⁠
• Local focus with tourist appeal: While they attract food tourists as the #1 gastropub, their core business relies on local Suffolk customers and London weekend visitors⁠

 ============================================ 

🌟Espresso's are powered by our sponsor Unleashed!🌟 

1. What on earth is Unleashed, I hear you asking? Unleashed is Inventory management software that talks to your financial and eComm software. We use it daily at Islands. It's BANGING!! 
2. Why Unleashed will change your life as a foodie founder? Cut admin time in half. Save money. Lots of money. Get lucid clarity on margins. Be all over cash flow, after all cash is king. Manage stock and cash flow. 
3. The biggest brands in FMCG love love Unleashed. Your fave brands like Candy Kittens, Tiny Rebel, TRIP use religiously. Tarquins Gin, Three Spirit, Minor Figures, The Turmeric Co., Volcano Coffee 
4. Do yourself a favour. Feel free to reach out to the utter legends Josh and Bryony at Unleashed, 
book in a 20 min chat. Even if nothing comes of it, it's worth having a chat. Click this magical link: https://hubs.la/Q023F_V90 

🤝 Let's Connect!
►Let’s link-up here (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)
►Stalk me here (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)  

🤝 Let's Connect!

►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)

►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)

🤝 Let's Connect!

►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)

►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)

Recently, I’ve had to really really DIG IN.

Grind. Grind.

Chew glass.

Wade in.

Full send.

Gary delivers a Masterclass in Grit & Sales

Our conversation really helped me.

I know it’ll help you, too.

ON THE MENU:

1. Why going bankrupt is a death by a thousand paper cuts - but it’s the best day of your life too

2. Sell. Sell. Sell. Why too many brands skip Challenger Brand “Leg Day” - you HAVE to get good at sales

3. Why “Denial” is both very good and bad in business + how to use the power correctly

4. How Challenger Brands can launch SUCCESSFULLY in Ireland: “The Irish market is way more complicated”

5. Be GRATEFUL: Why the UK grocery market is the best in the world vs. Australia and USA vs. France

6. VITHIT’s Brand Code: Look great. Be great. Taste great

7. Zoom out + Embrace GENUINE optimism: “Failures are little steps on the ladder to success”

8. Why the Irish punch above their weight in business: “Storytelling is in the Irish blood” - The storyteller is the most important person in the world (Steve Jobs)

9. Is the David Lloyd the greatest distribution point of all time? “How do you catch your shopper on their journey?”

10. “If you focus so much on a closed door, you’ll never see the open door right next to you”

11. Why “Insecurities” are a modern-day problem: “If you ask, What’s wrong with me? You’ll find something”

12. How to build a brand WITHOUT VC funding and why brands with HUGE VC funding are going BUST!!!

13. The Rolling Stones brand-building rule: Pick a dead category and innovate there.

14. How to deal with people fcking you over: Don’t leave yourself open + Get the fck on with it

15. How to survive when you’re in the shit: “You only need to win once” + “Just keep going, it’s a never-ending fight”

🌟 HUNGRY's Absolutely Bloody Marvellous Sponsors🌟

A massive shoutout to our incredible sponsors who make HUNGRY possible:

 ►Big Fish: (https://bigfish.co.uk/)  ►North Star: (www.northstarbc.co.uk)

🤝 Let's Connect!

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►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)

==============================================
🌟 HUNGRY's Absolutely Bloody Marvelous Sponsors🌟
=============================================

►North Star: (www.northstarbc.co.uk)
  Get your FREE 30min Consultancy Session with North Star 👉 https://calendly.com/andy-northstar/free-30mins-with-north-star-team

---------------------------------

🤝 Let's Connect!
►Let's link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)
►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)