Recipe for Greatness

Today's guest is Jamie Crummie who is the co-founder of Too Good To Go. 

If you don't know who Too Good To Go is, they're an app connecting businesses that have unsold food with consumers who can purchase, collect and enjoy it so that it doesn’t go to waste. Globally they have over 20 million registered users who have saved more than 30 million meals from going to waste. 2.5 million of these users are based in the UK. Incredible!!

Jamie is inspiring, chatting to someone who is so driven by a purpose, eradicating food waste, that ultimately he would happily put himself out of business to achieve it. We cover so much in this chat from taking an idea and getting it to launch, overcoming resistance, and educating your customers to get them on board, and how to create change by empowering people.

We recorded this first thing on Monday after the World Cup final so forgive us if we are a bit mellow.

But please, sit back and enjoy my conversation with Jamie from To Good To Go.

IN THIS CHAT
1:30 - How awareness grew of social and environmental issues
4:50 - Seeing issues and getting insights
7:15 - Turning those insights in to a business
8:30 - Launching a business with the basics
10:30 - Letting go of your pre-conceptions
12:00 - Collaboration "Far along, further together"
14:15 - Launching; overcoming resistance 
16:00 - Getting those first customers
20:30 - How to change peoples behaviour with joy and empowerment 
27:50 - Balancing purpose-driven goals-against commercial goal
31:30 - What we can do to be better
33:00 - Further readings

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My guest today is serial entrepreneur Nick Coleman, not only is he the co-founder of The Snaffling Pig but also the Medical Supermarket, Storage Buddy, and Start-up Logistics.

In this chat, you are going to hear all about his first venture into business, but what I really love about this conversation, is the realisation that running your own business and being your own boss isn't enough, what really matters is having that purpose and passion for a business that really ignites the fire in you. We also dive into the business fundamentals from cash flow, diversity, and de-risking the business, and one topic I loved - Lean Management. 

Nick is a legend and really tells the story of why starting a food business is brilliant. So please sit back and enjoy my conversation with Nick from The Snaffling Pig.

IN THIS CHAT:
02:00 - Mind set shift from employee to business owner
06:30 - Other business ideas
07:45 - Finding your passion in a business
13:00 - Starting a business with £500
16:00 - What drives you in business and in life long term
20:30 - Snaffling Pig launch strategy
23:30 - Diversifying and de-risking the business 
27:30 - Cashflow - the importance and how to manage it
32:00 - Lean Management/Lean Manufacturing
36:00 - Big Hairy Audacious Goal 

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Today our guest is Charlie Thuiller, the Co-founder of Oppo Brothers Ice Cream, the award-winning, lower-calorie ice cream he, and his co-founder, his brother Harry, created in 2012. I'm a HUGE fan of Oppo ice cream and as you'll hear me and my partner smash through multiple tubs a week so this was a special interview for me.

We cover a lot in this chat, and charlie has got bundles of great advice and actionable tips for us to take on board.

We chat about rules, when they can be broken, how to reach for the opportunities when people see challenges, how to move towards your strengths, mistakes made and lessons learned from the oppo journey, brazil, and how experiences move beyond that one moment and can last a lifetime.

Charlie is so humble and it made it easy to chat away with him, so please sit back and enjoy my conversation with Charlie from Oppo.

IN THIS CHAT:
1:30: "Good Morning David" a phrase at Oppo - what it means and why
4:00: Lessons from the drink giant Diageo
8:00: Eating The Big Fish - What is Intelligent Naivety
10:10: "Rules are easier to break when you don't know they exist"
17:00: Questions to ask yourself if you can innovate a category
19:40: See opportunities where people see challenges, see rewards where people see risks
24:45: How to identify your strengths and use them
28:30: Determination & sacrifices at the start and reflecting back on them
30:30: Mistakes made at the start of Oppo
35:00: Brazil Trip: How experiences go beyond the moment and last a lifetime
41:10: Fitness & Health
44:00: TedX and public speaking tips

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Today's guest we have Gaz, the cofounder of Holy Moly Dips, The all-natural, guacamole dips, which are absolutely delicious by the way and the best on the market.
Sadly Tom couldn't make it due to a last-minute work commitment but Gaz stepped in for both of them and did not disappoint. 

Gaz's value in this chat is incredible and is a must listen to for anyone setting up or at the start of the journey. 

We cover so much from their founding story, failing fast and cheaply, the fundamentals you need to focus on in a business to scale, building core values into your business that you do not deviate from and so much more.

I was cheeky and kept Gaz longer than I said I would, but the value he provided was too good to miss out on. So please sit back and enjoy my conversation with Gaz from HolyMoly.

IN THIS CHAT:
1:30: Co-founder relationships and creating a successful dynamic
4:40: Previous ventures and brainstorming ideas
6:20: Holy Moly beginnings 
8:50: Asking the silly questions and framing things differently 
10:30: How to create a brand in an existing category
11:20: Fail fast, fail cheaply
16:30: Who is your target customer
20:10: Getting for manufacturer on board
25:20: Testing your product idea of retail buyers first
27:50: Side hustling with your corporate job
30:30: Business fundamentals you need to focus on
35:30: The Holy Moly Commandments
39:00: Making a buzz around your product
44:30: Effects of Covid
47:30: Holy Moly, what's coming next.

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Today's guest is Adam Sopher who is the co-founder of Joe & Seph's - the family run gourmet popcorn makers, with flavours such as Salted Caramel all the way to Bakewell Tart. Joe & Seph's was founded in 2010 by Joeseph, his wife and their son, Adam.  

They have given the wonderful listeners of The Recipe for Greatness 20% off online on all orders above £12. Just enter the discount code RECIPE20 at the checkout. VALID UNTIL JULY 8th 2021

I loved talking with Adam because Joe & Seph's has grown organically and you get a real sense of the impact that has had on the operation and culture of the business. We cover so much in this chat from taking overseas concepts and testing them in the UK, how to remain independent and just focus on quality, the reality of business vs what people think it is like, impacts of covid and Brexit, and the shift they have made to a direct to consumer business and how the tactics they have used to make it successful, Oh and so much more!

I love Joe & Seph's so this was a huge honour for me.

Check out the video of the popcorn being made, it's amazing! HERE

2 mins: How to weigh up leaving your job
6:30: Building an unknown category
8:30: Testing overseas concepts in the UK
12:00: Educating people on a new product
14:00: Quality vs profits battle
16:00: Organic growth vs external investment growth
20:30: The reality of running a food business
22:30: Thoughts on international expansion instead of domestic focus
25:30: Brexit
27:00: Competitors entering the market
29:30: Impact of Covid
32:00: Shifting people to online instead of retail
35:30: Family and business
37:30: What to try at Joe & Seph's

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Peter Butler is the Co-founder of Dishpatch, a company that brings the UK's best restaurants to your home with nationwide meal kit delivery.

Pete started off his career working in the city but felt the pullback to his lifelong passion, food and hospitality. From a young age Pete had worked in restaurant kitchens, he took cooking courses so he decided to take the dive and set up his first business.

We talk all about his journey with 3 different start-ups he founded, the lessons he learnt and Pete offers some incredible principles that we can all use. We hear all about how he convinced the best chefs in the UK to take part in a challenge in under 6 weeks, and how much a mince pie can sell for. Then we dive into Dishpatch and discuss the shift in consumer behaviour from eating out to dining at home and whether this trend is here to stay.

This chat is incredible and you can tell that Pete has learnt a lot in his journey and I've tried my best to extract that gold. So please sit back and enjoy my interview with Pete from Dispatch.

2mins: Chat about the Mince Pie Project, Convincing 50 of the best UK chefs to get involved
7mins: Chat about his time at the Boston Consulting Group and why he left
9 mins: Principles to find out what you're interested in 
13 mins: Product-market fit and the challenges around it
16 mins: Scalability and why it's important
18 mins: Dispatch and the origin
23 mins: Co-founders and what principles matter and why
26 mins: Convincing your first customer
28 mins: Consumer trend shift to dining at home - here to stay or not
33 mins: Books to read
36 mins: What to order of Dishpatch

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Hannah McCollum is the founder of ChicP, which makes delicious dips from raw seasonal vegetables.

Over the last decade, Hannah McCollum has worked as a private chef, catering for events and businesses across the UK and Europe. After witnessing the colossal amount of food waste in the catering sector, she felt driven to do her bit to tackle the issue.

Hannah started to convert leftover vegetables into delicious dips to accompany meals. As her passion for creative cooking grew, Hannah decided to introduce her sustainable and healthy creations to the masses. ChicP was born.

With multiple national accolades under its belt, including the Trailblazer Award at Food Vision 2017, ChicP has also been recognised by the likes of Women’s Health, BBC Good Food, and The Guardian. ChicP in Wholefoods, Ocado, Booths, and Amazon Fresh.

We chat all about Hannah going from an idea to launching a business. Her thoughts on how to find your passion and we take a deep dive into sustainability and the deeper issues around the supply chain and what we can do, to be more sustainable.

Sit back and please enjoy my conversation with Hannah from ChicP

Carrot, Ginger and Turmeric Hummus
Beetroot and Horseradish Hummus 

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Today on the Podcast we have Julie Waddell, who is the founder of Moorish. They make award-winning hummus and dips that are stocked across Sainsbury's, Ocado, Waitrose, and many others. I'm a huge fan, their original smoked hummus is a staple in my fridge at home.

Julie's journey is extraordinary: in 2010, while working in broadcast journalism at the BBC, she came up with the idea that would change up the hummus market, she perfected the recipe and decided to start selling her product. However the pressure mounted when in 2011 her husband was diagnosed with epilepsy, unable to drive for a year, Julie had to take responsibility for the family and her business.

This is such an inspiring story of unwavering drive and determination to make something successful. I love how Julie talks about listening to your gut, following the signs, and not overthinking but taking action. It is a lesson for us all and you can hear the impact it had on her journey.

This chat had me gripped and it has just got so many gems in it, you also get a guest appearance from my new dog towards the end who wanted to make himself heard - so please sit back and enjoy my chat with Julie from Moorish.

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Jonny Burnett is the co-founder of The Conscious Food Co, which delivers only local, sustainable, ethically sourced Fish & Meat, straight from local fishing boats and farmers. Jonny started his career as a chef at the age of 15, training at the river cottage. He then moved to work at Raymond Blanc's two Michelin Star restaurant. After a few other Michelin restaurants in between, Jonny decided to launch his first restaurant, becoming the youngest chef in Europe to ever do so.

During the first lockdown, Jonny founded the Romajos community meals in his local town, which started off as a few free meals scaled to 88 volunteers and serving over 1200 free meals a week. He and the team served over 17,000 meals and raised over £24,000 and Jonny donated £5000 to North Somerset Community Hospital.

Jonny's journey is truly remarkable and one to listen to, it really is a roller coaster ride and a very sobering reality of what it is like to set up your own business and all the things that encompass the day-to-day activities. How taking a break is a positive thing and how to take all your experience and lessons from the past and bring them together to create new things.

I love this chat and it really resonated with me so much so I hope it will with you. Sit back and enjoy my conversation with Jonny from The Conscious Food Co.

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This week on the podcast we have Max & Olly Kohn from The Jolly Hog - you may know them for their bacon, their sausages, their scotch eggs, or one of the other products they do which are stocked nationally across the largest retailers.

The Jolly Hog was born in 2008 with Olly making sausages in his downtime. Thinking they were on to something, Josh, his brother, set up in Harlequins rugby club where Olly played professional rugby to sell sausages. After rave reviews from people buying the sausages, they convinced Max to come on board. And then, the three brothers joined forces. The rugby player, the shipbroker, and the cabinet maker too form the Jolly Hog.

The story of the Jolly Hog is so authentic and you hear all about it in this conversation. Their success is national now, but this was no overnight success. We talk about their 13-year journey to get to where they are now, how they thought the global pandemic was the end of their business, and just what grit and determination it takes to keep going and come out thriving.

Max and Olly bring so much value in this chat, it will make you laugh, captivate you with their story and feel like you can overcome any obstacle.

Oh, they also tell you their one Jolly Hog product you should go a try today - I did - and it is incredible!

Please, sit back and enjoy my conversation with Max and Olly from The Jolly Hog

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