Tesco Media's Director Strategy, Proposition & Measurement, Florian Clemens, explains how a focus on win-win-win outcomes (value for shopper, advertiser, and retailer) guides the strategy for Tesco's retail media business. The discussion centres on measurement, omnichannel innovation, the legacy of Clubcard data, and Tesco's position as a market maker in UK retail. Practical examples highlight transparent loyalty incentives, creative brand partnerships, and the challenge of delivering differentiation on a large scale. The conversation closes with what's next for Tesco: building truly omnichannel, science-driven media and exploring the real-world impact of AI on habits and shopping behaviour.

“Clubcard changed the face of British retail… suddenly it was about data-driven engagement.”

Episode Running Order

--  Run time: 38 minutes

INFORMATION:

[ 🖥️ ]

Tesco Media - https://www.dunnhumby.com/tesco-media-insight-platform/ 

[ 👨‍👧 ]

Florian Clemens: https://www.linkedin.com/in/florianclemens/ 

Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ 

[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal

This episode examines how PerfectTed has introduced ceremonial-grade matcha to the mainstream UK market, covering product origins, retail strategy, lessons from Dragon's Den, and building a challenger brand in the FMCG sector. The conversation touches on the history of matcha, the reality of category management, and making niche products accessible to a wide consumer audience.

Sold in major retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Holland & Barrett, Planet Organic, and Ocado.​

Stocked nationally in coffee chains: Joe & the Juice, Black Sheep Coffee, and Café Nero.​

Product range covers organic, ceremonial-grade matcha powders and sparkling matcha energy drinks (with three flavours, including Great Taste award winner).

Sourced from single-origin growers in Japan, using young, shade-grown leaves.

Every batch is handpicked, stone-ground, vegan, gluten-free, organic, and non-GMO, with 68mg caffeine per serving.

The brand was featured on Dragon's Den in 2022, receiving investment offers from all five Dragons and accepting Steven Bartlett’s offer. Full episode on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpwc1GqehZU) and Stephen Bartlett's follow up video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCcDNArBASw).

Co-founder Marisa brought her personal focus on ADHD and anxiety to the energy drink formula, aiming for clean energy without jitters or crashes.

00:00—Opening

00:59—Introduction to Shani, her career move, and the PerfectTed mission

02:34—History and basics of matcha; ceremonial vs. lower grades

05:00—PerfectTed’s retail and coffee chain distribution

08:30—Sales career progression and negotiation insight

11:00—Dragon’s Den: pitch day and investment outcome

12:30—Post-Dragon’s Den impact and rapid growth

15:30—Brand identity, consumer niche, and quality promise

16:30—Retail trading, innovation, and working with buyers

18:00—Consumer education, Instagram trends, and matcha recipes

22:00—Product range, taste profiles, and development stories

23:30—Purpose, clean energy, and values-driven marketing

24:30—Closing thoughts

"Our mission is spreading positive energy through matcha products."

"Ceremonial grade is the first flush—the youngest leaves. You get that vibrant green and a sweet umami flavour rather than a bitter, grassy taste."

"You always have to prioritize quality. We focus on 100% pure ceremonial-grade matcha because if you have a bad experience, you won't come back."

"Dragon's Den was 90 minutes of filming that became 14 minutes of air time. We received all five investor offers and accepted Steven Bartlett's investment."

"You won't be liked by everyone. What makes you special is your niche."

"Matcha is like coffee—you can have a bad experience, or you can find a quality source and come back forever."

--  Run time: 39 minutes

INFORMATION:

[ 🖥️ ]

PerfectTed's website - www.perfectted.com 

[ 👨‍👧 ]

Shani Higgs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanihiggs/ 

Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ 

[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal

In this short, sharp RetailCraft conversation, Ian Jindal chats with Timo Boldt, founder and Chief Executive of recipe-box innovator Gousto, to explore how a self-proclaimed “data company that loves food” is reshaping dinner for millions of UK households. In 20 minutes they unpack Gousto’s 13-year journey from kitchen table idea to profitable £308 million enterprise, its foray into B2B software via the Bento subscription platform, and Boldt’s ambition to raise Gousto’s UK “share of stomach” from 0.2 percent to 1 percent1. Listeners will enjoy candid reflections on everything from Netherlands expansion and AI-driven menu personalisation to the zen of walking factory floors at 5am.

Gousto’s path has tracked—with uncanny timing—every macro-cycle in ecommerce food: mobile adoption, pandemic surges, funding booms and busts, quick-commerce exuberance, and the current shift from growth at all costs to durable profitability. Boldt explains why Gousto remains “deeply profitable” while many peers falter, how its eco-design “Eco-Chill” packaging saves 23 percent CO₂ per meal, and why he believes Bento can do for physical-goods subscriptions what Shopify did for storefronts.

At the heart of the episode is the tension every modern retailer navigates: providing limitless personalisation while operating a ruthlessly disciplined supply chain. Gousto’s answer is a vertically integrated tech stack, four automated fulfilment centres, and predictive algorithms that cut food waste, hold gross margins above 53 percent, and power a menu now exceeding 200 recipes per week.

We also chat about Timo’s personal journey: leaving a hedge-fund VP role at 26, moving into student housing to save cash, running early routes himself, and leaning on “learn-a-holic” instincts to conquer operations, funding, B-Corp certification and, most recently, AI.

Timo Boldt

Founder & CEO, Gousto (2012–present) — certified B Corp meal-kit pioneer valued at over £1 billion in 2020, now refocused on profitability and mainstream mass-market expansion.

EY UK Entrepreneur of the Year 2022, World Entrepreneur Class of 2023.

Member, Unilever Digital Advisory Board.

Executive MBA, Cambridge Judge Business School; undergraduate training in statistics fuels his obsession with data-driven iteration.

00:00 – Cold-open & scene-setting

03:00 – Market purpose & climate math

05:00 – Growth vectors & 1 billion-meal TAM

08:00 – Personalisation at scale

11:00 – Founder back-story

13:00 – Ireland launch & localisation learnings

14:30 – Bento SaaS platform

16:00 – AI, automation & factory tours

17:30 – International options

18:45 – Subscription advice for brands

20:00 – Future vision (next 10 years)

22:00 – Favourite recipe & wrap-up

“Our share of stomach is 0.2 percent—a drop in the ocean. Getting to 1 percent feels eminently possible if we obsess over value for money.”

“Forty percent of UK food is binned. Every Gousto box saves 7 kilograms of CO₂ compared with supermarket dinners.”

“Quick commerce is gone. We’re sitting on a £400 million business, deeply profitable and cash generative.”

“Developer-to-domain ratio matters: don’t burn engineers on generic subscription plumbing—buy it off the shelf.”

“I view Gousto as a data company that loves food.”

“The pace of change will never again be this slow; it only accelerates from here.”

--  Run time: 20 minutes

INFORMATION:

[ 🖥️ ]

Gousto's website - www.gousto.co.uk 

Gousto on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gousto/ 

[ 👨‍👧 ]

Timo Boldt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timo-boldt/ 

Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ 

[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal

What happens when one of the Nordics’ largest grocery retailers empowers 1,300 local entrepreneurs under a single national brand? In this episode, Ian Jindal chats with Oskar Jakobsson, Director of Customer Solutions at ICA Gruppen, to explore the unique federated model in Swedish grocery retail. Oskar shares how ICA balances entrepreneurial autonomy with digital innovation, discusses the challenges of unifying customer experience across diverse store formats, and reflects on the accelerating pace of change in retail technology. The conversation ranges from handwritten signs and local flavour to AI-driven personalisation, the future of agentic shopping, and the enduring joy of simply strolling through great stores.

Oskar Jakobsson is Director of Customer Solutions at ICA Gruppen, where he leads a team of nearly 200 colleagues responsible for all digital customer-facing touchpoints. With over 20 years’ experience in retail, spanning SaaS suppliers, H&M, and Sweden’s alcohol monopoly, Oskar brings deep expertise in digital transformation, customer experience, and the art of retail.

00:00 – Welcome & Introduction

03:00 – ICA’s Unique Model: 1,300 Entrepreneurs

08:00 – Store Formats & Family Businesses

10:00 – Digital Customer Experience at Scale

13:00 – Defining “Best Customer Experience”

15:00 – The Complexity of Grocery Shopping Journeys

17:00 – Retail Media, Promotions & Data

20:00 – The Pace of Change & Flexible Architecture

25:00 – AI, Agents & The Future of Grocery

31:00 – AI in Practice at ICA

34:00 – Advice for Retail Technologists

39:00 – Getting Re-energised by Great Retail

40:00 – What’s Next: Strategy & Direction

“ICA isn’t a chain. It’s almost 1,300 separate retailers… Each store is genuinely their own store, adapting to their local customer and community.”

“You always need to prioritize. You will never be able to do everything. It takes a while before you realize that.”

“If you have a monolith you can’t change, you need an integration layer that is flexible. Tech isn’t the problem-it’s prioritizing investment.”

“The pace of change will never be as slow as it is today. It will only be quicker.”

“Retail is a hobby. I’m fortunate enough to work with my hobby.”

--  Run time: 38 minutes

INFORMATION:

[ 🖥️ ]

ICA Gruppen's website - https://www.icagruppen.se/ 

ICA on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ica/  

[ 👨‍👧 ]

Oskar Jacobsson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oskar-jakobsson-0b052810/  

Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ 

[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal

What does it take to be the number one premium beauty retailer both online and in-store across 22 countries? In this episode, Ian Jindal welcomes Philipp Andree, Chief Commercial Officer at Douglas Group, to explore how the company blends heritage and innovation in the fast-evolving beauty sector. Philipp shares how Douglas is redefining omnichannel retail, leveraging AI to enhance the customer experience, and transforming its supply chain for efficiency and scale. The conversation covers everything from Gen Z beauty trends to warehouse optimisation and the “Let it Bloom” strategy for future growth. Whether you’re fascinated by retail tech, operational excellence, or the art of customer engagement, this episode offers a rare inside look at a European retail powerhouse.

Philipp Andree is the Chief Commercial Officer at Douglas Group, number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. With a background in engineering, marketing, and digital transformation, Philipp brings a unique perspective to the intersection of tech, commerce, and customer experience.

00:00 – Welcome & Introduction

02:00 – Douglas’s Unique Market Position

04:00 – Understanding the Douglas Customer

08:00 – Balancing Scale and Specialism

11:00 – Philipp’s Career Journey

14:00 – Omnichannel Evolution

16:00 – The Role of AI in Beauty Retail

19:00 – Training AI with Human Expertise

24:00 – Supply Chain Transformation

29:00 – The ‘Let it Bloom’ Strategy

30:00 – Store Expansion and Refurbishment

32:00 – Standardization and Tech Across Borders

33:00 – Closing Reflections

“We are number one, both in-store and online, which is pretty rare.”

--  Run time: 38 minutes

INFORMATION:

[ 🖥️ ]

Douglas' German e-commerce site - www.douglas.de 

Douglas Group's corporate site: https://douglas.group/ 

The "Let it Bloom" strategy (https://douglas.group/en/about-us/strategy)

[ 👨‍👧 ]

Philipp Andree: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipp-andr%C3%A9e-47b681253/ 

Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ 

[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal

In this episode of RetailCraft, Ian Jindal speaks with Giovanni Lepori, Vice President of Global Retail at Rothy’s, from the brand’s flagship store in New York. Giovanni shares how Rothy’s has revolutionized footwear manufacturing with 3D knitting technology, built a sustainable and scalable business model, and expanded into physical retail while staying true to its clean design ethos. The conversation explores themes of circularity, disciplined growth, and the challenges of scaling a direct-to-consumer brand globally.

Giovanni recounts how Rothy’s founders developed their groundbreaking 3D knitting technology to create zero-waste shoes made from recycled materials. He highlights the challenges of scaling production and the importance of owning their factory in China to ensure quality and sustainability.

The brand’s aesthetic—distilled simplicity with clean lines—is paired with a commitment to circularity. Giovanni discusses Rothy’s zero-waste factory, pilot programs for recycling worn shoes, and the durability that makes its products “last forever.”

Giovanni explains how Rothy’s began as a direct-to-consumer brand before experimenting with physical retail. The first store in Pacific Heights was an instant success, leading to a deliberate rollout of premium stores like the Flatiron flagship in New York.

From inventory management to maintaining brand values in wholesale partnerships, Giovanni reflects on the complexities of omnichannel retail. He emphasizes disciplined growth and ensuring profitability in every location.

Giovanni outlines plans for international growth, including standalone stores in London and beyond. He also highlights product innovation, new categories like menswear and kids’ shoes, and the ongoing evolution of sustainable materials.

[00:00:00] "Welcome to New York"

[00:01:00] "A Revolutionary Idea"

[00:06:00] "We Make Every Shoe We Sell"

[00:07:30] "Clean Lines"

[00:14:30] "The Holy Shit Moment"

[00:18:30] "Expanding Globally"

[00:20:15] "Retail Challenges"

[00:24:30] "Looking Ahead to 2025"

--  Run time: 29 minutes

INFORMATION:

[ 🖥️ ]

Rothy's - www.rothys.com

[ 👨‍👧 ]

Giovanni Lepori: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giovannilepori/ 

Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ 

[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal

This episode of RetailCraft takes us inside premium cycling brand Rapha, our host Ian Jindal chats with Joel Natale, Chief Commercial Officer, at Rapha's London headquarters. Their conversation explores how this 20-year-old brand transformed cycling culture, built a powerful community, and continues to balance premium positioning with growth.

[00:00:00] Introduction to Rapha and Joel's Role

[00:01:00] "Changed The Sport": Rapha's Market Impact

[00:06:52] "More Than Just Shops": The Clubhouse Concept

[00:11:16] "Suffering Together": The Community Philosophy

[00:15:50] "The Rapha Cycling Club": 10 Years of RCC Membership

[00:18:23] "Product Longevity": Sustainability and Repairs

[00:23:57] "I Won't Be A Lifer": Joel's Cycling Industry Journey

[00:27:19] "Incredibly Lucky": From Brompton to Rapha

[00:30:37] "A Relentless Desire to Understand the Customer": Brand Leadership

[00:34:27] "You Just Go Faster": Rapha's Future Direction

Joel introduces Rapha as a 20-year-old cycling brand founded by Simon Mottram in 2004 that "really changed the sport" and how people engage with cycling. Rapha entered a market divided between established performance brands and cheaper, poorly fitting products, with Mottram's vision to create "a more discerning and thoughtful product brand" engaged with cycling culture.

Rapha revolutionized the industry with its bold pricing strategy, setting retail prices approximately three times the market average. This approach initially shocked consumers but transformed industry standards, with other brands taking nearly five years to realize they could also aim for premium price points.

Though the brand has expanded its range to serve diverse cyclists across price points and terrains, Rapha remains firmly positioned as a premium brand sitting "top halfway to the top" of the market.

One of Rapha's most distinctive innovations has been its clubhouses. These aren't simply retail spaces but community hubs where cyclists engage with the brand and each other. When Rapha introduced this concept around 2010-2012, cycling-focused cafés where riders could bring their bikes inside was revolutionary.

The clubhouses serve multiple purposes beyond retail. As Joel explains, "On a Sunday afternoon, you give people a space to watch races. On a Wednesday morning, you give them a space to go after they've trained." This community-building approach reflects Rapha's broader mission to grow the sport rather than just sell products.

Rapha strategically locates its clubhouses in major global cities and "culturally important cycling locations" such as Mallorca and Boulder, Colorado—choices that might not be obvious from pure data analysis but make sense for a brand deeply connected to cycling culture.

The Rapha Cycling Club celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024. Unlike conventional loyalty programs focused on discounts, RCC was built around creating an actual cycling club where "people might meet and ride together, race together."

RCC offers tangible benefits including half-price coffee at clubhouses, organized rides, bike hire, and access to exclusive club kit at more accessible price points. While Joel acknowledges that the club "peaked in COVID" and needs reinvigoration, he emphasizes that for many members—especially those living near clubhouses—the benefits and community connections remain valuable.

Cycling inherently offers sustainability advantages as an environmentally friendly transportation option. Rapha's focus on high-quality products naturally aligns with sustainability principles, with Joel mentioning he still owns and uses a Rapha jersey from 2008—illustrating the brand's commitment to durability.

The company maintains repair services in the US, UK, and Europe, reflecting its commitment to product longevity. Beyond repairs, Rapha has expanded its sustainability efforts to include carbon emissions management and increased use of "environmentally preferred materials," while acknowledging the challenges specific to cycling apparel, which often uses multiple materials for performance requirements.

Joel's career has been entirely within the cycling industry, beginning part-time at Evans Cycles while at university before joining their purchasing department after graduation. Despite initially thinking "I won't be a lifer," he's remained in the cycling business for 20 years.

Joel reflects on the special bonds formed in cycling retail: "When you do cycling retail, you make really close friends because you've already passed the bar of 'we're all cyclists'." Before joining Rapha, Joel worked at Brompton, describing himself as "incredibly lucky to work for both brands."

When asked about skills needed for success in brand-led businesses, Joel emphasizes "a relentless desire to understand the customer." He notes that while being passionate about your niche is essential, professionals also need to "be one step back" to avoid confusing personal preferences with broader customer needs.

The podcast concludes with Joel discussing Rapha's future under new CEO Fran Miller (sister of former professional cyclist David Millar), who recently joined from Belstaff. Rather than focusing on short-term fixes, they're taking a longer view: "We're going to look at a three to four year horizon to rebuild this place," supported by patient ownership that allows for long-term planning.

Joel Natale is Chief Commercial Officer at Rapha, overseeing product strategy, merchandising, supply chain, and e-commerce operations. His 20-year career in the cycling industry includes prior roles at Evans Cycles and Brompton, bringing both personal passion and professional expertise to his work at this premium global cycling brand.

--  Run time: 38 minutes

INFORMATION:

[ 🖥️ ]

Rapha - https://rapha.cc

[ 👨‍👧 ]

Joel Natale: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-natale/ 

Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ 

[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal

• Dyson's philosophy is to rethink, reimagine, and renew.

--  Run time: 38 minutes

INFORMATION:

[ 🖥️ ]

Dyson - https://www.dyson.co.uk/

[ 👨‍👧 ]

Gertin Schraa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gertin-schraa-17b8595/ 

Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal 

[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal

In this episode, Ian Jindal speaks with Alec Mills, co-founder of Dame, about the journey of creating sustainable and toxin-free period products. They discuss the challenges faced in the industry, the importance of changing the conversation around menstruation, whether men have a role in women's health discussions. Alec shares insights on product innovation, market positioning, and the impact of collaborations with larger brands. The conversation concludes with reflections on the future of Dame and the ongoing mission to improve menstrual health and sustainability.

Takeaways

• Dame was launched in 2019 to address the issues with traditional period products.

Sound Bites

"We make sustainable and toxin-free period products."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Sustainable Period Products

--  Run time: 45 minutes

INFORMATION:

[ 🖥️ ]

Dame - https://wearedame.co/ 

[ 👨‍👧 ]

Alec Mills: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alec-ph-mills/ 

Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal 

[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal

• The Very Group is the UK's largest domestic online-only retailer with an integrated flexible payment platform.

• "Our purpose as a business is to help families get more out of life."

--  Run time: 48 minutes

INFORMATION:

[ 🖥️ ]

Very - https://www.very.co.uk/

The Very Group - https://www.theverygroup.com/   

[ 👨‍👧 ]

Paul Hornby: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulhornby/ 

Georgia Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiajones1/  

Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal 

[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal