Today's guest is Ian Wilkinson Sales Director at the powerhouse of a brand Hunter & Gather. They focus on providing real foods with clean ingredients in a world full of UPF's.
In the last 12 months, the business has flown from £6.5 million to £11.1 million and with 80% of that coming from online and D2C sales!
In this conversation we talk about the importance of building a community as a way of fostering customer loyalty.
We dig into Ian's career working at brands like Danone, Twinings, Britvic and AB World Foods and the lessons he's learnt along the way.
Why it's so important to be passionate about what you do - and SO much more.
As always thanks to our fantastic sponsor Mission Kitchen!
If you're a chef, baker of food brand looking to grow, then head on over to book a tour at their site in Nine Elms, London today.
Check out the ever growing Unfounders Song Selection playlist on Spotify.... it's WILD.
Ps - Have you got a guest you'd love to hear from? Submit a guest request form on our website here.
Intro Jingle Credits to All Good Folks - Free Flowin' from Uppbeat
00:00: Introduction and Background of Hunter & Gather
02:39: Growth and Market Trends in Health Foods
05:15: Company Culture and Team Dynamics
08:18: Sales Strategy: D2C vs Retail
11:15: Building a Community and Brand Loyalty
14:05: Navigating Retail Partnerships and Accelerators
17:06: Ian's Career Journey and Sales Philosophy
18:44: The Journey into Sales
21:08: Transitioning to ABF and Twinings
24:08: Growth and Leadership at Twinings
26:26: From Big Business to Scale-Up
27:43: Lessons from Big Corporations
31:37: Navigating Challenges and Mistakes
34:56: Strategic Focus in a Growing Business
38:01: The Soundtrack of a Career
