From legal aspirations, to drama school, to brand owner and specialty distribution, it’s been an interesting (to say the least!) pathway to the F&B industry for my latest guest on Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast. This week I chat with the incredible Melinda Dimitriades-Catt. As a professional cook, small goods and cheese expert, and speciality food distributor based in Sydney, Melinda has navigated the trenches of the speciality food world.
With her profound love for speciality produce and keen understanding of consumer preferences, Melinda shares insights from her journey, highlighting the importance of packaging that captures attention, the strategic timing of involving producers in-store, and mastering the art of specialisation.
Tune in to this week’s episode to discover:
🚚 Packaging techniques that grabs the attention of consumers.
🚚 The pros and cons of direct store delivery.
🚚 How to successfully introduce your products to new retailers.
🚚 The role of specialisation in building a strong brand identity.
🚚 Tips for capturing the attention of distributors.
🚚 Common pitfalls to avoid in specialty food distribution.
If you’re looking to learn tips on distributing your specialty product and capturing a distributor's attention, you won’t want to miss this episode!
LINKS & RESOURCES:
Season 17 with NFTC
Season 17, out now, is brought to you by NFTC – The Natural Foods Trading Company.
If you're a growing food brand navigating that tricky middle phase—scaling up, maybe landing your first major retailer, figuring out how to buy smarter—NFTC is worth knowing about.
They're a mid-tier ingredient supplier specialising in natural wholefoods: nuts, dried fruits, herbs, spices, seeds, and more. Small enough to offer lower minimums and genuine flexibility, but backed by serious sourcing capability and a team that actually knows its range inside out.
Think of them as the ingredient partner that grows with you—not one you'll outgrow.
Check them out at nftc.com.au
