Shows
Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#137 The Tax Incentive Every Foodpreneur Should Know AboutSend us a textBrand owners could literally be leaving thousands of dollars on the table simply because they don’t realise they’re eligible for funding. If you're making, baking or creating - and not claiming the R&D tax incentive - then this is the episode that will help put money back in your pocket.In this episode of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I’m joined by Anthony Chi from Bluerock Consulting. Anthony is a rare breed who’s both a lawyer and an accountant. He’s worked with countless food and drink...2025-08-0755 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#136 The Hidden Costs Eating Your ProfitSend us a textMany brand owners think the only way to grow is to do more. More products, more orders, more late nights. But being busy and trying to do it all yourself to save money doesn’t mean you’re building a smarter business.In this episode of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I’m joined by two brilliant minds who know how to scale without the chaos - Jason Stockton, founder of the ERP system Supply’d, and Ross Galettis from Madhouse Bakehouse, who’s supplying Qantas (and hundreds more) with mouth-wate...2025-07-3159 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#135 Why Founders Don’t Scale — And The Framework To Fix ItSend us a textScaling or just staying busy?Too many brand owners are growing, and keeping busy. But don't confuse that with scaling. More stockists, more sales… and a whole lot more stress. Margins stay razor-thin, costs creep up, and burnout isn’t far behind. So this podcast season, I’m calling time on the chaos - because it is possible to scale without losing sleep or profits - using systems, strategy and structure.In this solo episode, I’m breaking down:🔑 The real difference between growth and scale.🔑...2025-07-2425 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#134 Industry Insights from Foodpreneurs Festival 2025Send us a textDidn’t make it to Foodpreneurs Festival 2025? Or maybe you were there but want a refresher on all the high-impact opportunities presented at the event, and the practical steps to take now to leverage your learnings and industry connections?In this episode, I sat down with Naishad Dalal, food scientist, entrepreneur, and founder of the Food Entrepreneurship Academy, and Jason Stockton, operations expert and founder of Supply’d, the ERP system built just for Foodpreneurs.Together, we unpack exactly what went down at Foodpreneurs Festival 2025 - from the brands to w...2025-05-281h 14Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#133 How EatKinda’s Cauliflower Ice Cream is Disrupting Freezers & Scaling SmarterSend us a textScaling a frozen food brand? It’s not for the faint-hearted. Cold chain logistics, merchandising nightmares, and razor-thin margins make it one of the most challenging categories in the game.But Mrinali Kumar, CEO and co-founder of EatKinda, is flipping the script - proving that bold innovation, sustainability, and smart operations can carve out a winning edge.In this episode, Mrinali reveals how EatKinda - the world’s first cauliflower-based ice cream - went from a small-town pitch comp in New Zealand to over 120 retail listings, and garnering international buzz...2025-03-2651 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#132 Plant-Based Milk, Powered by Data: How Drink Nimbus is Disrupting the Industry & Tackling WasteSend us a textAlexandra Bekker, founder of Drink Nimbus, is on a mission to shake up plant-based milk and the sustainability issues that come with it. After a highly successful eCommerce career, she discovered the shocking truth: 138 billion long-life cartons end up in landfill each year. So, she set out to create a better alternative.In this episode, Alexandra shares how she:🌱 Validated her oat milk powder concept through surveys and kitchen trials🛠 Navigated supplier relationships and big MOQs to get production off the ground📈 Built a scalable operational setup that’s ta...2025-03-191h 00Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#131 From Kitchen to Retail: How Six-Eyed Scorpion Crispy Chilli Oil is Winning Shelf SpaceSend us a textSandra Seah, founder of Six-Eyed Scorpion, has built a premium, seriously flavourful crispy chilli oil brand that’s shaking up the condiment aisle. Voted #1 chilli oil by Gourmet Traveller, her range blends bold Singaporean flavours with top-tier Australian ingredients - and retailers are taking notice.For episode 131, fresh off landing in Harris Farm Markets, I spoke to Sandra about how she’s scaling smartly, ensuring profitability while keeping quality at the forefront. In this episode, we dive into:🔥 The strategic shifts that helped Six-Eyed Scorpion secure retail shelf space🔥 H...2025-03-1252 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#130 Burnout to Breakthrough: How Laura Allan Scaled Isaac’s SnacksSend us a textBurnout is a real challenge in the industry. Many Foodpreneurs start their businesses as a side hustle - juggling production, marketing, sales, packing, and every other task that comes with running a business solo.But it doesn’t have to stand in the way of scaling.For episode 130, I sat down with Laura Allan, founder of Isaac’s Snacks, the wholefood bites brand keeping it real with fewer than 10 ingredients. With 900+ Woolworths stores stocking her products and a strong presence in independents, Laura has built what so many Foodpreneurs drea...2025-02-261h 07Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#129 From Side Hustle to Shelf: How Solbevi is Taking on AperolSend us a textYou’ve got the vision - but do you have the supply chain to scale it?For episode 129, I sat down with Stefan Di Benedetto, founder of Solbevi, the limoncello spritz brand shaking up the drinks industry across Australia and New Zealand. His goal? Nothing short of global domination.But here’s the reality: scaling a challenger brand isn’t just about a great product, it’s about making smart manufacturing and distribution moves, fast.Stefan’s story is one of relentless ambition, resilience, and strategy. He went from...2025-02-1950 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#128 Burnt Out & Broke: How to Afford a Co-ManufacturerSend us a textYou’re burning out – but still not paying yourself a wage. So how do you afford a co-manufacturer without cutting corners?In episode 128 we’re getting real about the biggest challenge many Foodpreneurs face: you’re working non-stop, but your margins aren’t big enough to pay yourself - let alone afford to outsource production.But here’s the thing: sticking with in-house manufacturing might actually be costing you more.That’s why I’m joined by Naishad Dalal, food scientist, entrepreneur, and Founder of the Food Entrepreneurship...2025-02-1246 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#127 The Boring Secret to Business SuccessSend us a textBusiness isn’t always exciting - and that’s exactly the point.In episode 127 of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, we’re kicking off Season 13 with a solo session that dives into a truth many overlook: success isn’t about chasing shiny new strategies. It’s about implementation.Yep, the boring stuff. The routines. The consistency. That’s where growth lives.This episode includes:🚀 Why the ‘boring basics’ are your business’s secret weapon - and how ignoring them is costing you more than you think.🚀 The 90-da...2025-02-0520 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#126 Bae Juice: Building a Multi-Million Dollar Brand from Just One ProductSend us a textSpotting a gap in the market often sparks the creation of something truly innovative - and that’s exactly what happened for Tim and Liam from Bae Juice. They saw the need for a reliable hangover solution and turned it into a thriving business. Bae Juice - a Korean pear juice infused with a unique enzyme to tackle hangovers, launched in 2019, has become a go-to remedy, stocked in over 3,500 stores across Australia and now Brooklyn, New York!Their approach is all about smart, intentional growth and in this podcast episode, they sh...2024-11-271h 15Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#125 Inside the Buyer’s Mind: An Interview with Roz White from White's IGASend us a textWhen Roz White and her husband Michael started their first White’s IGA store 31 years ago, they weren’t just opening a business; they were planting roots. Fast forward to today, and they’ve grown into a Sunshine Coast icon with six stores, over 520 staff, and deep connections to their local community.Roz’s formula for success? A steadfast commitment to people, relationships, and purpose-led retail. From choosing not to implement self-checkouts—valuing connection over convenience—to building partnerships with 200 local Sunshine Coast suppliers, Roz’s vision has always been about more than just...2024-11-201h 13Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#124 How Welly Grew from an Idea to a Must-Have Snack, One Insight at a TimeSend us a textWhen Jarahad Valeri saw parents struggling to get kids to eat more fruits and veggies, he saw an opportunity. That spark led to Welly — a snack company that turns fruits and veg into kid-friendly, gut-healthy bites that parents can trust. Launching Welly Kids in 2022 and expanding to adults in early 2023, Jarahad set out to bring these health benefits to a wider audience. His formula for success? A powerful mix of internal data, direct consumer conversations, and retailer insights that shaped Welly’s path forward to where they are now - stocked in Coles and...2024-11-1359 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#123 How Brand Building and Pre-Launch Research Secured Kommunity Brew's SuccessSend us a textMason Bagios didn’t set out to transform Australia’s drinking culture - but that’s exactly what happened when he chose to quit alcohol and embrace cleaner living. This personal journey inspired Kommunity Brew, a brand he co-founded to offer mindful, substance-free options that resonate with a new generation of health-conscious Aussies. From the start, Mason knew that authenticity was key, creating kombuchas, probiotic waters, and botanical shots that were as genuine as his mission.In Episode 123, Mason shares how he turned this vision into reality, touching on:🥤 The impor...2024-11-061h 08Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#122 From Family Recipe to Beloved Brand: The Story of Springhill FarmSend us a textWhat began as her mum’s cherished muesli slice recipe, evolved into Springhill Farm, a brand house helmed by Fiona Whatley, bringing better-for-you, but equally delicious treats like Slice and Boodles to shelves across Australia. Together with her husband, James, Fiona has transformed a family recipe into a business that thrives on bold choices, from securing Woolworths’ support before products were even made, to shifting focus from product to powerful brand storytelling.In Episode 122, Fiona shares her journey on:🍫 Gaining early buy-in from retailers through pre-selling strategies (you’ve got to he...2024-10-3056 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#121 Juicing Up the Market: The Story Behind Naked Rivals' Retail RevolutionSend us a textEver felt the frustration of squeezing lemons every day, only to watch the waste pile up? That’s exactly what sparked the creation of Naked Rivals frozen lemon and lime juice. The brand’s co-founders Andrew and Kate Gordon combined a passion for sustainability, with a sharp commercial lens, to build a brand that’s catching waves in retail—and staying on top.In this episode, Andrew reveals the journey behind a product that’s revolutionising kitchens across Australia. From the first squeeze to securing shelf space in Coles and Woolworths, Andrew sha...2024-10-2354 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#120 Grassroots Marketing: What To Spend Your Money On When You're Starting OutSend us a textGrassroots marketing strategies can propel food, drink, and pet food brands from zero to hero, and this episode is all about actionable, boots-on-the-ground tactics to get you there!Whether you're just getting started or looking to refine your brand's approach, this episode will help you take the next step. I break down three real-life examples of how local, customer-centric efforts turned small unknown brands into household names, including:✨ Fodbods: Their gut-friendly snack bars weren’t just products—they were solutions for those with digestive sensitivities. Discover how connecting directly with h...2024-10-1627 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#119 From Product to Icon: How to Build a Brand People Can’t IgnoreSend us a textFrom brand identity to building customer loyalty, this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford is packed with insights for emerging and challenger brand owners. I sit down with Hannah Murphy from Tracksuit and Matt Kowal from Naked Life Group, two experts who have successfully helped brands cut through the noise in today’s crowded market.We dive deep into the power of branding—what it truly means, how it can make or break your business, and why packaged food, drink or pet food owners must focus on more than just t...2024-10-091h 04Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#118 Preparing for the Golden Quarter: Q4 Retail Reviews & Festive Season SalesSend us a textFor Foodpreneurs the countdown to Q4—the "Golden Quarter"—is officially on with just 16 weeks to go! This is the season with epic sales including Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year periods; unsurprisingly, the time of year when brand owners make the most money.In this episode I cover how to make every week, from now until then, count so that packaged food, drink and pet food founders make the most of it. Listen now to discover: ✅ Exactly what you need to focus on durin...2024-09-0515 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#117 Scaling Efficiently From One Retailer to Over 7,500 StockistsSend us a textFrom an aspiring entrepreneur to the CEO of Australia’s leading 'better for you' frozen dessert brand, Cass Spies’ journey is a testament to grit and determination. In this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I sit down with Cass, the powerhouse behind Twisted Healthy Treats.Cass launched her dream business in 2009 after returning from the UK, inspired by Janine Allis’ Boost Juice franchise model. What started as a retail frozen yoghurt shop quickly evolved into a thriving wholesale business, landing Twisted’s treats in 2,500 supermarkets across Australia, 5,000 school can...2024-08-2947 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#116 Chef Shaun Quade: Manufacturing Real Food at ScaleSend us a textFrom award-winning Executive Chef to consumer packaged goods creator extraordinaire, Shaun Quade’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. In this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with the talented Shaun. Shaun and his life and business partner Veronica Fil recently returned to Australia from the US where they scaled a plant-based CPG cheese product called Grounded. Together they landed Grounded in more than 2000 stockists across the US, raised $4M in investment and faced the challenges of an industry dominated by big food companies. In this episode Shaun...2024-08-2250 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#115 Accessing Grants to Grow Your BusinessSend us a textFrom unlocking funds through grants, and winning awards can both be a game-changer for your business. In this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Madonna Melrose, founder of Melrose International, about leveraging grants to fuel your growth.Madonna, a specialist in grant applications, shares how understanding the grant landscape and having a clear future growth plan are key to securing funds. With billions of funding dollars available, and with only 35% of businesses accessing these grants, now is the time to get grant-ready!Li...2024-08-1534 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#114 From Market Stall to Major Retailers: Scaling Through a Focus on Experience ExcellenceSend us a textFrom tech exec to meal kit mogul, Ambika Malvia's journey is nothing short of inspiring. In this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with the amazing Ambika, co-founder of Spicecraft meal kits. Starting from a humble market stall in Sydney, Ambika and her partner, Vikram, have scaled their business to over 430 retailers across Australia.Ambika’s unique approach to user experience, honed from her background as an electronics engineer, has been the secret sauce to Spicecraft’s success, and she’s sharing her insights in Ep 114...2024-08-0834 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#113 Specialty DistributionSend us a textFrom 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, hi...2024-08-0152 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#112 Preparing for a Buyer Meeting.Send us a text“Can you share advice for getting in contact with buyers” is a question I’m asked often. Brand owners can sometimes be afraid to make the approach. It’s understandable, buyers can be pretty elusive and appear on the horizon like demigods with divine powers to consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand owners. But, the truth is, they’re human too. Just like you and I. There are so many ways you can make the approach, but whichever one you choose, you should have the core knowledge that all buyers will want to know regardless...2024-07-2519 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#111 Why CPG Businesses Fail.Send us a textScaling a consumer packaged goods (CPG) business is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. There are so many options on how you can go-to-market and they all look shiny, delicious and different. But, what are the real opportunities? And the real pitfalls? There are more than 20,000 new food and drink products launched every year and the go-to-market strategy for each can just be like choosing a goodie from a mixed box of chocolates, too much choice, unless you know what you’re doing. Of t...2024-06-0614 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#110 Raising Funds For Your CPG Business.Send us a textWhat happens when you’re not from the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, you’ve managed to bag $1M dollars in investment (I know right!) and you want to scale a big food business? You move to the other side of the world and participate in an accelerator program, lean heavily into everything you can learn and source as many contacts you can to grow your business fast and go on to land 200 retailers in just 12 months.That’s what happened to Veronica Fil, former CEO of Grounded Foods Co. and her pa...2024-05-3048 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#109 Industry Insights from Foodpreneurs Festival 2024Send us a textBuyers inside the Pitch Hub at Foodpreneurs Festival told me what brands and products they really loved and wanted to see more of. Would you like to know what they told me? How handy would it be for you to understand why some brands were chosen, by the buyers, to pitch and others weren’t?Now you can. In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I invited Brent Vrdoljak and Mia Van Tubbergh to talk with me immediately following Foodpreneurs Festival 2024. Brent, a marketing strategist; Mia, a sale...2024-05-231h 34Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#107 How to Develop a Commercially Viable Food or Drink Product.Send us a textWant to know all the steps to develop a food or drink packaged product for commercial scale? Want to bring a product from overseas and launch it in your local market? How about trying to get ahead of the food trends and launch a product before anyone else does?All these questions and more are answered in this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast where I chat to food scientist and entrepreneur, Naishad Dalal from Food Entrepreneurship Academy. Naishad has launched over 110 products for 35 startups, so he knows a thing...2024-05-021h 04Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#103 Money Back In Your Pocket: Getting a Financial Return on Your R&DSend us a textDo you know you can get money back in your pocket for all your hard work crafting delicious new products, experimenting with exciting ingredients, or streamlining your production process? All those research and development (R&D) efforts could translate into government funding. It's like getting paid to create! In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with with head of manufacturing and R&D tax incentive expert Jessica Olivier from RSM business advisory. Jess and her team have helped countless emerging and challenger brands in the fo...2024-04-0338 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#101 Why Supermarkets Are So Hard To Deal WithSend us a textMany food and drink founders dream of landing their product on the shelves of the major supermarkets.But why do they make it so hard for Foodpreneurs to do so?In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with Allen Roberts, a former FMCG senior executive with food giants like Vegetable Oils which became Goodman Fielder, Cerebos the makers of Fountain Tomato Sauce and Dairy Farmers. Allen and I talk about the big issues for small brands when working with the majors and the m...2024-03-201h 10Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#100 How to Put More Money In Your Pocket, & Not Retailers or DistributorsSend us a textYou might be a small business but that doesn’t mean you have to spend more than you earn. There might be a constant list of activities on your ‘to do list’, all seemingly urgent to keep your business afloat, but what are the things that are the most important that will put more money in your pocket, and not more money in the pockets of retailers or distributors?In this 100th episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I outline six ways for consumer packaged goods businesses to be more profit...2024-03-1332 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#99: World Doughmination: How Kathryn Bricken Scaled Her Frozen Treats GloballySend us a textMany food and drink founders dream of taking their brand global. But where do you start, what does it take and what are the challenges that come with expanding into international markets?In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with Kathryn Bricken, founder of Doughlicious - the London Dough Company. Kathryn shares the secrets behind scaling her cookie dough empire in just a few short years. We explore her journey from a London factory to landing on shelves in some of the largest retailers across...2024-03-061h 06Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#98 2nd Anniversary Edition Low/No Cost Ways to Generate PR For Your BrandSend us a textMany small packaged food and drink businesses see PR as complex, ill-defined, or expensive. But what if it could be simple, affordable, and highly effective?In this 2nd Anniversary episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I explore the power of PR for Foodpreneurs. Join me as I chat with PR expert Celia Harding, who's worked with both major brands including Smirnoff, and boutique favourites like Mr Black Coffee Liqueur.Celia breaks down insider tips and tools to get your brand noticed, without breaking the bank (or spending anything...2024-02-281h 07Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#97 2nd Anniversary Edition Behind the Scenes Look of what it Actually Takes to ScaleSend us a textThe world's top business leaders know the secret ingredient for scaling success: people. Not just employees, but a powerful network of mentors, allies, and even family.In these turbulent times, going it alone limits your growth potential. That's why in this 2nd Anniversary episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, Episode 97: Behind the Scenes Look of what it Actually Takes to Scale, Scott Mendelsohn, the people-first powerhouse behind Australia's Raw C and Lesser Evil brands, shares his story of success by finding his ‘tribe’. He went from two shipping conta...2024-02-2146 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#96 2nd Anniversary Edition How to get Noticed by Retail Buyers and Land More AccountsSend us a textForget the fantasy of buyers begging for your product. In the real world of packaged food and drink, thousands of brands are vying for limited shelf space. To stand out and get noticed, you need a strategic game plan.In this 2nd Anniversary episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I talk with RangeMe founder, Nicky Jackson, the queen of connecting suppliers with retailers. Nicki spills the beans on how to crush the buyer game and land more accounts. Get ready for insider tips and tricks on:👀 Strategies for handling rad...2024-02-1451 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#94 2nd Anniversary Edition: Branding & Packaging to get your Product Off the ShelfSend us a textIn the competitive world of packaged food and drink, your brand and packaging are your megaphone, your spotlight, your key to conquering the aisles, landing on more shelves and building loyal customers.In this 2nd Anniversary epsiode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with with design experts Bex Deere and Nat Townsend from Griffin Grace. They've helped countless challenger brands in the food and beverage space cut through all the visual noise on shelves, and they're here to share their wisdom.These design wizards unveil...2024-01-3154 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#93 The 3 Trends for 2024 You Need to KnowSend us a textKnowing what trends are happening in your industry is a smart way to find out how to not just stay on top of what’s happening, but ahead of it; differentiating yourself from a lot of the competition while doing so.Brands that don’t evolve, get left behind. It’s not about jumping on every new trend that comes along or creating a new product to meet every consumer’s demand. It’s about being in the know, staying attuned to consumer trends, and knowing which of these trends align with your...2024-01-2519 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#92 2023: Emerging Brand Launches & ClosuresSend us a text2023 was for many, a shock to the system. A steep change in consumer behaviour relative to previous years. We heard ‘cost of living crisis’ mentioned continually on the news. But was it all bad for emerging food and drink consumer packaged good brands? Absolutely not. In this week’s Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast episode, the final for 2023, I review what the landscape was like for startups and emerging brands and help you prepare to make more sales in 2024. Becoming aware of the marketplace patterns; the changing condition...2023-12-2414 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#85 The Challenge to get 100 'No'sSend us a textWhat if I told you to focus on getting people to say 'no' to your product instead of 'yes’?You might think I’m a few fries short of a Happy Meal, but hear me out. We often stress over getting 'yes's’ but what would happen if we aimed instead for 100 'no's' while passionately promoting our product? I’ll tell you – you’d get a few ‘yes’s’, but without having the pressure and stress of focusing on getting them. The 100 ‘no’ challenge comes from my recent podcast guest...2023-10-1842 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#83 Scaling a Packaged Food Product Business ProfitablySend us a textTimes are tough for many right now. The cost-of-living crisis has people pulling back on spending, which affects many small businesses, Foodpreneurs included.But for those with packaged food and drink products who are wondering “How can I boost sales and profits when households are tightening their belts?", I have a solution for you, and it is simpler than you might expect.And yes, I’m going to share it with you. In episode 83 of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I unpack my Scale Up Money Map...2023-10-0449 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#82 Success Is Just Beyond Your Comfort ZoneSend us a textOften in the journey to build a successful packaged food or drink business, Foodpreneurs get tunnel vision on creating a delicious product, securing shelf space, and making sales, but one key aspect that can be the difference between success and failure is often overlooked.It’s the decisions you make. You can either get out of your comfort zone, decide to have a growth mindset, and be the driving force that elevates your business to soaring success, or let it remain a mere (expensive!) pastime.My guest on...2023-09-2850 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#81 Impressing Buyers: Mastering the Art to Get your Product StockedSend us a textGetting a packaged food and drink product on a retail shelf…If I had a dollar for every time I heard this topic come up with Foodpreneurs, well, I’d be very wealthy 💰And predictably so, as securing placement for a product in retail stores is a top priority for Foodpreneurs seeking to expand their business through wholesale channels. Whether you're new to approaching buyers, have faced previous rejections, or are looking to expand your current retail presence, understanding how to captivate buyers and provide them with essential information about you...2023-09-2150 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#80 The Centuries-Old Seed Vying for Aussie Snack SuccessSend us a textIntroducing a new product into the market is not easy. There’s a lot to consider, including market research, production, branding, packaging, marketing, distribution, sales, and much more. It's a venture fraught with uncertainty. What adds an extra layer of risk is managing an overseas supplier and launching a product featuring an age-old, traditional seed from overseas that's largely unfamiliar to most Australians.But this is exactly what my guests on the podcast this week did.In the latest episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with Me...2023-09-1446 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#79 Key Actions to Boost Profits Based on your RevenueSend us a textMaking your food and drink brand stand out in a crowded market can be challenging. Retail shelves are more competitive than ever, with thousands of new food and drink products launched every year. But there is a way to cut through the noise and boost your profits (even in these tough economic times with consumers cutting back on spending). How? By implementing key actions and focusing on the right things based on your level of revenue. In the latest episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I’m sha...2023-09-0719 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#78 Collaboration: Increasing Brand Awareness & Sales on a BudgetSend us a textGetting eyeballs on your products and making your brand seen, liked and purchased by consumers can be challenging, time consuming and expensive. However, there is a cost-effective way for time-poor business owners to boost brand awareness and drive product sales through a marketing strategy that is often overlooked. I'm referring to collaborations (or collabs!).In this week's episode of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat to Jess Ruhfus, the founder of Collabosaurus, an innovative marketing platform that facilitates smart collabs and partnerships between brands. As a brand owner herself, J...2023-08-3135 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#77 A Big Vision Led a Foodpreneur to the Javanese Highlands in Search of CowsSend us a textFoodpreneur Lisa Steny took a bold leap from a thriving corporate life to carve a niche for herself in the dairy industry. That’s the simplified version of her story. The truth is, Lisa left a lucrative career in Finance and Banking, with zero experience in the food industry, to move to Bali and start producing luxury dairy products in a country that had no history of dairy production. And then Covid hit. Despite the challenging launch timing, her commitment to top-tier quality and keen customer insights have driven 8 Degr...2023-08-241h 03Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#76 Turning Your Distributor into Your PartnerSend us a textIf you’ve never worked with a food and beverage distributor, but are thinking about it, there’s a lot to consider, such as who to work with. How to work with them? And what margins you have to play with?Regardless of who you decide to approach to distribute your product, and what margins you’ve agreed on, there is one thing that can make a HUGE difference in whether your experience working with one is successful and financially rewarding.And this is, how you see the relationship.2023-08-1744 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#75 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome to Land More AccountsSend us a textHave you ever successfully arranged to pitch to a potential buyer but as you were driving to the meeting, allowed your fears to overpower you, resulting in you not showing up and missing out on an opportunity to grow your business?Janessa Rutter has.It's likely many of you can empathise with the fear that Janessa has grappled with. As a Foodpreneur striving to secure shelf space through successful pitches, she has often been plagued by imposter syndrome and a tendency to ‘play small’ when it comes to her bran...2023-08-1041 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#73 Reviewing Q2, and keeping your business alive in Q3.Send us a textIt’s almost a wrap on Q2 - a time when Foodpreneurs should have been taking advantage of the numerous special occasions to sell products, and sell HARD.Did you?If not, there are still opportunities in quarter 3 to hit your sales targets for 2023, despite increased operating costs. It’s how to increase your product profit margins, even with these rising running costs that I go through in episode 73 of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast. It is 100% possible, and I’m going to tell you how.I’m also g...2023-06-2818 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#72 Industry Insights from Foodpreneurs Festival 2023Send us a textIt is widely known that launching, growing, and scaling a packaged food and drink brand is hard which is why I made it a whole lot easier by creating the Foodpreneurs Festival - a years worth of sales, promotion, and networking opportunities for Australian Foodpreneurs. It’s been a few weeks now since the Festival and I’ve been digging into the data to provide even more information that will help food and drink entrepreneurs grow their packaged food and drink brands. I’ve sat down to analyse feedback, spoken to retailers, industry expert...2023-06-2224 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#71 Branding & Packaging to Get Your Product Off the ShelfSend us a textThere’s so much more to consider when designing your branding and packaging than just making it look ‘pretty’. Your branding and packaging can be the difference between blending into a sea of similar products and not getting stocked, to standing out from the crowd, landing on more shelves, and getting into more consumer baskets. This week on Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with Bex Deere and Nat Townsend from Design Agency Griffin Grace. Nat and Bex have worked with a lot of brands in the F&B space and kn...2023-06-1553 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#64 Creating A Mission Based Plant Based Business At ScaleSend us a textThe plant-based food and drink category has grown and evolved tremendously in recent years. We now have plant-based chicken, beef, sausages, cheeses, milks, chocolates, eggs, you name it there’s a plant-based alternative for it. But have you ever heard of plant-based tuna?In episode 64 of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I (virtually) sat down with BettaF!sh co-founder and co-CEO, Deniz Ficicioglu to learn how her startup is making waves across Europe with their ‘tu-nah’ product that looks, tastes and feels exactly like canned tuna, but is made from se...2023-04-2748 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#61 The 1,2,3 of Product BarcodesSend us a textThinking about barcodes might not be the most exciting part of creating a product as a Foodpreneur, but it usually is the first step in getting your product retail-ready (and a very important step!).Barcodes can actually do some pretty cool things, like help you sell internationally, make your product look preferable in the eyes of a buyer, help you manage your entire supply chain, as well as even help the industry be more sustainable!In episode 61 of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with Marcel Sieira...2023-04-0653 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#60 How to Review Your Q1 Activity to Smash Your Goals in Q2!Send us a textIf you think you don't have the time to sit and review your business activities each quarter, think about what it could be costing you in time and money if you don't properly review what you're doing. You won't know what activities, processes, and strategies are working, and which aren't. Without a proper debrief, you'll end up doing the same things, while still trying to get more sales. But as the saying goes, you can't keep doing the same thing, expecting different (better) results. In episode 60 of The Foodpreneur wi...2023-03-2922 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#58 How Cookie Dough Saved Celeb Chef Anna PolyviouSend us a textAs a Foodpreneur, trying to create a successful brand, in an industry that’s notorious for being tough to make it in, is financially, mentally and emotionally taxing (not to mention all the physical effort that comes into cooking and packing products). You’ll likely experience the rollercoaster of not only being in the F&B industry, but also being a business owner, and some days you can question yourself and your decision to become a food founder.BUT you are not alone. My guest this week on Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford...2023-03-1549 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#57 Overcoming Failure as a FoodpreneurSend us a textAs Foodpreneurs (and in life in general), you'll experience many moments you might think of failures. Whether it's getting a 'no' from a retail buyer you've been communicating with for months, to a major piece of equipment failing right before fulfilling a big order, to thinking your entire business is a failure. These moments will test you, but if you change your mindset around what a failure is, they need not break you (and often can be a catalyst for something greater).This month we celebrate International Women's Day a...2023-03-0859 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#56 Get Your Product into More Consumers’ Hands (Even Without a Budget!)Send us a textI know that marketing can be a point of confusion and overwhelm for many foodpreneurs; where do you start? What channels should you use? Google? Meta? Tiktok? How much budget do you need? What to do if you don't have any budget? Ultimately, in a digital world filled with competitors and 'noise', how does your brand get noticed and stand out to consumers and retailers enough so that they put YOUR product on their shelves, or in their baskets?In this week's episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, my guest...2023-03-0146 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#55 Anniversary Edition: Words of Advice from a Speciality Retail Buyer.Send us a textHaving worked with foodpreneurs for many years, I know that the chance to get into the mind of a retail buyer is priceless. Knowing how to land a meeting with them, how to get onto their shelves, and even how to get them to respond to your emails and/or phone calls would be an invaluable opportunity for many of you.That's why in episode 55 of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with specialty retail buyer Tim Sykes from the AMAZING Gertrude Grocer, and ask him all the things you've...2023-02-221h 15Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#51 How 2 Foodpreneurs Created a Successful Business Selling a Largely Unknown IngredientSend us a textHaving a business partner can be great. Someone to share the workload with, someone who brings their own set of skills into the business and someone to support a crazy idea of starting a food business that involves selling a product using an ingredient hardly anyone knows about…..Sounds, well brave, doesn’t it. But that’s exactly what my two guests this week on Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast did. And not only have they built a thriving business with their black garlic being adored by many high profile chefs, but a...2023-01-2549 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#50 How Foodpreneurs Can Increase DTC Sales through Digital MarketingSend us a textDid you know that 320 people in Australia search for ‘handmade chocolate’ every month on Google? How about that 2,900 people in the US search ‘best kombucha’ online EVERY MONTH. And that’s just a fraction of searches people all over the world make looking for packaged food and drink products to buy online.Now, if you’re a Foodpreneur who sells directly to consumers from a website, you’re going to want to be in front of those eyeballs 👀 👀 👀.That’s why if you’ve got an ecommerce website, I’ve got a treat for you. On Fo...2023-01-1845 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#49 How to get Noticed by Retail Buyers and Land More AccountsSend us a textIn a perfect Foodpreneur world, your product would have buyers knocking at your door. The reality, however, is a little different. With thousands of packaged F&B products out there, and only so much shelf space, it’s essential that products and brands stand out from the crowd to get onto (and off of) more shelves.In this week’s episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast I chat to RangeMe founder, Nicky Jackson. As the founder of a platform that connects retailers with suppliers, Nicky knows what it takes to stan...2023-01-1148 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#47 The Golden Quarter: Q4 Retail Review So You’re Ready to Win in Q1Send us a textThe fourth quarter has become known as the ‘Golden Quarter’ – a time when large uplifts in retail site visitors and revenue can occur due to known sales periods such as Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the Christmas period. Some days are more dependent upon your location than others, although I see them becoming ubiquitous.In this week’s Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast episode, the final for 2022, I analyse Q4 to help you review your sales records and help you to prepare to make more sales in Q1. You’ve got to be...2022-12-2823 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#45 Your 12 Month Marketing Plan to Boost Sales in 2023Send us a textGetting your packaged food and drink product ON the shelf is a huge win for a foodpreneur, but it's only the beginning. The key to longevity, business growth and profitability (apart from correctly pricing your product) is getting your product into more consumers’ hands (or baskets/trolleys/sustainable grocery bags…) And the key to this?Marketing 📣📣📣It might seem simple but it's something foodpreneurs often overlook, or struggle with. That's why in this week's episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast I give you a 12-month marketing plan for 2023, that once imp...2022-12-1424 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#44 Words of Advice from a Speciality Retail BuyerSend us a textGetting into the mind of a retail buyer is priceless for foodpreneurs. Knowing how to land a meeting with them, what to (and what NOT to) do, and the information they want to know about your product to improve your chances of getting stocked is what every Foodpreneur wants to know right??Retail buyers, like most of us, are busy people; get them at the right time and you could see your product on their shelves within a week or two, get them at the wrong time and you could be...2022-12-071h 10Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#33 Raising money to scale and replace yourself with a COO so you can focus on the creative.Send us a textStarting a business because you love your product, and the product development process, is commonplace amongst foodpreneurs, but how do you scale once you’ve proven other people think your product is as delicious as you do but you know you need help to go to the next level?That’s precisely what Lucy Bennetto of Bennetto Natural Foods has been planning for the past couple of years. Bennetto Natural Foods premium, organic, fairtrade, climate positive, better for you and good for all dark chocolate was developed by Lucy as a kitc...2022-09-2137 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#32 Walking the trade show floor with a wholesale buyer to close a sale.Send us a textWhy would a wholesale buyer buy if they don't see the value your product brings to their business?If you're not a confident sales person, hope won't work.Instead use trade shows to help you build rapport with your buyers and close more opportunities. Trade shows are not just for developing new opportunities. Buyers and producers alike know they'll be sold to at a show, so it's your opportunity to take advantage of that and close more deals.The key? You need to be prescriptive.2022-09-1418 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#31 Carving out your competitive advantage using food tech. Easier than you think.Send us a textI spoke to Food Futurist, Tony Hunter, about how foodpreneurs should use technology to carve out a competitive advantage.Foodpreneurs often develop products that don't fly. I asked Tony about his New Product Development (NPD) process, including a product matrix, to help ascertain a product's viability.In our chat you'll hear how to keep up with industry trends, such as product personalisation, where the big food companies have already moved to.Maintaining a competitive advantage is impossible without knowing what's trending.Listen to this episode...2022-09-0743 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#30 Selling more products by tapping into Instagram GOLD.Send us a textHave you mastered Instagram?According to Yolanda Nagy, a farmers market and social media consultant, there's no need to be overwhelmed but you do need to put yourself in your consumers' shoes in order to make Instagram work for your business. 👟👡👠When you put yourself in your consumers' shoes, you will land more accounts and get more of your products into more consumer baskets.Yolanda talks to me about how to do this.And in case you're wondering, Tiktok is great for video but if you want...2022-08-2957 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#29 Getting ranged and how to be good different.Send us a textEver had a retail buyer, distributor or wholesaler say to you "We have lines we already stock like yours that we want to sell through before considering bringing on a new supplier."? Argghhh…. How do you come back from that? You’ve had the courage to call and then it’s a thanks but no.So how do you get ranged and be good different?How do you get the buyer to say yes?Food and drink is a competitive market, but imagine buyers contacting you rat...2022-08-2420 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#28 Moving from DTC to wholesale. The scale story of a keto cereal brand.Send us a textVeronica Blue sells creamy keto hot cereal on Amazon. In her third month, her revenue was $10,000. She was off to a great start. Now, less than one year after launching DTC, she wants to sell through wholesale channels and has set her sight on Wholefoods (can’t blame her, their stores are fab). But, what Veronica wanted to know was, HOW? How was she going to make that transition to finding retail buyers to pitch to instead of consumers who find her on Amazon? What steps did she need to take in...2022-08-1743 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#27 Getting sales through a major retailer when you’ve got a lot of competition. Here's how.Send us a textGym Bod’s target market for their high protein, low sugar, ice cream is anyone in activewear who has a sweet tooth!I spoke to Cian Dawson, one half of Gym Bod, who co-founded the brand with partner, Courtney Brown, about selling through a major supermarket chain and gaining market share in a competitive category. Gym Bod has been developed for the mass market, but it wasn’t initially conceived that way. When playing in the highly competitive frozen dessert category, and striving to be profitable, some days (okay… many) c...2022-08-0947 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#26 Straight talk from a speciality retail buyer. What to say in your pitch.Send us a textDo you want to get your food and drink product on more grocery shelves? What about getting your product off the shelf and into more consumer baskets? If you said yes to either of those questions, this episode is for you! Today’s guest is Christina Basile, owner operator of Panetta Mercato, a collection of five family run grocery stores sourcing high quality food and drink products for their customers. Christina and I talked about what foodpreneurs need to do to get their food and drink pr...2022-08-0346 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#25 Challenger brand trends from the UK market.Send us a textI’m in the UK and last week chaired a number of sessions at the Bread and Jam Festival with extraordinary challenger brand owners scaling their products. I am also spending a lot of time in market developing insights to share with you and a media outlet I'm writing for.In this episode I outline the biggest FMCG trends in the UK right now to inspire you, your NPD pipeline and to get you to go in market to do your own research. Because? Not enough foodpreneurs do and as...2022-07-2715 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#24 Sales: land one new retailer every other day. How this foodpreneur does it.Send us a textAre you scared of picking up the phone to make sales calls? Do you struggle to get sales momentum? How about the follow up calls… so you have a consistent routine? According to Julie Morris, there’s nothing to be scared of when making calls, just find common ground.Julie is a natural rapport builder and in my chat with her, she talks to me about how she does it to build her seasoning and flavoured salt business, Pincha Salt. Julie lives in a remote location and is not...2022-07-2247 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#23 Competition: build a FMCG brand, get to $100M & stay committed to your social conscience.Send us a textIt’s tough to create a food product and ensure it’s profitable. It is. That’s not a scare tactic, it’s truth. And I absolutely make it easier for you. That's my 'why'.I talk to Anthony Harb, a former FMCG buyer and supplier who built a packaged goods business to $100M… and then supply chain issues, due to Covid, brought his business unstuck.Anthony and I talked about what foodpreneurs need to do to seriously scale to 6, 7 and 8 figures and stay consistent, for the long term.2022-07-1426 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#22 Four reasons why you might be struggling to make money right now.Send us a textIn the past 27 months, many consumers have discovered new small-batch food and drink products. Which is great. And many foodpreneurs have found new consumers. Also great. But, despite these new push and pull opportunities, many foodpreneurs have found it hard to make money and tough to stay in business right now.This episode, the first in Season 3, has been dedicated to providing you with insight into four of the biggest challenges that have impacted many FMCG businesses in that time, those that have had the greatest negative impact on your bottom...2022-07-0618 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#21 Leveraging your Q2 results for higher sales in Q3.Send us a textDid you land more sales in quarter 2? How prepared are you to put more money in your pocket in quarter 3, despite the increasing costs and supply chain interruptions?As we bounce out of quarter two and into three, we’re also at the mid-way point of the calendar year. For us Aussie businesses, that means the end of the financial year. These past 12 weeks of quarter 2, your job was to sell HARD. To ensure you bridged any revenue gap you had to make your full year revenue and sales volume targets....2022-06-2914 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#20 Scaling a specialty product from farmers markets to grocery.Send us a textLucy is a farmer of chickens and has developed value added products such as bone broth. Selling currently at farmers markets, Lucy wants to see her bone broth product on the shelves of grocery stores within 12 months.Listen to my coaching session with Lucy and the advice I give her on how to scale a speciality product. There’s three things I suggest Lucy focuses on in order to successfully scale and ensure she can meet the MOQ expectations of a co-manufacturer.This is what you'll learn:Why st...2022-06-2140 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#19 Money: avoiding financial failure and becoming profitable.Send us a textIt’s hard making profitable packaged products. There’s a lot to consider and many actions to take. Most (80%) of food and drink businesses fail within five years - how do you avoid going out of business backwards?How do you scale a business with food and drink packaged products that put more money in your pocket?In this episode you’ll hear communications expert, Luisa Ford (aka my little sister), interview me on what it takes for foodpreneurs to be profitable.You’...2022-06-1520 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#18 Distributors: making sales with margin.Send us a textUsing distributors to sell means foodpreneurs often compromise on margin. You don't have to, you just need to be prepared by knowing that if you use a distributor to sell to a retailer, you need enough margin in your pricing to pay for everyone along the way. Everyone needs to be paid and I suggest you start by 'pricing backwards.'Often foodpreneurs figure out the ‘pricing backwards’ calculation too late.I talk with Hayssam Bejjani, 'The Chief' at Cartel & Co, a boutique food & beverage brand partnership and distribution compa...2022-06-071h 14Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#17 Subscriptions: money while you sleep.Send us a textMaking more revenue, especially predictable recurring revenue, while you sleep, would be amazing, right?Imagine not having to set up your market stall or pitching to a wholesale buyer, week in week out? You’d save a lot of time. Or could you imagine the dollars cha-cha-chinging over and over again and you’ve changed nothing with your online store. Well this is all possible with a slick DTC digital strategy.In this episode I’m giving you the three elements of setting up a super effective subscri...2022-05-3023 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#16 End to end product development expertise with a food scientist.Send us a textNatalie Alibrandi, a food scientist who gets products ready for market, outlines what you need to hone to take your food and drink product idea to full commercialisation, including executing a formula that’s ready for a retail launch and a formulation that will continue to serve your needs as your demand grows and your business scales up.In this episode you’ll learn:Getting the right technical formulation for your product;Ensuring your product’s packaging is compliant;Scoping suppliers, including co-packers, that are right for your needs;Shelf life r...2022-05-2538 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#15 Scaled to $500k in 24 months and ranged in more than 650 accounts. Here’s how.Send us a textYou’ve got to love your product and be the biggest advocate for your brand because it can take a while to make money with any food and drink packaged good. In my conversation with Ben Whyatt, founder Doggylicious, he told me he wished he would've gone in knowing an RRP that he should have had because initially he made 0% margin. When the retailer wants 40%, your distributor wants 30%, how much money is left to put in your pocket for every food and drink product you sell? Listen to Ben talk about his growth to...2022-05-1856 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#14 Distributors, what you need to know before you approach one.Send us a textI talk with Tara Mei in this episode about distributors and what you need to know before you approach one. Tara is the co-founder of the UK’s largest community of food and drink founders, Bread & Jam; and the founder of Mahalo Supplies, a distributor of emerging brands to the specialty independent sector across the UK. In this episode you’ll learn:How to successfully get shared sales data with a distributor - who are often cagey about these things;What it means to build a triangular partnership with a distr...2022-05-111h 10Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#13 You need sales but you're a one-woman band. Here's how.Send us a textWhen talking about sales success, Shannon said, “my major fear is not that he will say no, but that he will say yes and I’ll over-commit”.You’re exhausted, it was a sprint to get your product made, and business opened, and what you need is to stop and take a deep breath but unfortunately that won’t pay the bills.Listen to my coaching session with Shannon who was 'burning out' and needed a sales process to follow and begin to prepare her business f...2022-05-0440 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#12 Co-manufacturers, how to know you’re ready and what to ask.Send us a textYou’re a victim of your own success. Who can help when you don’t have the manufacturing capacity to produce more product?Deciding to outsource your production is an option, but it can be a scary commitment. Can they be trusted with your recipe? How will you meet the MOQ’s? What monies do you need to fork out?Tune into this episode to learn:What to ask a co-manufacturer to make sure you’re the right fit for one another; andWhat and how to prepa...2022-04-2720 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#11 Pickability. Promotions that get your product in more baskets.Send us a textSo you’re on the shelf. Terrific. Now get your product into more consumers’ hands. I see the struggle, of foodpreneurs not getting their product into more baskets, often. Normally it’s because it is THE most overlooked marketing strategy, that when not done, causes THE most pain!Not creating ‘pull-through’ is the fastest way to burn through a lot of cash and get delisted.Most foodpreneurs are too busy trying to get on a shelf and then realise they don’t have the velocity to stay there. Plan y...2022-04-2019 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#10 On the grocery shelf and failed. Twice. What to do.Send us a textYou're going to love it when you get to be a fly on the wall on how NOT to scale your food and drink product business as you listen to this episode.I'm sharing with you my conversation with a foodpreneur who got their products on the shelves of a major grocery chain, twice, and they failed, twice!!!So, guess why I think that's good for you? Because you can avoid all the things that foodpreneur did and save yourself lots of time and money!In this epis...2022-04-1244 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#9 Accelerators, incubators & investors. What you need to know.Send us a textThere’s a lot of talk from Big Food, major grocers and venture capitalists about foodpreneurs. Nothing like Big Food and major grocers to jump on the bandwagon way after the movement began for thinking consumers and brand owners. #sorrynotsorryThey all want in. From my experience, a retail buyer knows shelf space, a product manufacturer knows production (and old school branding) and VCs know how to spend money to make money. So who has the whole package that is right for your product? In this...2022-04-0624 min
Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#8 Reviewing Q1 so you're putting more money in your pocket in Q2.Send us a textLanding more accounts; getting your product into more consumers’ hands’, and putting more money in your pocket is a series of sprints. Don’t expect to make more sales without a plan, executing your sales plan proficiently and then reviewing it against consistent criteria.The way you’ll achieve success is by being strategic in quarterly sprints. Measure those sprints so your full year run meets your expectations. Do not use hope as your strategy (I see you!).In this episode I give you my formula for measuring your quarter...2022-03-3016 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#7 How to scale an ambient snack business & quit your day job.Send us a textYour revenue is $2k per month and you need it to be $15k so you can quit your part-time job. Or perhaps your revenue is $5k per month and you want it to be $40k so you can heavily invest in next-level marketing activities. Either way I’ve got you.In this episode I coach Ruth Aneke, founder of West African snack brand, Mamaland. You’ll listen in to how I help Ruth sell more products and put more money in her pocket so she can quit her full-time job, confidently affo...2022-03-2245 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#6 Brand is where the money is. How to build one that stands out & sells more.Send us a textHave you created just another product, or have you created a ‘go-to’ brand that people cannot get enough of?In this episode I talk to Ainsley Moir, a marketing and branding expert, author and podcast host who turns great tasting food products into unforgettable food brands.We answer some of the most compelling questions that you, a brand owner, should be asking.In my conversation with Ainsley, you’ll find out what your brand attributes are and how to use them when pitching to a retail buyer so the...2022-03-1642 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#5 Surviving pitch rejection. What to do to get a YES.Send us a textPitch more often. Statistically speaking, if you’re pitching more you’ll land more accounts. And yes, you’ll also get more ‘no’s’, but does that really matter?You’ve got to be in it to win it, as they say.In this episode I talk about a foodpreneur who had doors closed in her face consistently yet today, five years later has a revenue of $4 million dollars. You can do that too. I also teach you my sales activity planner framework.Links & ResourcesMasterclass an...2022-03-0915 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#4 How to not negotiate on price.Send us a textDo you find yourself being cornered into a lose - win price negotiation with buyers where you’re on the losing side? Do you know how to build rapport with a buyer that’s meaningful and grabs their attention quickly? Most foodpreneurs agonise over pitching and want the magic words to say that triggers a sale, every time. In this episode, I’ll tell you why you’re being cornered on price, and what to say instead, so you create a partnership rather than set up the parent-chil...2022-03-0212 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#3 What is a sales agent, and do I need one?Send us a textSales and selling are often after thoughts for packaged food and drink brand owners. When there’s not enough velocity, or product sales, the issue of not selling or making enough sales becomes obvious very quickly. I know you feel this.So how do you land more accounts and put more money in your pocket when you’re making, baking and creating?In this episode I talk to Jo Sebok a Sales Agent for speciality and artisanal food and drink brand owners. For you to get the most from this...2022-02-2227 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#2 Food trade shows, what’s the real ROI?Send us a textPackaged food and drink brand owners are often afraid to spend the money to exhibit at a trade show in case they don’t make their money back.Trade shows are a big investment in time and money, so that’s understandable.In this episode I talk to Liz Shaw, Exhibition Manager of Specialised Events to help you understand what you must do to make your money back.In my conversation with Liz, we get to the granular level of setting objectives and how to win turn in o...2022-02-1552 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea Ford#1 Why Foodpreneurs Don't Make Money.Send us a textMaking money in food and drink is hard - almost impossible when you procrastinate and focus on all the wrong things. I bet if you’re here you may already know that there’s a lot to consider and many actions to take. 73% of packaged food and drink brand owners don't pay themselves a wage because there is no profit to set aside for all their time and effort. Listen to my insights into what the five typical mistakes foodpreneurs make are, and get answers to these question...2022-02-0819 minFoodpreneur with Chelsea FordIntroduction to Foodpreneur with Chelsea FordSend us a textI invite you to hang out with me every week on the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast and I, along with other experienced industry experts, will help you with selling your packaged food and drink product; negotiating with buyers; getting stocked; generating consistent demand for your products; and getting your products into more consumer hands, with or without a distributor! And the clincher… I’ll make sure you are putting more money in your pocket for every product you make.Season 14 Season 14, out now, is 'Scale Season' and...2022-01-2709 min