Shows
20 minutes with...JONATHAN JAMESIn this final episode of Series 1 (we’re back with Series 2 soon!), Eimear talks to Jonathan James.From a small farm shop in a disused barn to a thriving multi-site retail estate spanning the country, he has built quite the journey in convenience retail.In this episode, host Eimear Andersen sits down with Jonathan to explore what it’s really like running a family business alongside his wife Rebecca and their children Joshua and Emily, where family dinners often double as business strategy sessions.Jonathan reflects on navigating major industry chan...
2025-11-0727 min
20 minutes with...VICTORIA LAWSONVictoria Lawson – Making form-filling a distant memorySometimes the simplest ideas are the most transformative. Victoria Lawson, Founder and CEO of Wholepal, has created a platform that’s quietly revolutionising how suppliers and wholesalers share product data — removing the spreadsheets, the errors and the hours of wasted time that once defined the process.In this conversation, Victoria shares her journey from FMCG account manager to tech founder — and how a single frustration sparked an industry-changing idea. Victoria talks about:How a daily admin headache led to the creation of WholepalWhy...
2025-10-3126 min
20 minutes with...KEVIN HUNTKevin Hunt – The Reality of Retail in 2025Fourth-generation retailer Kevin Hunt leads a family business that began in 1946 and now runs 23 local community SPAR stores. In this powerful and often candid conversation, he shares what it really takes to keep an independent business thriving nearly 80 years on. Kevin talks about: Growing up among shelves stacked with sugar and joining the family firm at 13The hard work and risk-taking that have defined three generations of HuntsHow supermarkets threatened their survival in the late 70s — and how th...
2025-10-2429 min
20 minutes with...JAMES LOWMANFor nearly 30 years, James Lowman has been at the heart of the Association of Convenience Stores — 19 of them as Chief Executive. He’s steered the organisation through major change, from the rise of convenience retailing and new government regulation to the turbulence of COVID.In this wide-ranging conversation, James reflects on his journey from public affairs manager to CEO and the evolution of the UK’s thriving convenience sector. He talks about:The moment he joined a fledgling ACS in 1996 — and how the convenience sector defined itself for the modern era
2025-10-1733 min
20 minutes with...DEBBIE ROBINSONFor more than 30 years, Debbie Robinson has helped shape UK retail, leading major high-street names while championing people, communities and sustainability. In this episode, she shares how purpose and values guide her leadership as CEO of Central Co-op, which is one of the country’s largest independent co-operative societies.Debbie talks about:How a Saturday job led to a lifelong career in retailThe purpose behind Central Co-op’s mission to create “a sustainable society for all”Why fair reward, training and respect for colleagues are vital to a healthy sectorTackling retail crime and building stronger communit...
2025-10-1025 min
20 minutes with...MIKE SEVERSEimear Andersen is joined by Mike Severs from Volumatic. Mike has spent more than a decade making cash handling simpler, safer and smarter for retailers of all sizes.They explore why cash is still vital in a digital-first world, how retailers can balance efficiency with customer choice and the technology that’s helping frontline colleagues feel more confident at the till.You’ll hear about:The myths around cash and why it’s here to stayHow “smart cash” tools are changing retail operationsWhy younger generations are rediscovering the value of notes and coinsThe gl...
2025-10-0320 min
20 minutes with...MICHAEL LORIMER20 Minutes With… Michael Lorimer, CEO of DCS GroupMichael Lorimer leads one of the UK’s most remarkable distributor success stories. In this episode he talks about balancing global brands with a thriving own label and how people, values and community sit at the heart of DCS’s growth.He reflects on 31 years of consecutive expansion at DCS Group, moving into food distribution and the vision behind their new customer innovation centre. Along the way he shares candid views on government policy, sustainability and why developing talent will shape the company’s next chapter...
2025-09-2621 min
20 minutes with...MICHAEL FLETCHERIn this episode, Eimear Andersen is joined by SPAR UK MD, Michael Fletcher, a leader who has shaped the UK grocery and convenience sector for more than three decades. From starting out at Tesco in the 1990s to now guiding thousands of independent stores across the country, Michael brings a wealth of experience and a passion for retail that shines through every conversation.Michael shares:How he first stumbled into retail and why he still considers it the most fun industry to work in.The unique opportunity and challenge of working with S...
2025-09-1930 min
20 minutes with...DAVID WALKER20 Minutes With… David WalkerIn this episode, Eimear Andersen is joined by David Walker, tech and data specialist and CCO of Cerve. David is helping the food and drink industry unlock the power of real-time insights – cutting waste, saving costs and reimagining how supply chains operate.David explains how APIs – the digital “pipes” that allow data to flow seamlessly between systems – are transforming purchasing, selling and compliance for wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers and operators. By replacing outdated manual processes with accurate, automated data, businesses can free up people, reduce errors and focus on growth.He...
2025-09-1227 min
20 minutes with...STUART HOLMES20 Minutes With… Stuart HolmesIn this episode, Eimear Andersen sits down with Stuart Holmes, who has spent more than 25 years in the drinks and coffee industries with brands such as Bacardi, Campari and Illy, before stepping out to create his own consultancy.Stuart shares his journey from corporate life to founding The Power of Five, a consultancy designed to help FMCG businesses – from founder-led start-ups to SMEs – find clarity, focus and sustainable growth. He reflects on the challenges brands face when trying to scale, from moving too fast and burning cash, to holding back a...
2025-09-1222 min
20 minutes with...TRAILER - 20 minutes with...First full episode coming on Friday 12th September. Click on subscribe here to be notified as soon as it is published. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2025-09-0502 min
The Sound TestLIVE - 24/01/20 [Weekly VGM Radio]A brand new iteration of The Sound Test LIVE! This time, I'm joined by Shelley Moncaster for fresh VGM playlists and all the old features, including:
SFX Showdown
SongFight
News
and lots of listener requests this week!
This week's playlist:
Six’s Theme, Pt. II – Tobias Lilja [Little Nightmares]
Spring (Wild Horseradish Jam) – ConcernedApe [Stardew Valley]
The Palace – Matt Gray [Reformation 3]
Stage 05 Remix – Daisuke Nagata and/or Ko Hayashi [Radirgy Generic]
Triage at Dawn (Remix)– Morch Kovalski [Half-Life 2]
Lake – Go Ichinose, Junichi Masuda Hitomi Sato and/or Morikazu Aoki [Pokemon Diamond and Pea...
2020-01-262h 32