Sometimes the most the powerful challenger brand stories are also stories of struggle, survival, overcoming personal battles and inspiring strength and resilience. In this episode of Brand Growth Heroes , Fiona sits down with Josh White , co-founder of Cano Water , a brand that’s not only challenging the status quo of the bottled water industry but also reshaping it entirely. It all started with a question: Why are there so many plastic bottles in the sea AND why are we still drinking water from...
Jul 02, 2025•41 min•Season 9Ep. 5
In just 5 mins, get your dose of insight and inspiration from Perfect Ted' s co-founder Marisa Poster , and their brilliant Head of Sales, Shani Higgs ! From the early grind of cold emails and constant rejection through post-Dragons’ Den momentum to scaling a £ 30M+ brand with just a 30-strong team, Marisa and Shani open up about how they’re building a really special team culture, as well as the global 'Matcha Movement'. Hear how Perfect Ted has become a magnet for kind, passionate, hardworking ...
Jun 25, 2025•10 min•Season 9Ep. 4
What’s the ACTUAL difference between a Chief Growth Officer and a Chief Marketing Officer,what do they do and why might a high-growth brand need both? BGH host Fiona Fitz has been in the industry for 25+ years, and believe it or not, these roles are relatively new, borrowed from the worlds of tech and e-commerce, pure plays. So we decided it was high time to investigate what exactly a chief growth officer does and how they work alongside a chief marketing officer. In this episode of Brand Growth...
Jun 18, 2025•53 min•Season 9Ep. 3
In this bite-sized Brand Growth Heroes SHORT episode, Ben Greensmith, Country Manager for the UK and Ireland of Tony’s Chocolonely, reveals: Why out-of-home is Tony’s secret weapon How their sales team of 30+ is structured to drive growth A surprising revenue stream that’s doubling year on year If you want to gobble up even more insights, don’t forget to like, follow, or subscribe Brand Growth Heroes podcast — and if you're keen for full conversation between Fiona and Ben, you can find it in our...
Jun 11, 2025•7 min•Season 9Ep. 2
In this latest Brand Growth Heroes podcast episode, we’re talking all things gut health, consumer trends, and brand-building at scale with Vince Lawson, CMO of Biotiful Gut Health , the #1 kefir brand in the UK - recently bought by MULLER! Launched initially as Biotiful Kefir, the brand has undergone a bold transformation to become the go-to name in natural gut health, and the results speak for themselves, with nearly £90M in retail sales pre sale to Muller. Biotiful Gut Health , was founded by ...
Jun 04, 2025•37 min•Season 9Ep. 1
Because your business is only as strong as your team - it really shouldn’t be this hard — but it is...So let’s make it a little easier! Over the past few years, I’ve become increasingly frustrated at just how HARD it is for founders to find the right people for their business. There are fewer applicants than there used to be for roles in sales and marketing in CPG businesses It's even tougher to find that magic mix of mindset, experience and soft skills— as well as someone who genuinely fits you...
May 28, 2025•8 min•Season 8Ep. 14
If you’ve ever wondered how to transform a niche idea into a mainstream success, this episode is for you. In this special live recording, host Fiona Fitz heads to London to catch up with two friends from the Perfect Ted team: Marisa Poster , one of the brand’s three co-founders, and Shani Higgs , their brilliant Head of Sales. Since their last appearance on Brand Growth Heroes , Perfect Ted has seen phenomenal growth, hitting a revenue run rate of nearly £40 million . And they’re just getting st...
May 21, 2025•41 min•Season 8Ep. 13
What kind of career helps to make a great future entrepreneur? In this week's Golden Nugget, you can hear all about the career trajectory of Freddy Ward, co-founder of Wild Deo, before he took the leap into 'founderdom'. With it's recent sale to Unilver for a reported £235M, Freddy and Charlie Bowes-Lyons certainly had what it took to build a business that scaled to £60M pre-sale. Thanks again to MKJ Ignite for bringing us BGH SHORTS: The People Series! Over the past few years, I’ve become incre...
May 14, 2025•6 min•Season 8Ep. 12
What if the best way to grow your brand wasn't just about selling, but about educating, empowering, and building real trust with your audience? In this latest episode of Brand Growth Heroes , Fiona Fitz is joined by Sunna van Kampen , the founder of Tonic Health , the UK’s fastest-growing vitamin brand. With a run rate of £6M and growing exponentially , Tonic Health is revolutionising the supplement industry, calling out low-dose, sugar-laden vitamins and replacing them with high-potency, plant-...
May 07, 2025•51 min•Season 8Ep. 11
David Lester, Olipop On Why Founders Must Convince People To Do Unreasonable Sh1t! Over the past few years, I’ve become increasingly frustrated at just how HARD it is for founders to find the right people for their business. There are fewer applicants than there used to be for roles in sales and marketing in CPG businesses It's even tougher to find that magic mix of mindset, experience and soft skills— as well as someone who genuinely fits your culture and values. And the process? It's a lot : s...
May 01, 2025•9 min•Season 8Ep. 10
Host Fiona Fitz is joined by two powerhouse co-founders, Amelia Christie-Miller and Ed Whelpton from one of the most recent but well-loved UK challenger brands food - Bold Bean Co. What started as a mission to make people obsessed with beans has become one of the most exciting new category-creating brands in the UK. In this episode, we’re getting behind the scenes on how they've driven growth: from designing a new category to TV appearances on Dragon's Den and This Morning (UK), the importance o...
Apr 29, 2025•47 min•Season 8Ep. 9
Over the past few years, I’ve become increasingly frustrated at just how HARD it is for founders to find the right people for their business. There are fewer applicants than there used to be for roles in sales and marketing in CPG businesses It's even tougher to find that magic mix of mindset, experience and soft skills— as well as someone who genuinely fits your culture and values. And the process? It's a lot : search, connect, schedule, first interviews, follow-ups, feedback loops — all while ...
Apr 15, 2025•7 min•Season 8Ep. 8
If you're the founder of a scaling brand, you've likely thought about selling your business. But when should you start preparing, and how do you find the right buyer? In this episode, we discuss mergers and acquisitions with Charles Lanceley, Managing Director of Alantra's consumer team. Alantra is a leading investment bank specialising in consumer brands. Charles has worked on major deals, including Fuel 10K, Strong Roots, and Grenade, and shares what makes a brand valuable—from strong financia...
Apr 09, 2025•49 min•Season 8Ep. 7
Did you know that 1 billion women globally are menopausal at any given time? Yet, until recently, the retail industry has largely overlooked this audience. Well....that’s all about to change! In this episode of Brand Growth Heroes, we explore the groundbreaking work of GenM, the menopause partner for brands and retailers, and its mission to reshape how women shop for menopause-friendly products. Our latest #BGH guest, Heather Jackson (CEO and co-founder of GenM), is the unstoppable force behind ...
Mar 26, 2025•38 min•Season 8Ep. 6
A small favour: If this episode inspires you to think about new ways to drive business growth, please please hit FOLLOW and even leave a review!This tiny gesture from you means the world to us, and allows us to share these nuggets of insight and value with you more often. We see every new follow and read every review so thank you in advance! ============================================================= In this latest Brand Growth Heroes episode, host Fiona Fitz chats with Stu MacDonald , founder...
Mar 04, 2025•45 min•Season 8Ep. 5
Scaling a CPG brand isn’t just about great products and standout branding—it’s also about navigating a legal maze that can come with fast business growth, in many different guises. In this episode of Brand Growth Heroes , Fiona Fitz sits down with Phil Hails-Smith and Paul Chiappe, managing partners at corporate law firm Joelson, to cover the legal essentials every CPG founder needs to know. With over 30 years of experience supporting some of the fastest-growing CPG brands - clients like Little ...
Feb 19, 2025•34 min•Season 8Ep. 4
In this episode, Fiona Fitz chats with Richard Peake, Managing Director of Merchant Gourmet and one of the rare non-founder guests to grace our show. When Richard entered the role, Merchant Gourmet was a £15 million business. Fast forward four years, and the company has doubled its revenue to £30 million. Bold innovations, a revamped product range, and strategic market expansion have powered this incredible growth. Our conversation delves into the power of innovation and the importance of stayin...
Feb 04, 2025•48 min•Season 8Ep. 3
In the latest episode of Brand Growth Heroes , Fiona Fitz sits down with Craig Allen, the founder of Gold Standard Nutrition (GSN), who joins us from Selby, York. GSN has become a standout brand for its high-quality, healthy, and convenient frozen meals that taste amazing! At just 21, Craig launched GSN with a bold vision, growing it into a multi-million-pound business—all without any external funding. The idea for GSN was born 12 years ago during a family outing to a local Chinese restaurant wi...
Jan 16, 2025•37 min•Season 8Ep. 2
In this latest episode of Brand Growth Heroes , we’re over the moon (as always) to welcome back one of our favourite guests, Ben Greensmith, Country Manager for the UK and Ireland of Tony’s Chocolonely. Since we last chatted to Ben on the show, Tony’s Chocolonely has not only achieved impressive sales growth in the UK but has also made remarkable strides in driving positive change within the cocoa industry. In this episode, Ben and Fiona dive deep into the progress Tony’s Chocolonely has made, c...
Dec 16, 2024•42 min•Season 8Ep. 1
In this latest episode, we’re diving into the remarkable story of Scott Davies, the visionary Welsh founder of Hilltop Honey. From an early career as a bricklayer and coal yard worker to building a £50M business (number two in the market) and designing and building his own 55,000 square foot factory, Scott’s story is a testament to resilience, innovation, and an unyielding passion for bees and business! Scott takes us behind the scenes of Hilltop Honey’s unlikely start and rise to success, shari...
Dec 02, 2024•29 min•Season 7Ep. 12
We are thrilled to welcome back Irish entrepreneur Gary Lavin, the founder of VITHIT Drinks. VITHIT is brand that’s seen incredible growth in recent years, establishing itself as a leader in the vitamin water in the UK and Ireland. With an £80 million run-rate in 2025, and multiple international markets, VITHIT is now a global player to be reckoned with. But, like so many others, the real story here lies in founder Gary's relentless journey - one that that transformed a small idea into a busines...
Nov 18, 2024•38 min•Season 7Ep. 11
VITHIT : This episode is the first in a 2-part series where we dive deep into the journey of the leading vitamin water in the UK and Ireland, through the eyes of its Irish founder, Gary Lavin. VITHIT is a brand close to my heart, because the branding was designed by my truly talented brother and best friend, Dave of Dave Fitz Design , a boutique brand design agency in Dublin. VITHIT is a great example of a winning brand that has taken it's time to learn, grow and get to a category leadership pos...
Nov 14, 2024•36 min•Season 7Ep. 10
Ever been embarrassed at the till buying condoms?! This week, Fiona Fitz is joined by Farah Kabir and Sarah Welsh, the brilliant duo behind HANX, a scaling challenger brand in the sexual wellness category. Farah and Sarah turned an awkward personal experience into a market-leading company by spotting a glaring gap in the female-focused sexual health market. They've now built a brand that, although it started in condoms, has evolved to support women throughout all stages of their lives, addressin...
Nov 04, 2024•28 min•Season 7Ep. 9
We're thrilled to welcome back Fuel 10k founder Barney Mauleverer for his third appearance on Brand Growth Heroes. Barney's just wrapped up an incredible 13-year journey with Fuel 10K, and he's here to chat about the grit and patience it takes to build and sell a company. Trust us, if you're a founder facing your own hurdles, you'll want to tune in for this one! Barney's story shows that success isn't always about sprinting to the finish line. Sometimes, it's more like running a marathon. Every ...
Oct 16, 2024•31 min•Season 7Ep. 8
In this latest episode of Brand Growth Heroes , Fiona sits down with the inspirational human being Ruby Raut, the founder and CEO of WUKA (Wake Up, Kick-Ass), to discuss her remarkable story from growing up in Nepal, where menstruation was shrouded in taboo, to creating a brand that is revolutionising the Fem Care category, and giving dignity back to girls and women every month. Ruby’s background in environmental science and her passion for sustainability inspired her to create WUKA, a brand off...
Sep 30, 2024•1 hr•Season 7Ep. 7
Listen and learn from Joanna Jensen , the founder of Child's Farm! This multi-award-winning natural skincare brand was founded (like 99% of businesses born to female founders) from Joanna's own need for something that didn't exist in the category at the time: a bath time solution for her child with medically diagnosed eczema. Created in 2010, Childs Farm was the number-one brand in the category by 2019 ( ahead of Johnson's Baby, Baby Dove, and Aveeno). Joanna scaled the business to £20 million a...
Sep 02, 2024•55 min•Season 7Ep. 6
$500M: OLIPOP explodes the USA Soda Market Join us for Fiona Fitz’s recent conversation with OLIPOP Co-Founder & President David Lester, recorded live at the Bread and Jam Festival. OLIPOP Co-Founders David Lester and Ben Goodwin landed on the foundational recipe for “a new kind of soda”, redefining how consumers perceived the category. OLIPOP has successfully persuaded consumers to swap out sugary, familiar favourites for healthier alternatives. In colourful cans with vintage logos and fant...
Jul 28, 2024•46 min•Season 7Ep. 5
Sauce Shop Secrets Unveiled: Pam & James Digva on everything from building their own factory to getting a national listing in Tesco If you’re ever wondering what it takes to own and run your own manufacturing facility, then this episode is for you. Brand Growth Heroes host Fiona Fitz has been tasting packaged food and beverage products as part of her job for over 25 years. When she first tasted Sauce Shop's lime and aioli sauce at the Alantra Fast 50 dinner, she knew she had to find out how ...
Jun 10, 2024•42 min•Season 7Ep. 4
Episode 69: Freja Foods, Founder Ed Armitage How to Hit a £10m Run Rate in 3 Years! In this latest episode, Fiona talks to Ed Armitage, founder of Freja Bone Broth , who shares the secrets behind his award-winning, digital-first, scaling food business. With a vision to become Europe's No. 1 bone broth brand, you'll hear how husband and wife team Ed and Jess built a multi-million-pound brand in just over three years - during extremely difficult economic conditions. Investors like Harry Cain, the ...
Apr 09, 2024•42 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Founder Barney Mauleverer describes Fuel10k as 'a 12 year overnight success' In Part 2 of our two part series covering the growth journey & sale of the protein breakfast brand Fuel10k to Premier Foods, learn: The three reasons that Fuel10k was the perfect fit for Premier Foods already impressive national brand portfolio It Fuel10K 10 years to get to £10 million in revenue but 2.5 years to do the next £10 million £10 million turnover is the magic number : the figure at which your P&L and ...
Nov 09, 2023•42 min•Season 7Ep. 2
