The FoodTalk Show

FoodTalk Group Limited
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The FoodTalk Show Podcast

The FoodTalk Show is presented by Ollie Lloyd, a serial entrepreneur, founder of Great British Chefs and investor in food and drink businesses. Each week Ollie interviews a wide range of leaders from across the food and drink world.

  1. 24 AUG

    Chef Paul Ainsworth - creating an impact locally

    Over the last ten years, Chef Paul Ainsworth has build a very special business in Cornwall that has expanded far beyond his eponymous Michelin stared restaurant in Padstow. Initially he took over a local restaurant that had been through many incarnations, creating an family Italian called Caffe Rojano. He went on take over a much loved local pub, The Mariners across the other side of the Camel Estuary, that is now regarded as the 3rd best gastro pub in the UK according to Estrella's list. On top of this there is a coctail bar, boutique hotel with 6 rooms and an academy that speaks volumes of his commitment to the local area and nuturing local talent.  He has now released a cookbook, called For the Love of Food that is firmly rooted in his Michelin starred restaurant without being too fancy or complex. It is all sharing plates and clever takes on dishes that the family will love. His food is deeply rooted in his training with some of the best chefs in the UK but leans towards a relaxed and fun approach to food that he is known for. Joining Ollie, who he knew back in the day when Great British Chefs was in its infancy, they talk about the changes in the food scene and the importance of backing small food and drink businesses. Both of them believe passionately in getting kids into food early and trade tales of culinary adventures of their kids.  Edited by Stella Gent

    36 min

  2. 29 JUL

    Eoin Keenan - founder of Goodrays

    Ollie Lloyd talks to Eoin Keenan, founder of Goodrays, one of the UK's first CBD brands offering drinks. Eoin shares his journey of discovering CBD in university whilst dealing with anxiety and sleep issues. After working on CBD farms in the US and Canada, Eoin returned to the UK to advocate for CBD legalisation.  He founded Goodrays because he believed there was an opportunity to offer high-quality, accessible CBD products, focusing on beverages as the most mainstream and effective format. He believes passionately about the need to educate both consumers and regulators on the potential benefits of CBD.  The brand which is positioned around the idea of offering a "deep breath for your brain," takes a very natural approach to the category rather than being explicitly counter-cultural. They offer a very strategic set of products designed to meet the key consumer needs of the day: oils (morning and evening), drinks (throughout the day), and gummies (on the go). They are the only CBD drink in Tesco and are expanding into Europe, working very closely with their retail partners to establish these emerging product forms. As one of the most talked about ingredients of recent years, Eoin has a unique perspective on the CBD journey of the last 10 years.

    43 min

  3. 8 JUL

    Danni Malone, Chief Network Officer of the Trussell Trust talks change

    Danni Malone, the Chief Network Officer of the Trussell Trust, an anti-poverty charity that supports a network of food banks across the UK, joins Ollie Lloyd and Susie Warran-Smith to explain the challenges they face. The Trussell Trust is campaigning and working towards a vision where we no longer see food banks in communities. Their network of 1,400 food banks, all run by independent charities, provide emergency support and food parcels to people who are left without enough money to afford the essentials. Danni explained how around 75% of people referred to their food banks have some sort of disability or someone in the house has a disability. Whilst the actual number of food banks in the UK is pretty static, the level of need and the number of people being pushed through their doors is increasing year on year. In fact, last year they distributed 3.1 million emergency food parcels through their network, which is the highest level ever, and over a million of those were for children. This reflects a 94 per cent increase over the last five years. Despite getting both Ollie and Susie depressed by all the statistics and need - it is clear that people want this issue changed. It feels like their is increasing will to tackle some of these long term challenges and whilst this podcast was recorded before Labour's landslide election win, the idea of change was already feeling like a reality. Edited by Stella Gent

    38 min

  4. 1 JUL

    Dogtooth - a revolutionary approach to picking

    Dr Duncan Robertson, from Dogtooth, joins Ollie Lloyd and Susie Warren-Smith, to talk about a new way to address the labour shortages that are impacting seasonal fruit and vegetables, a problem that Susie has seen first hand in her role as Chair and Executive Director, Produced in Kent. Dogtooth, are working on a revolutionary plan, which involves bringing robotics to farming. This isn't a far off dream, it is actually happening and at scale in farms in the UK. Using computer vision and machine learning, they are creating robots that can pick ripe soft fruits. Imagine an army of robots, often working through the night, collection the best berries, under the watchful eye of human managers who make sure things don't go wrong. Dogtooth, doesn't want this kind of technology to be limited to mega farms and is exploring ways of working with small scale producers too. Is it possible that in 20 years all the strawberries at Wimbledon will picked by robots? Edited by Stella Gent

    35 min

  5. 24 JUN

    Sonic Branding with Freddie Webb, the founding partner of Father

    Freddie Webb, is the founding partner of Father, a creative music and sound design studio. In this episode he explains to Ollie Lloyd why he passionately believes that many brands are missing a trick when it comes to the way they use sound. He thinks that sound should be an integral part of brand design and used strategically. Father have worked with brands like EE, Aston Martin and The Modern House Company to help them create distinctive sonic palettes that helps them stand out. There are a few food and drink brands that are doing this, Magnum Ice Cream being a rare exception.  In crowded categories, where brands are pumping out digital content, there is a need to be strategic in both the images you pick and the sounds you choose. If you have ever wondered how to start this process it is worth listening to Freddie's experience in this area as it is certainly gets one asking questions.   Edited by Stella Gent

    42 min

  6. 14 JUN

    Scott Davies, founder of Hill Top Honey, talks about the importance of bootstrapping and

    Scott Davies, the founder of Hill Top Honey has built an incredible business with the combination of tenacity and a £5,000 bank loan. He was a bricklayer who hurt his back and decided to change tact and set up a honey business. He came on the Food Talk Show with Ollie Lloyd and Susie Warran-Smith many years ago, but alot has happened in the last 8 years. Hill Top Honey, based in Newtown Wales, now turns over £43 million and has more than 130 employees. He had to be patient at the beginning, paying himself tiny amounts, exhibiting at trade shows to get close to his consumers and ultimately living within his means. He got a local Welsh packaging agency to create his early designs for £500 and admits that he didn’t even know what a brief was when he first started.  He has taken a radical approach for a challenger brand where he has decided to be cheaper than the market leader and fundamentally better, on taste and method of production. Scott thinks too many brands splash the cash and waste money on getting people to buy their products once. He thinks he hasn’t made a sale unless someone buys his brand twice. He is a committed employer and only recently got his B-Corp status to allow him to talk more meaningfully about their approach to business. As he says, it matters to him that his team can afford to live well, and in a small town, everyone knows how you run your business.  The business recently did a big packaging refresh with Big Fish. He has waited this long because it is only now that he thinks the business is ready, as it knows where it is going and has the funds to do this. As the saying goes, it is often the tortoise that wins the race. Edited by Stella Gent

    34 min

  7. 5 JUN

    Harriet Lamb - tackling the waste challenge with WRAP

    Harriet Lamb, the CEO of WRAP (the climate action NGO behind Love Food Hate Waste and Food Waste Action Week), strikes a positive note about tackling food waste and how so many people from different sectors are trying to tackle this seemingly intractable challenge.  In her chat with Ollie Lloyd, she talks about innovative businesses like Dizzie, which is creating reusable packaging for groceries, and Notpla, which is manufacturing single-use compostable sachets from seaweed (that the CEO will eat on stage to show how good they are)!  They discuss the positive benefits of personally getting involved by volunteering with charities like The Felix Project and apps like Olio. There is so clearly a community of people who have the time and will to go the extra mile to make an impact and lead from the front.  There is also a debate about how banana bread is better when made with blackened bananas and why moths are great as they encourage people to do visible mending, something Ollie has tried from time to time. Edited by Stella Gent

    44 min

  8. 23 MAY

    Ben Branson - from Seedlip to Seasn

    Ben Branson is a true pioneer in the non-alcoholic drinks space. He created Seedlip, the first of the major brands in this sector, thus sparking an arms race and setting the stage for a new exciting era in the industry. He chats with Ollie Lloyd on the FoodTalk Show about his home experimentation with herbs and how a £50 home distilling kit purchased online led to something bigger. Sometimes, things felt completely out of control, and rarely, for an entrepreneur, does he admit to hating these moments. But he persevered and ultimately sold the business to Diageo but is still involved to this day. However, he has now started something new, Seasn, that is as he describes it, the "Salt & Pepper" for drinks. He is taking on an industry that has been dominated by one player, Angostura, for ever but believes that now is the time for change. As if this isn't enough, he has recently set up a podcast, the Hidden 20%, that is trying to tell engaging stories about Neurodiversity. Having recently being diagnosed with ADHD he felt he had the opportunity to give back and encourage the 80% to understand more about Neurodiversity. Edited by Stella Gent

    50 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

The FoodTalk Show is presented by Ollie Lloyd, a serial entrepreneur, founder of Great British Chefs and investor in food and drink businesses. Each week Ollie interviews a wide range of leaders from across the food and drink world.

Information

  • Creator
    FoodTalk Group Limited
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2024
  • Episodes
    199
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2021 All rights reserved. Food Talk is a registered trademark.
  • Show Website
    The FoodTalk Show

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