The Fearless Foodie Podcast

Amy Wilkinson
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The Fearless Foodie (formerly, Oh For Food's Sake) is a space for honest chats, practical tools, and the reminder that being fearless doesn’t mean having it all sorted – it means feeling the fear and doing it anyway. Especially when the industry we love often feels like it’s breaking us. If that speaks to you, have a listen. And if it hits home, rate, review, and share it with your work besties or the team WhatsApp. Because your voice matters. And fearless starts with you. Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Fearless

  1. Jun 29 ·  Bonus

    Bethan’s Bite-Sized Bulletin June 2026

    Welcome to Bethan’s Bite-Sized Bulletin - your quick-fire briefing on what’s happening across the food and drink industry. In under five minutes, journalist and Food Manufacture editor Bethan Grylls shares the latest headlines, trends and developments to keep you in the know. Explore more industry news at foodmanufacture.co.uk Links and Resources: Website Link: https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/thefearlessfoodiepod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thefearlessfoodiepod You can follow us here on Instagram: @thefearlessfoodiepod Find Amy on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation. IFP Labs sponsors the Fearless Foodie Podcast https://www.ifp-labs.com/en/index.php

    Bethan’s Bite-Sized Bulletin June 2026

  2. Jun 23

    Your People Are Not Machines: A Leadership Reality Check

    You would never run a production line without maintaining it. Yet many businesses are expecting people to operate at full capacity without the support, recovery, or development they need. In this episode, I share what I am hearing from leaders and teams across food manufacturing and retail. Regardless of company size, sector, or role, the same themes keep appearing. People are tired. Teams are stretched. Leaders are being asked to deliver more with less. We explore the wider challenges facing the industry, from rising costs and restructuring programmes to ongoing talent shortages and declining business confidence. One of the biggest concerns is the impact these pressures are having on people. Burnout is increasing. Development budgets are being reduced. Teams are losing experienced colleagues while remaining employees absorb additional responsibilities. I also discuss the hidden costs of short-term decision-making. Overpaying people to stay while under-investing in their development may solve an immediate problem, but it does little to build long-term engagement or capability. There is a particular focus on what happens when people become stuck in survival mode. Creativity drops. Innovation slows. Confidence decreases. The energy needed to improve and move forward gets replaced by the need to simply get through the day. We also look at the challenges facing the next generation entering the industry. If new talent sees stressed teams, limited development opportunities, and constant pressure, it becomes harder to attract and retain the people the industry needs. Most importantly, this episode focuses on what leaders can do, even when budgets are tight. Supporting people does not always require expensive wellbeing programmes or large-scale initiatives. Honest conversations, regular check-ins, appreciation, development opportunities, and simply acknowledging the reality people are facing can make a significant difference. The external pressures may not be going away any time soon. But how leaders show up for their teams remains one of the most important choices they can make. Timestamps 00:00 – Why people need maintenance just like production lines 00:40 – What leaders and teams are really saying right now 02:14 – Falling business confidence and growing cost pressures 04:14 – Mergers, acquisitions, and the human impact of restructuring 06:29 – Overpaying, under-developing, and the trapped talent challenge 08:16 – Why younger talent is leaving the industry 09:27 – The reality of stress and burnout in food manufacturing 10:52 – When food jobs become spreadsheet jobs 13:01 – Frozen budgets, paused projects, and industry-wide impact 13:55 – Survivors’ guilt and life after restructuring 15:34 – The commercial cost of burnout and knowledge loss 17:07 – How survival mode damages innovation and growth 19:34 – Why honesty matters more than corporate wellbeing initiatives 21:15 – Preventative maintenance for people, not just equipment 22:11 – Practical ways to support teams without additional budget 23:48 – Final reflections on leading through difficult times Connect with The Fearless Foodies The Fearless Foodie Newsletter straight to your inbox. No fluff, no spam. Subscribe at: https://foodies.fearlessfoodies.co.uk/podcast Connect with me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywilkinsoncoach/ Useful Links & Support If this episode resonated, especially around resilience, leadership, and supporting people through change, here are a few places to continue the conversation. Work with Fearless Foodie Leadership development, resilience workshops, and team support tailored to food manufacturing and retail environments. https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors IFP Labs Specialist laboratory services supporting food businesses with fast, reliable testing and technical expertise. https://www.ifp-labs.com/

    Your People Are Not Machines: A Leadership Reality Check

  3. Jun 16

    Food Manufacturing's Talent Problem Isn't What You Think

    The phrase "talent shortage" gets used a lot in food manufacturing and retail. But is there really a shortage of talent, or are we simply overlooking people who do not fit traditional expectations? In this conversation, I’m joined by Rich Howell, founder of Marvel FMCG, to explore some of the biggest challenges facing recruitment in the food industry today. We discuss the biases that continue to influence hiring decisions. Age, career gaps, industry background, and assumptions about what a successful career should look like can all prevent businesses from accessing exceptional people. A major theme throughout the episode is the idea of the squiggly career. Many of the most capable people have taken sideways moves, stepped back for personal reasons, changed industries, or followed paths that do not fit a neat progression. Rather than seeing these experiences as weaknesses, we discuss why they often build resilience, adaptability, and broader perspectives that businesses desperately need. The conversation also looks at flexibility and how expectations around work have changed. Candidates are increasingly looking for roles that fit around their lives, while businesses continue to wrestle with how to attract and retain talent in a competitive market. We explore Marvel FMCG’s approach to recruitment, including anonymised CVs and focusing on skills and potential rather than assumptions or labels. There is also a strong message for hiring managers. The candidate experience matters. Small acts of communication, respect, and transparency can make a significant difference to how people experience your business and whether they choose to join it. Ultimately, this episode is a challenge to rethink what talent really looks like and to recognise that some of the best people may not have the most obvious CVs. Timestamps 00:00 – Is there really a talent shortage in the food industry? 02:43 – Building Marvel FMCG and becoming a force for good in recruitment 05:39 – Giving back through purpose-led recruitment 07:19 – Why the talent pool may be bigger than we think 09:48 – Looking beyond category experience and taking chances on people 13:31 – The reality of bias in recruitment, including ageism 16:31 – Career gaps, overqualified candidates, and flexible roles 19:50 – Is workplace flexibility moving forwards or backwards? 22:14 – Managing a five-generation workforce 27:11 – The candidate experience and where businesses get it wrong 29:00 – Why treating candidates like humans matters 34:27 – The strength of squiggly careers 35:46 – Building a more human approach to recruitment Connect with The Fearless Foodies The Fearless Foodie Newsletter straight to your inbox. No fluff, no spam. Subscribe at: https://foodies.fearlessfoodies.co.uk/podcast Connect with me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywilkinsoncoach/ Useful Links & Support If this episode resonated, especially around recruitment, career development, and attracting great people into the food industry, here are a few places to continue the conversation. Connect with Rich Howell Follow Rich for insights on recruitment, talent attraction, leadership, and building people-first cultures in the food and FMCG sectors. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-howell-fmcg-recruiter/ Marvel FMCG Learn more about Marvel FMCG and their people-first approach to recruitment in the food and FMCG sectors. https://marvelfmcg.co.uk/ Work with Fearless Foodies Leadership development and team support tailored to food manufacturing and retail environments. https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors IFP Labs Specialist laboratory services supporting food businesses with fast, reliable testing and technical expertise. https://www.ifp-labs.com/

    Food Manufacturing's Talent Problem Isn't What You Think

  4. Jun 9

    The Conflict Pattern That Could Be Holding You Back

    Conflict often gets treated like something to avoid. But in reality, conflict is part of collaboration, decision-making, and working with other people. In this episode, I start with a situation that will feel familiar to many people in food manufacturing and retail. You are sitting in a meeting, you have put time and effort into a project, and suddenly someone challenges your idea. Your heart rate increases. Your mind starts racing. You feel defensive, frustrated, or tempted to shut down completely. These reactions are not signs that you are bad at communication. They are human responses. I explore the Thomas-Kilmann conflict model and the five conflict styles people naturally move towards under pressure: competing, avoiding, accommodating, compromising, and collaborating. The important thing is that none of these styles are right or wrong. They all have strengths and risks. The challenge comes when we rely too heavily on one style and stop adapting to the situation in front of us. I share examples of how each style can show up inside food businesses and the impact they can have on trust, credibility, and relationships. We also explore practical shifts that can help in real-life situations. That might mean asking a question instead of withdrawing when you normally avoid conflict. It could mean holding your position a little longer if you usually accommodate everyone else. Or recognising when pushing harder is actually damaging the conversation. The aim is not to become someone different. It is about becoming more aware of your own patterns and making small adjustments that strengthen relationships and improve outcomes. I also introduce Fearless Influence as a practical way for teams to continue these conversations and better understand how conflict shapes communication and collaboration. If you want stronger conversations, healthier challenge, and more confidence in meetings, this episode is a reminder that conflict does not have to damage relationships. Handled well, it can strengthen them. Timestamps 00:00 – What happens physically when conflict shows up 01:20 – Understanding your default conflict response 03:19 – Introduction to the Thomas-Kilmann conflict model 03:40 – Competing style: strengths and risks 04:42 – Avoiding style: when it helps and when it hurts 06:12 – Accommodating style and the people-pleasing trap 07:19 – Compromising and why meeting halfway is not always best 09:27 – Collaborating and creating better outcomes 11:12 – Strengths and challenges of each style 12:04 – Practical ways to adjust your approach 15:16 – What to try in your next difficult meeting 15:54 – Why team awareness matters 16:22 – Final reflections on becoming bolder in conversations Connect with The Fearless Foodies The Fearless Foodie Newsletter straight to your inbox. No fluff, no spam. Subscribe at:https://foodies.fearlessfoodies.co.uk/podcast Connect with me here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywilkinsoncoach/ Useful Links & Support If this episode resonated, especially around communication, confidence, and navigating difficult conversations, here are a few places to continue the conversation. Fearless Influence Support designed to help individuals and teams build confidence, communicate more effectively, and create healthier conversations in food manufacturing and retail.https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk Recommended Reading Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss A practical guide to communication, negotiation, and understanding how people respond under pressure. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/1847941494 A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors IFP Labs Specialist laboratory services supporting food businesses with fast, reliable testing and technical expertise.https://www.ifp-labs.com/

    The Conflict Pattern That Could Be Holding You Back

  5. Jun 2

    Trust Over Fear: The Leadership Shift Food Teams Need

    Leadership often gets reduced to targets, results, and performance. But in food manufacturing and retail, where pressure is constant and expectations are high, how people feel at work can have a huge impact on what they achieve. In this conversation, James shares his journey from working in kitchens to leading product and innovation teams at Sainsbury’s. Along the way, he experienced very different leadership styles and learned important lessons about the type of leader he wanted to become. One of the strongest themes in this episode is trust. James reflects on moving away from the traditional “shouty chef” approach and realising that fear might drive short-term compliance, but it rarely creates sustainable performance. We discuss what happens when leaders create environments where people feel safe to contribute, ask questions, and make mistakes without worrying about punishment. There is also honesty around the reality of career changes and reinvention. Moving from kitchens into head office environments meant learning new skills, adapting to uncertainty, and becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. We also explore the relationship between resilience and support. Resilience should not mean expecting people to absorb endless pressure. Strong teams are built through trust, development, and helping people succeed rather than simply expecting more from them. Another important discussion is around standards. Maintaining high expectations matters, but there is a difference between driving performance and creating anxiety. James shares practical advice on helping people learn from mistakes rather than fear them, building intrinsic motivation within teams, and understanding the responsibility leaders have to shape someone’s experience of work. The episode closes with a powerful reminder that treating people like humans is not a soft leadership approach. It is often the thing that creates the strongest teams.   Timestamps 00:00 – Why helping people feel valued and trusted matters 00:37 – The realities and pressures of food manufacturing and retail 01:52 – James’s journey into kitchens and early career lessons 05:18 – Reinvention and navigating career pivots 08:05 – Toxic kitchen cultures and choosing a different leadership approach 10:27 – Motivating through trust instead of fear 12:27 – Learning through setbacks and failures 14:45 – The connection between team culture and performance 16:40 – Leadership as a responsibility and privilege 20:16 – Creating environments where people can learn and take risks 24:20 – Support, training, and maintaining standards 26:19 – Accountability without creating fear 29:19 – Building intrinsic motivation within teams 33:05 – Challenging low-trust cultures 34:44 – Becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable 38:00 – Why being treated like a human matters at work Connect with The Fearless Foodies The Fearless Foodie Newsletter straight to your inbox. No fluff, no spam. Subscribe at:https://foodies.fearlessfoodies.co.uk/podcast Connect with me here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywilkinsoncoach/ Useful Links & Support If this episode resonated, especially around leadership, resilience, and building stronger team cultures, here are a few places to continue the conversation. Connect with James Campbell Follow James for insights on leadership, product innovation, and building high-performing teams. https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-campbell-87b58023/ Work with Fearless Foodie Leadership development and team support tailored to food manufacturing and retail environments.https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors IFP Labs Specialist laboratory services supporting food businesses with fast, reliable testing and technical expertise.https://www.ifp-labs.com/

    Trust Over Fear: The Leadership Shift Food Teams Need

  6. May 27 ·  Bonus

    Bethan’s Bite-Sized Bulletin May 2026

    Welcome to Bethan’s Bite-Sized Bulletin - your quick-fire briefing on what’s happening across the food and drink industry. In under five minutes, journalist and Food Manufacture editor Bethan Grylls shares the latest headlines, trends and developments to keep you in the know. Explore more industry news at foodmanufacture.co.uk Website Link: https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk FB Link:  https://www.facebook.com/thefearlessfoodiepod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thefearlessfoodiepod You can follow us here on Instagram: @thefearlessfoodiepod Find Amy on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation. IFP Labs sponsors the Fearless Foodie Podcast https://www.ifp-labs.com/en/index.php

    Bethan’s Bite-Sized Bulletin May 2026

  7. May 26

    The Four M’s Food Leaders Can No Longer Ignore

    Supporting women in the food industry should not be seen as a nice to have. It is a commercial, cultural, and leadership priority. In this live conversation, I’m joined by Tracy Southwell and Ross Dennison to talk honestly about what inclusion actually looks like in food manufacturing and retail. We start with a reality many businesses are facing. Experienced people are retiring, skills shortages are growing, and attracting the next generation of talent is becoming harder. Keeping great people matters more than ever. Tracy shares practical examples from March Foods of what supporting women looks like in real life. Not policies written in boardrooms, but meaningful changes on the factory floor. Flexible shifts. Wellness spaces. Job redesign. Cross-training. Conversations that happen before someone feels forced to leave. One of the strongest parts of this discussion is what Tracy calls the “four M’s”. Maternity, menopause, miscarriage, and menstruation. Topics that have historically been uncomfortable in workplaces, but that affect retention, wellbeing, and performance every single day. Ross brings a valuable perspective on allyship, sponsorship, and what it means for men to actively support women, not just agree with the idea of fairness. We discuss why influence matters, why calling out poor behaviour matters, and why creating opportunities for others should be seen as leadership, not activism. We also go beyond gender. Diversity of thought, life experience, and background all shape stronger teams, better decision-making, and healthier cultures. There is honesty throughout this episode about the realities of factory life, targets, shift patterns, and commercial pressure. But there is also optimism. Because small, practical changes can have a huge impact. Whether it is creating more flexibility, supporting someone returning from maternity leave, or simply making it easier for people to speak openly about what they need, the message is clear. Human workplaces build stronger businesses. Timestamps 00:00 – Why retaining talented women matters for business growth 00:14 – Welcome and setting the tone for the live conversation 00:38 – Why supporting women strengthens the whole industry 01:06 – Human skills, AI, and the future of food manufacturing 02:31 – Personal motivations for championing women at work 06:06 – The “four M’s” and practical workplace adjustments 08:32 – Normalising conversations around periods, menopause, and more 09:26 – Practical changes at March Foods that support retention 12:44 – Leadership, values, and avoiding hiring people just like you 14:00 – Male allyship, sponsorship, and calling out poor behaviour 16:43 – Confidence, credibility, and authenticity for women leaders 18:19 – Vulnerability and bringing your full self to work 22:49 – Small changes on the factory floor that make a big impact 27:01 – Job shares, flexibility, and supporting working parents 29:06 – Why everyone has a role to play in DE&I 31:41 – The power of women-only spaces and building confidence 36:13 – Supporting returning mums and creating fair career progression Connect with The Fearless Foodies The Fearless Foodie Newsletter straight to your inbox. No fluff, no spam. Subscribe at:https://foodies.fearlessfoodies.co.uk/podcast Connect with me here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywilkinsoncoach/ Useful Links & Support If this episode resonated, especially around leadership, inclusion, and building workplaces where people can thrive, here are a few places to continue the conversation. Connect with Tracy Southwell Follow Tracy for practical insights on leadership, people development, and creating workplaces where women can thrive in food manufacturing.https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-southwell-97752625/ Connect with Ross Dennison Follow Ross for insights on leadership, allyship, culture, and building stronger, more inclusive teams in food and manufacturing.https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-dennison/ Fearless Women Connect A monthly community for women in food and retail who want honest conversations, stronger networks, and practical support.https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk/fearless-women-connect/ Work with Fearless Foodies Leadership development, culture change, and team support tailored to food manufacturing and retail environments.https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk Don’t Fix Women by Joy Burnford A practical and thought-provoking read for leaders who want to create fairer workplaces and better opportunities. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dont-Fix-Women-practical-equality/dp/1788603109

    The Four M’s Food Leaders Can No Longer Ignore

  8. May 19

    Creative Intelligence: Unlock the Strengths in Your Team

    Creativity is not a job title. It is how work gets done. In this conversation, Susan shares her background in food product development and introduces Creative ID, a framework that helps people understand how they naturally approach ideas, problem-solving, and delivery. Challenging the idea that creativity belongs to a small group of “ideas people”. In reality, every role in food manufacturing and retail requires creativity, whether that shows up in spreadsheets, processes, communication, or product development. We explore the five creative styles and how each one contributes to getting work over the line. From generating ideas to refining, selecting, and supporting delivery, each style plays a role in turning thinking into action. Susan and I share our own Creative ID profiles, which sit at opposite ends of the spectrum. This gives a real insight into how different styles show up at work, what energises people, and what can quickly drain them. A big theme in this episode is energy. When you understand your natural way of working, you can start to recognise why certain tasks feel easy and others feel exhausting. This awareness is key to managing workload, avoiding burnout, and building teams that actually complement each other. We also look at how creative differences can cause friction. What one person sees as structure, another might experience as restriction. What one sees as energy, another might find overwhelming. Understanding these differences helps teams move from frustration to collaboration. There is also a practical side to this. We discuss how to use creative styles to allocate work more effectively, improve communication, and build stronger working relationships both inside and outside of work. If you want to improve how your team works together, or simply understand your own strengths better, this episode offers a grounded and practical way to think about creativity.     Timestamps 01:00 – Susan’s background in food innovation and introduction to Creative ID 02:20 – Why creativity is not just for “ideas people” 03:44 – Creativity as problem-solving across all roles 06:03 – What Creative ID is and how it works 11:04 – The five creative styles and their role in teams 19:50 – Working in your preferred style and managing energy 27:02 – Using creative styles to improve teamwork 32:10 – Understanding your own and your team’s strengths 34:24 – Applying creative styles beyond work 35:53 – How to connect with Susan and learn more Connect with The Fearless Foodies The Fearless Foodie Newsletter straight to your inbox. No fluff, no spam. Subscribe at:https://foodies.fearlessfoodies.co.uk/podcast Connect with me here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywilkinsoncoach/ Useful Links & Support If this episode resonated, especially around teamwork, creativity, and understanding how people work best, here are a few places to go next. Creative ID Learn more about the framework and how it can support individuals and teams in understanding their creative strengths. https://www.yourcreativeid.com/ Connect with Susan Arkley Find out more about Creative ID workshops and how Susan works with food industry teams.https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-arkley-mba-fifst-435ab89b/ Work with Fearless Foodie Leadership development and team support tailored to food manufacturing and retail environments.https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors IFP Labs Specialist laboratory services supporting food businesses with fast, reliable testing and technical expertise.https://www.ifp-labs.com/

    Creative Intelligence: Unlock the Strengths in Your Team
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About

The Fearless Foodie (formerly, Oh For Food's Sake) is a space for honest chats, practical tools, and the reminder that being fearless doesn’t mean having it all sorted – it means feeling the fear and doing it anyway. Especially when the industry we love often feels like it’s breaking us. If that speaks to you, have a listen. And if it hits home, rate, review, and share it with your work besties or the team WhatsApp. Because your voice matters. And fearless starts with you. Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Fearless

Information

  • Creator
    Amy Wilkinson
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    250
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Fearless Foodie Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Fearless Foodie Podcast

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