Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford

Chelsea Ford
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  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Imagine a consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry where both small and large players coexist on a level playing field, consumers have choice, there’s integrity in what they’re buying and they experience innovative, sustainable products.In this weekly podcast, hosted by founder, award-winning coach, consultant & small business advocate, Chelsea Ford, you'll hear interviews with incredible founders and hard-to-reach industry specialists as well as practical and actionable content that directly supports your CPG business to grow, become more profitable and thrive.Learn more at www.chelseaford.com .

  1. 5D AGO

    #149 How to Avoid Being Delisted (Explained by an Actual Retailer)

    Send us a text You're on shelf. Now what? In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Sonia Martinez, a retail expert from AUR Foodworks who works with both retailers and brands to improve in-store ranging, product positioning, and merchandising. Sonia is clear: retailers provide real estate, they won't do the selling for you. And if your product isn't moving, you're at risk of getting delisted. Grab your pen and paper and take notes. If you're driving for velocity, tune in to hear: 🛒 The one thing brands in Whole Foods did every week for six months that kept them on shelf 📸 What to photograph in-store that reveals exactly where your opportunity is 🤝 The partnership tool that makes retailers less risk-averse about keeping your product 🍯 When to propose "off-location" displays (and what that actually means) 📦 Why repositioning your product in a different category could save it from delisting 🚫 The biggest mistake founders make once they're on shelf Sonia shares what separates brands who stay on shelf from those who get delisted and why every stockist should be treated like an active campaign, not a done deal. This is the eighth and final episode of Season 15 - Marketing Season. If your product isn't moving the way you hoped, this conversation gives you the playbook to turn it around. Season 15 is brought to you by Foodpreneurs Festival, a year's worth of sales and promotion opportunities under one roof. Sonia will be there on the Buyer Tasting Panel and delivering workshops for start-ups and scaling brands. Say hi to her! LINKS & RESOURCES: Sonia’s LinkedIn Your Free Pitch PlanBecome A Foodpreneurs Festival InsiderChelsea Ford Co. websiteSeason 15 Season 15, out now, is 'Marketing Season' and is being presented by Foodpreneurs Festival. The highly anticipated 2026 BiteBack Awards & Foodpreneurs Festival are both must-attend events dedicated to bringing consumer packaged goods food, drink (alc and non-alc), pet and supplements brand owners, buyers, media, industry specialists and distributors together under one roof. You can't miss these events. Here’s why: Thousands of stockists looking for new products for their shelves. A chance to pitch for funding + mentorship to scale your brand. Workshops tailored to where you’re at - whether you’re just starting or scaling big (THIS IS NEW!) A NEW Marketing Clinic for hands-on brand strategy - you'll leave with five key messages ready to use. Opportunities to get recognised and get your brand in front of industry experts, media, buyers, distributors and fellow brand owners. If you’re an Industry Specialist, tap into a highly engaged, niche audience. And much, much more. The full program drops early 2026. For now, block out May 21-22 and click this link to see how you can be part of it.

    1h 3m

  2. DEC 17

    #148 Marketing System for Food Brands: Clear, Consistent, Low Maintenance

    Send us a text Your product is great. People love it. But you're still struggling to sell it. Sound familiar? In episode 148 of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast, I chat with Jayne Gallagher, CEO and co-founder of Honey & Fox, a marketing consultancy that helps good food brands turn provenance into sales. Jayne and her business partner Helen work specifically with food and drink businesses to cut through the marketing overwhelm and create systems that actually drive revenue - without needing a four-year marketing degree to do it. Tune in to hear Jayne share her provenance-powered marketing system:  📖 The five elements that create compelling brand stories 🤝 Why over 60% of consumers don't trust what they see, hear, or read 🦀 A case study about a Queensland crab fishing business that saved tens of thousands in packaging costs by getting their brand strategy right before pressing go 🎯 Why most food brands start in the wrong place with social media 💰 How to set a realistic marketing budget ✅ The three things every buyer wants Jayne breaks down why marketing isn't just social media, why proof is now one of your most precious commodities, and how to avoid the overwhelm of 50-100 conflicting pieces of marketing advice by following a simple system designed specifically for food and drink. This episode is part of Season 15 - marketing season and is brought to you by Foodpreneurs Festival - a year's worth of sales and promotion opportunities under one roof.  Honey & Fox will be hosting a 'Brand Story Studio' at the Festival in May, 2026. LINKS & RESOURCES: Honey & Fox websiteProvenance Powered MarketingFood Marketing AcademyFraser Isle Spanner Crabjayne@honeyandfox.com.auhelen@honeyandfox.com.au'Brand Story Studio' at Foodpreneurs FestivalEdelman Trust BarometerYour Free Pitch PlanBecome A Foodpreneurs Festival InsiderChelsea FoSeason 15 Season 15, out now, is 'Marketing Season' and is being presented by Foodpreneurs Festival. The highly anticipated 2026 BiteBack Awards & Foodpreneurs Festival are both must-attend events dedicated to bringing consumer packaged goods food, drink (alc and non-alc), pet and supplements brand owners, buyers, media, industry specialists and distributors together under one roof. You can't miss these events. Here’s why: Thousands of stockists looking for new products for their shelves. A chance to pitch for funding + mentorship to scale your brand. Workshops tailored to where you’re at - whether you’re just starting or scaling big (THIS IS NEW!) A NEW Marketing Clinic for hands-on brand strategy - you'll leave with five key messages ready to use. Opportunities to get recognised and get your brand in front of industry experts, media, buyers, distributors and fellow brand owners. If you’re an Industry Specialist, tap into a highly engaged, niche audience. And much, much more. The full program drops early 2026. For now, block out May 21-22 and click this link to see how you can be part of it.

    57 min

  3. DEC 10

    #147 Sales Is the Lifeblood: Bootstrapping a Beverage Brand

    Send us a text How do you build a beverage brand when the margins are slim and you have no outside funding and growth depends on you? You make sales your North Star. Every single day. In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Ollie Puddick, founder of Innerbloom, a functional beverage brand that's gone from farmers' markets to over 300 retail doors across Australia and New Zealand in just a few years. Ollie quit his job as a professional firefighter at the end of last year to go all-in on Innerbloom. No safety net. No investors. Just relentless focus on the one thing that keeps the lights on: sales. And he's brutally honest about the mistakes he made along the way. You'll hear: 💰 The one word Ollie writes at the top of his weekly plan every Monday (and why it changes everything) 📈 Why Ollie believes he can hit $1 million in online revenue in 12 months - and how online sales solved a cashflow crisis that retail created 🍫 The difficult decision he's making about SKUs right now (hint: less is more) 🏪 How Ollie lost retail stockists without even knowing it - and what he learned about chasing doors vs. servicing accounts 🛒 The meeting filter that keeps him focused on what actually drives sales 📦 How he's built a team without hiring full-time staff (and why this works for a lean beverage business) 🎯 What a $10K trip taught him about being laser-focused on the right goals Ollie is proof that you don't need a big team, outside funding, or perfect timing to build a successful food or beverage brand. If you're bootstrapping, wearing all the hats, and trying to figure out where to focus your limited time and money - this conversation will give you clarity. Season 15 is brought to you by Foodpreneurs Festival - a year's worth of sales and promotion opportunities under one roof. LINKS & RESOURCES: Inner Bloom CoffeeInner Bloom Coffee on InstagramYour Free Pitch PlanBecome A Foodpreneurs Festival InsiderChelsea Ford Co. websiteSeason 15 Season 15, out now, is 'Marketing Season' and is being presented by Foodpreneurs Festival. The highly anticipated 2026 BiteBack Awards & Foodpreneurs Festival are both must-attend events dedicated to bringing consumer packaged goods food, drink (alc and non-alc), pet and supplements brand owners, buyers, media, industry specialists and distributors together under one roof. You can't miss these events. Here’s why: Thousands of stockists looking for new products for their shelves. A chance to pitch for funding + mentorship to scale your brand. Workshops tailored to where you’re at - whether you’re just starting or scaling big (THIS IS NEW!) A NEW Marketing Clinic for hands-on brand strategy - you'll leave with five key messages ready to use. Opportunities to get recognised and get your brand in front of industry experts, media, buyers, distributors and fellow brand owners. If you’re an Industry Specialist, tap into a highly engaged, niche audience. And much, much more. The full program drops early 2026. For now, block out May 21-22 and click this link to see how you can be part of it.

    57 min

  4. DEC 3

    #146 How to Make Your Packaging Sell When You're Not There

    Send us a text Your product is great but is your packaging selling it when you're not there? Packaging is your silent salesperson so you need to make it work. In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Gwen Blake, founding director of Boxer & Co, a packaging design agency specialising in fast moving consumer goods. Here's the reality: we make 95% of our decisions by instinct. Colour, shape, and typography trigger autopilot purchases - green signals healthy and handwritten fonts signal crafted and your packaging has three seconds to trigger the right instinct - or your product stays on the shelf. In this episode, you'll hear: 📦 Why packaging is a decision-making tool, not just pretty pictures 🧠 The biggest myth founders hold onto (it has to do with the front of your pack) 🌿 If you’re a health brand, what you must ditch to get cut-through with consumers ✅ What to include in your brief to designers (and what restrictions kill creativity) Gwen breaks down how to make packaging work within retail realities. This episode is for brand owners who struggle to translate product quality into packaging that drives sales. Season 15 is brought to you by Foodpreneurs Festival - a year's worth of sales and promotion opportunities under one roof. LINKS & RESOURCES: Boxer & CoGwen Blake on LinkedInBoxer & Co on InstagramNimbusDilectioCoco and LucasGrove JuiceYour Free Pitch PlanBecome A Foodpreneurs Festival InsiderChelsea Ford Co. websiteSeason 15 Season 15, out now, is 'Marketing Season' and is being presented by Foodpreneurs Festival. The highly anticipated 2026 BiteBack Awards & Foodpreneurs Festival are both must-attend events dedicated to bringing consumer packaged goods food, drink (alc and non-alc), pet and supplements brand owners, buyers, media, industry specialists and distributors together under one roof. You can't miss these events. Here’s why: Thousands of stockists looking for new products for their shelves. A chance to pitch for funding + mentorship to scale your brand. Workshops tailored to where you’re at - whether you’re just starting or scaling big (THIS IS NEW!) A NEW Marketing Clinic for hands-on brand strategy - you'll leave with five key messages ready to use. Opportunities to get recognised and get your brand in front of industry experts, media, buyers, distributors and fellow brand owners. If you’re an Industry Specialist, tap into a highly engaged, niche audience. And much, much more. The full program drops early 2026. For now, block out May 21-22 and click this link to see how you can be part of it.

    43 min

  5. NOV 26

    #145 Collabs, Community Building & Why It's a Crime to Be Boring. Six-Eyed Scorpion's Brand Playbook.

    Send us a text You've got a great product. You're posting on social media. But are you actually building a community - or just racking up likes? In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Sandra and Jordana from Six-Eyed Scorpion, the award-winning crispy chili oil brand that's absolutely nailing brand building in a crowded condiment category. Sandra is a chef by trade and founder. Jordana is the head of marketing and brand (and a graphic designer). Together, they've built a premium brand that stands out in a sea of red, bold competitors by going blue, sophisticated, and unapologetically fun. You'll hear: 🌶️ How they used a competitive matrix to find the gap in a saturated chili oil market - and why they chose blue branding in a category dominated by red 🤝 What community actually means beyond the buzzword (hint: it's not just posting "thank you" on Instagram) 🎨 Their approach to brand collaborations - from pitching Baker Blue to landing Broadsheet coverage 📧 Why people actually reply to their email campaigns and Instagram comments (and what happens when brands just "like" comments instead) 🏆 How having awards, like a BiteBack Award, makes such a difference Sandra and Jordana break down their philosophy: it's a crime to be boring. They show up at events face-to-face, they share behind-the-scenes content people actually want to watch, and they approach collaborations with ideas (not just asks). This episode is for brand owners who know their product is good but struggle to build the kind of community and brand affinity that drives repeat purchases and word-of-mouth referrals. Season 15 is brought to you by Foodpreneurs Festival - a year's worth of sales and promotion opportunities under one roof. LINKS & RESOURCES: Six Eyed Scorpion WebsiteSix Eyed Scorpion on InstagramHill MartinDelbociaBaker BleuSandra Seah on LinkedIn#131 From Kitchen to Retail: How Six-Eyed Scorpion Crispy Chilli Oil is Winning Shelf Space Foodpreneurs Festival Biteback AwardsSeason 15 Season 15, out now, is 'Marketing Season' and is being presented by Foodpreneurs Festival. The highly anticipated 2026 BiteBack Awards & Foodpreneurs Festival are both must-attend events dedicated to bringing consumer packaged goods food, drink (alc and non-alc), pet and supplements brand owners, buyers, media, industry specialists and distributors together under one roof. You can't miss these events. Here’s why: Thousands of stockists looking for new products for their shelves. A chance to pitch for funding + mentorship to scale your brand. Workshops tailored to where you’re at - whether you’re just starting or scaling big (THIS IS NEW!) A NEW Marketing Clinic for hands-on brand strategy - you'll leave with five key messages ready to use. Opportunities to get recognised and get your brand in front of industry experts, media, buyers, distributors and fellow brand owners. If you’re an Industry Specialist, tap into a highly engaged, niche audience. And much, much more. The full program drops early 2026. For now, block out May 21-22 and click this link to see how you can be part of it.

    53 min

  6. NOV 19

    #144 Test the Ingredients, Not the Cake: Marketing Decisions That Move Product

    Send us a text How do you really know if your packaging works? If your campaign will land? If your new flavour will sell? You ask the people who matter most - your customers. Fast. In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Anna Henwood, CEO of Stickybeak, a rapid consumer testing platform that delivers feedback from your target audience within 48 hours. Anna reveals her frameworks for marketing effectiveness that help you get more product into more consumer baskets. We dig into the everyday decisions that often leave brand owners stuck at a fork in the road - campaign creative, pack design, claims, naming, flavours - the ones where a wrong move can be costly, but intel is hard to access quickly. You'll hear Anna's three game-changing frameworks and: 📦 Why packaging is your silent salesperson (and your brand billboard) - and how to balance sell and brand without smashing it all on the front 📊 When to trust your gut and when to test it with real consumer feedback 💰 How smart foodpreneurs use accessible, affordable data to avoid expensive mistakes 🎯 Why what you think matters isn't always what your target market cares about (even if you have the same gluten intolerance) 🛒 How to make decisions that move product off the shelf and into baskets in cluttered retail environments This episode is for foodpreneurs who are tired of second-guessing their marketing decisions and want to move forward with confidence, backed by real consumer insight that doesn't break the bank or take months to gather. Season 15 is brought to you by Foodpreneurs Festival - a year's worth of sales and promotion opportunities under one roof. LINKS & RESOURCES: Anna Henwood on LinkedIn Stickybeak Research Stickybeak WebsiteGraze Churn Foods Your Free Pitch PlanBecome A Foodpreneurs Festival InsiderBiteBack AwardsChelsea Ford Co. websiteSeason 15 Season 15, out now, is 'Marketing Season' and is being presented by Foodpreneurs Festival. The highly anticipated 2026 BiteBack Awards & Foodpreneurs Festival are both must-attend events dedicated to bringing consumer packaged goods food, drink (alc and non-alc), pet and supplements brand owners, buyers, media, industry specialists and distributors together under one roof. You can't miss these events. Here’s why: Thousands of stockists looking for new products for their shelves. A chance to pitch for funding + mentorship to scale your brand. Workshops tailored to where you’re at - whether you’re just starting or scaling big (THIS IS NEW!) A NEW Marketing Clinic for hands-on brand strategy - you'll leave with five key messages ready to use. Opportunities to get recognised and get your brand in front of industry experts, media, buyers, distributors and fellow brand owners. If you’re an Industry Specialist, tap into a highly engaged, niche audience. And much, much more. The full program drops early 2026. For now, block out May 21-22 and click this link to see how you can be part of it.

    56 min

  7. NOV 12

    #143 How Cremorne Street Bakers Built Three Brands to Dominate Multiple Channels

    Send us a text Building one successful food brand is hard enough. But what if you could leverage your existing production to create multiple brands that serve different markets and price points? In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with sisters and co-founders Michelle Blyth and Justine Curtis from Cremorne Street Bakers, Balmain Baking Co., and cookï. Over eight years, they've built a wholesale baking business that now operates across three distinct brands - each serving different customers, channels, and price points. Their retail journey escalated when Coles Local called them out of the blue after a category manager's mum spotted their products in Melbourne cafes. They had no retail presence, no barcodes, and no retail ready packaging - but they said yes and figured it out. Today, their business spans foodservice (including Starbucks), Coles Local, independent retail, petrol & convenience, and direct-to-consumer. Listen today and learn:  🍪 Why they created three brands instead of stretching one and how each serves a different market segment. 🍪 The "diffusion brand" strategy: using the same base dough to create premium, mid-tier, and convenience products. 🍪 How to inflation-proof your business by diversifying revenue streams while leveraging existing production. 🍪 How to make an unforgettable trade show stand. 🍪 The seasonal reality of wholesale baking, and how to manage when you make most of your money in a short time of the year. 🍪 Why their first salesperson after 8 years was a game-changer This episode is for brand owners who've built strong foundations and are ready to think strategically about scaling - not just adding more SKUs, but creating multiple revenue streams that work together. Season 15 is brought to you by Foodpreneurs Festival - a year's worth of sales and promotion opportunities under one roof. LINKS & RESOURCES: Cremorne Street Bakers Website Cremorne Street Bakers on InstagramBalmain Baking on InstagramFunction 8Your Free Pitch PlanBecome A Foodpreneurs Festival InsiderChelsea Ford Co. websitSeason 15 Season 15, out now, is 'Marketing Season' and is being presented by Foodpreneurs Festival. The highly anticipated 2026 BiteBack Awards & Foodpreneurs Festival are both must-attend events dedicated to bringing consumer packaged goods food, drink (alc and non-alc), pet and supplements brand owners, buyers, media, industry specialists and distributors together under one roof. You can't miss these events. Here’s why: Thousands of stockists looking for new products for their shelves. A chance to pitch for funding + mentorship to scale your brand. Workshops tailored to where you’re at - whether you’re just starting or scaling big (THIS IS NEW!) A NEW Marketing Clinic for hands-on brand strategy - you'll leave with five key messages ready to use. Opportunities to get recognised and get your brand in front of industry experts, media, buyers, distributors and fellow brand owners. If you’re an Industry Specialist, tap into a highly engaged, niche audience. And much, much more. The full program drops early 2026. For now, block out May 21-22 and click this link to see how you can be part of it.

    58 min

  8. NOV 5

    #142 How to Market Your Way Onto (and Stay On) the Shelf

    Send us a text You've got a great product, decent packaging, and maybe even a few stockists. But here's the problem: your product isn't moving off the shelf. You're spending all your energy chasing new listings while your existing stockists are losing confidence.  This is the wake-up call you need. In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I'm breaking down why so many CPG brands focus on the wrong metric. I share real examples from brands that are crushing it. You'll hear about brands like Bippy Chili moving 30-40 units per week, Ammazza Pizza doing 2,000 units in a single week, and Mingle Seasoning achieving a 350% sales uplift for three months after one collaboration. These results aren't accidents. They're the outcome of strategic marketing at every stage of the funnel. Listen today and walk away knowing:  📈 How to improve your sales velocity. 📈 The marketing funnel explained and what to do at each stage. 📈 How to create demand signal before you even pitch to buyers (so they're already warm when you walk in). 📈 Real tactics from successful brands. This episode is for brand owners who understand that getting on shelf is just the beginning. The ones who know that staying there depends on how good their marketing is. Season 15 is brought to you by Foodpreneurs Festival, a year's worth of sales and promotion opportunities under one roof. LINKS & RESOURCES: ZuumGymbod GoodlesTahinineriBippi FoodsMingle SeasoningAmmazza Biteback AwardsBecome A Foodpreneurs Festival InsiderChelsea Ford Co. websiteSeason 15 Season 15, out now, is 'Marketing Season' and is being presented by Foodpreneurs Festival. The highly anticipated 2026 BiteBack Awards & Foodpreneurs Festival are both must-attend events dedicated to bringing consumer packaged goods food, drink (alc and non-alc), pet and supplements brand owners, buyers, media, industry specialists and distributors together under one roof. You can't miss these events. Here’s why: Thousands of stockists looking for new products for their shelves. A chance to pitch for funding + mentorship to scale your brand. Workshops tailored to where you’re at - whether you’re just starting or scaling big (THIS IS NEW!) A NEW Marketing Clinic for hands-on brand strategy - you'll leave with five key messages ready to use. Opportunities to get recognised and get your brand in front of industry experts, media, buyers, distributors and fellow brand owners. If you’re an Industry Specialist, tap into a highly engaged, niche audience. And much, much more. The full program drops early 2026. For now, block out May 21-22 and click this link to see how you can be part of it.

    38 min
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About

Imagine a consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry where both small and large players coexist on a level playing field, consumers have choice, there’s integrity in what they’re buying and they experience innovative, sustainable products.In this weekly podcast, hosted by founder, award-winning coach, consultant & small business advocate, Chelsea Ford, you'll hear interviews with incredible founders and hard-to-reach industry specialists as well as practical and actionable content that directly supports your CPG business to grow, become more profitable and thrive.Learn more at www.chelseaford.com .

Information

  • Creator
    Chelsea Ford
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    149
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford
  • Show Website
    Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford

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