Getting To Grow is a business, brand and growth podcast for founders, startups and FMCG brands, hosted by Zoe Fox. Each episode features founders, entrepreneurs, brand builders, sales leaders and industry experts from household-name brands and fast-growing challenger startups across consumer goods.
How do you build a brand from scratch, turn a product into a brand people genuinely recognise, survive years of setbacks and eventually build a portfolio of brands?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Jamie Laing and Ed Williams, the co-founders behind Candy Kittens and the team now taking Graze into its next chapter, to discuss what it really takes to build, grow and scale consumer brands.Jamie and Ed first met 15 years ago when Jamie approached Ed to help design T-shirts for Candy Kittens. Instead, Ed came back with a completely different idea: forget the sweet shop…
Can a simple electric toothbrush really become a £50 million business? What does it actually take to build a consumer brand from scratch, survive major setbacks, get rejected by 98–99% of investors and create a product that customers genuinely want?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Mark Rushmore, founder of SURI, to discuss what it really takes to build, scale and grow a modern consumer brand.After working at P&G and managing Pringles UK, Mark went on to build and sell an experiential marketing agency before turning his attention to the oral care industry. After…
Can an old-fashioned milk round really become a modern £60 million business? What does it actually take to revive a forgotten business model, scale to 130,000 customers, survive major setbacks and expand into America?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Simon Mellon, founder of The Modern Milkman, to discuss what it really takes to build, scale and evolve a modern consumer business.Growing up in the food industry, Simon spent his early career working as a mechanic and in motorsport before returning to food. He became interested in the disconnect between consumers,…
Can a challenger brand really reinvent a category? What does it actually take to build a drinks brand, survive near-bankruptcy, and turn an unconventional product into an international business?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Gerry Calabrese, founder of Hoxton Gin, to discuss what it really takes to build, fund and scale a successful drinks brand.Growing up around hospitality and bartending, Gerry went from working behind the bar to opening his own venues before creating Hoxton Gin. What started as a product designed for his own customers eventually became an…
Can an angel investor really know which startups will succeed? What does it actually take to raise money, build a great founder-investor relationship, and turn an early-stage business into something huge?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Nick Green, FMCG angel investor and former operator at companies including Deliveroo and Weezy, to discuss what it really takes to build, fund and scale a successful business.After starting out as an operator, Nick gradually began investing in early-stage startups, eventually backing over 100 companies and helping raise money for…
Can a challenger brand reinvent rum? What does it really take to build a premium consumer brand in one of the world's biggest but most overlooked spirit categories?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with George Frost, founder of The Duppy Share, to discuss how he built one of the UK's fastest-growing independent rum brands by combining Caribbean heritage, exceptional product quality and world-class branding.After discovering the legendary story of "The Duppy Share" while travelling in Jamaica, George realised the rum category lacked a modern, exciting brand that reflected…
Can underwear impact women's health? How do you build a disruptive DTC brand in one of the world's most overlooked product categories?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Oria & Amelie, co-founders of Underdays, to discuss how they built one of the UK's fastest-growing women's wellness brands by reinventing women's underwear.After meeting while working in the fashion industry, Oria & Amelie realised there was a huge gap in the market. While consumers were becoming increasingly conscious about clean beauty, wellness, skincare and activewear, almost nobody was talking…
How do two reality TV stars build one of the UK's fastest-growing beer brands?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Harvey Armstrong and Sam Holmes, co-founders of Primetime Beer, to explore the realities of building a challenger drinks brand and the lessons they've learned scaling from an idea shared between friends to national supermarket shelves.Most people know Harvey and Sam from Made in Chelsea, but behind the TV appearances is a business that has secured listings in Tesco, Waitrose, M&S, Whole Foods and is now preparing to expand into the United States.Harvey and…
What does it really take to turn a homemade recipe into a nationally stocked food brand?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Giulia Berretti, founder of Sunny & Luna, to explore the realities of building a challenger food brand from scratch and the lessons she learned scaling from a kitchen experiment to supermarket shelves.Growing up in Italy, Giulia was surrounded by a culture that celebrated food. But after working in the fashion industry in New York and London, she experienced first-hand the negative attitudes towards carbs and traditional foods. During COVID, she…
What happens when one of the world’s healthiest foods is trapped inside a broken system that’s pushing farmers out of business?For thousands of years, extra virgin olive oil has been a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, celebrated for its flavour, health benefits, and cultural significance. Yet behind every bottle sits a farming industry facing climate pressure, shrinking margins, labour shortages, and a generation of farmers being told to leave the profession entirely.In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Sarah Vachon, founder of Citizens of Soil, to explore the…
What happens when an entire generation starts drinking less alcohol—but still wants the ritual, taste, and social experience of wine? For decades, the drinks industry has operated in extremes: full-strength alcohol on one side, alcohol-free alternatives on the other. But what if the real opportunity sits in the middle?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Gabriella Lamb, co-founder of 6% Wine, to unpack the rise of mid-strength alcohol and why she believes the future of drinking isn’t “all or nothing.” From risking their savings on 10,000 bottles to building a completely…
What does it really take to build a premium consumer brand in one of the most crowded and competitive industries in the world? In a category dominated by legacy players, aggressive pricing, and massive distribution networks, most new brands never survive long enough to matter. But what happens when two brothers decide to challenge the drinks industry anyway—with no experience, no roadmap, and no understanding of how difficult distribution really is?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Louise and Bruce, founders of Sly Dog Rum, to unpack the brutal reality of building a…
What does it really take to challenge a billion-dollar industry dominated by habit, branding, and deeply ingrained consumer behavior? In a market where energy drinks are often packed with artificial ingredients, high sugar, and aggressive marketing, most consumers know the downsides—yet still keep buying. But what if the problem isn’t demand for energy, but the way it’s being delivered?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Hub van Bockel, founder of Tenzing and former Head of Marketing at Red Bull, to explore how he’s rethinking the energy drink category from the ground…
What does it really take to fix a category that’s fundamentally broken? In an industry where cocktails are often slow, inconsistent, overpriced, and confusing, most consumers have simply accepted the experience as it is. But what if the problem isn’t the drink itself—but the way it’s delivered?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Kuleen Khimasia, co-founder of Black Lines, to explore how he’s rebuilding the cocktail industry from the ground up. From launching one of the UK’s first draft cocktail businesses to creating a premium bottled range during COVID, Kuleen shares…
What does it really take to build a premium brand in a category that people don’t even take seriously? In a space where taste has historically been poor, perception is weak, and consumer habits are deeply ingrained, creating a successful alcohol-free product requires far more than just removing alcohol.In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Luke Hemsley, founder of Wednesday’s Domaine, to explore how he’s building a modern alcohol-free wine brand designed for people who still love drinking—but want to do it differently. From identifying a gap in the market during COVID to…
What does it really take to turn something as simple as a salad into a multi-million pound food brand? In an industry where restaurants fail fast, margins are tight, and scaling operations can quickly become chaos, building a successful food business requires far more than just good recipes.In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Clem Haxby, the culinary director behind The Salad Project, to explore how a single London salad bar evolved into one of the city’s most recognisable healthy food brands. From launching their first location in Spitalfields to scaling to 12 stores…
What does it really take to scale an FMCG brand in today’s landscape, where retail is crowded, attention is fragmented, and growth can disappear as quickly as it arrives?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Charlie Knight, founder of Plugin Brands and co-founder of Diving Agency, to explore what modern brand building actually looks like behind the scenes. From helping take startup brands from inception to retail in under 18 months, to generating £1M in three months through TikTok Shop, Charlie shares the commercial realities of scaling in 2026.This conversation goes…
What does it really take to build a brewery from scratch when you have no industry experience, no roadmap, and no safety net?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Louise Avery, founder of LA Brewery, to explore the deeply human story behind one of the UK’s most distinctive non-alcoholic drinks brands. From fermenting drinks at home and delivering bottles by bike to building a full-scale brewery and landing major retail partnerships, Louise shares what it truly means to follow intuition and build something before you feel ready.This conversation traces the journey from…
What does it take to build a cult brand in a world obsessed with ads, awareness and shortcuts?In this episode of *Getting to Grow*, Zoe Fox sits down with **Wynter Karo**, founder of **Pimentæ**, to unpack how one of the UK’s fastest-growing tequila cocktail brands scaled without relying on traditional advertising — and why experience, focus and conviction mattered more than media spend.From a corporate career at IBM and Sky to building a tequila-first brand in one of the most competitive categories in food and drink, this conversation reveals how Wynter set out to change how people think…
What does it take to reinvent a dish the world loves, but has completely misunderstood?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Andrew McLeod, founder of Emilia’s Crafted Pasta, to unpack the obsessive, values-driven journey behind one of the UK’s most respected fresh pasta brands.From a maths graduate and former poker player with no restaurant experience, to building a cult following around slow-made, honest pasta, this conversation reveals how Andrew set out to fix what most people don’t even realise is broken — how pasta is made, served, and understood.Andrew opens up…
What does it take to reinvent a category everyone had written off as boring, dusty and impossible to fix? In this episode of Getting to Grow , Zoe Fox sits down with Luke Boase, the founder of Lucky Saint, to uncover the relentless, curious and quietly radical journey behind the UK’s fastest-growing alcohol-free beer. From a single spark of frustration with non-alcoholic options to building a brand served in 10,000+ venues, stocked in major supermarkets, and crowned the UK’s #1 alcohol-free beer, this conversation reveals the true story of disrupting an industry built on habit, heritage and…
What actually happens on your tongue when you take a bite? Why do some mangoes taste like flowers… and others taste like cheese? And how has truffle become the most overhyped, misunderstood flavour on every menu?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Olivia Abramson who is a product developer, flavour specialist and the woman behind some of the UK’s most loved juices, smoothies and snacks, to decode the science, psychology and pure magic of taste.From growing up obsessed with flavours to leading global recipe development for brands like Joe & The Juice, Olivia has spent…
What happens when two women discover that the products we trust most are built on lies — and plastic? In this live episode of Getting to Grow , host Zoe Fox sits down with the founders of Here We Flo , the bold, funny, feminist brand rewriting the rules of period care. From realizing that traditional pads are made of up to 90% plastic , to launching an unapologetically pink and planet-friendly alternative, this conversation reveals how a taboo turned into a movement. Born out of frustration and fueled by purpose, Here We Flo isn’t just about tampons — it’s about changing culture through…
What does it really take for a family name to outlive nations, generations, and empires? In this live episode of Getting to Grow, host Zoe Fox sits down with Arthur Edward Guinness — the 4th Earl of Iveagh — to explore the extraordinary 266‑year legacy behind Ireland’s most iconic brand.From one man’s 9,000‑year lease in 1759 to a dynasty that shaped philanthropy, culture, and global brewing, this conversation uncovers the never‑told human stories behind the Guinness name — the triumphs, the losses, and the values that built a brand into a legacy.Arthur opens up about:→ How the Guinness…
What does it really take to build a brand that stands for something — not just sells something? In this live episode of Getting to Grow, host Zoe Fox brings together three powerhouse marketers from brands like BrewDog, Subway, Method, and The Coconut Collaborative to unpack the brutal truths behind building, scaling, and surviving in the modern FMCG world.From rebellious campaigns to full-blown flops, this episode dives deep into the real talk no one shares — what works, what backfires, and why your “next big idea” might actually be your biggest mistake.The panel reveals:→ The biggest brand…
What does it take to turn a city trading career and a kitchen obsession with activated snacks into a best-selling brand with viral reach? In this episode, Zoe Fox sits down with Cathy Moseley, founder of Boundless Snacks, to unpack Cathy’s journey from London trading floors to creating the UK’s go-to gut-friendly snack.Cathy reveals:→ Why leaving her six-figure city job was the scariest—and best—decision she ever made→ How she went from kitchen trials to supermarket shelves with no prior food industry experience→ The messy, relentless challenge of finding manufacturers, surviving setbacks,…
What does it take to turn a kitchen recipe for fiery ginger beer into a brand stocked in major retailers and beloved by customers? In this episode, Zoe Fox sits down with Will Englander, founder of The Root Co, to unpack Will’s journey from London management consultant to the driving force behind UK’s most exciting ginger-based beverage brand.Will reveals:→ How a life-threatening accident in Japan set him on a bold path to entrepreneurship→ Why “naivety” was his secret weapon in scaling manufacturing—from blender batches at home to supermarket shelves→ The messy, persistent hustle of field…
What does it take to turn bubbling jars of kombucha into a supermarket success story?In this episode, Emma Thackray shares her journey — from running Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in the UK, to discovering fermented foods in America, and finally co-founding Hip Pop, one of the UK’s fastest-growing gut health drinks brands.She talks about scrappy beginnings (literally selling cans out of her car), raising millions of pounds in investment, and the wild reality of scaling a challenger brand into Sainsbury’s, Co-op, and beyond.We also cover…→ What happens when everything goes wrong on…
He was selling tea from his uni bedroom…Now it’s a multi-million-pound brand with shops across the UK.Mike Turner co-founded Bird & Blend Tea Co. to shake up the tea industry—creating a brand people wanted to be part of, not just shop fromBut building a values-led brand came with hard choices:→ Saying no to investors who didn’t “get it”→ Scaling without compromising creativity→ And figuring out how to lead a team when you never planned to be a “boss”In this episode, we dive into the scrappy early days, Mike’s obsession with community, and how he & his co-founder Krisi turned tea into a…
Jens Knoop turned a childhood memory into one of the UK’s most beloved luxury chocolate drinks — Knoops. Here’s how he did it… In this episode, we dive into the journey of building Knoops from a single idea into a nationwide brand. He shares the creative process behind developing over 20 different chocolate percentages, talks about maintaining quality while scaling, and reflects on how his German roots shaped the brand’s vision. You'll also hear about the challenges of the chocolate industry, brand expansion, and Jens’ philosophy of "chocolate happiness." If you love food branding, founder…
About Getting to Grow
Getting To Grow is a business, brand and growth podcast for founders, startups and FMCG brands, hosted by Zoe Fox. Each episode features founders, entrepreneurs, brand builders, sales leaders and industry experts from household-name brands and fast-growing challenger startups across consumer goods.
Getting to Grow is a English business podcast from Zoe Fox. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
