The Fearless Foodie Podcast

Category management often gets talked about in terms of data, reports and shelf space. But in food manufacturing and retail, it is so much more than spreadsheets and range reviews. Category sits at the intersection of product, shopper and retailer, and when it works well, it can drive real, profitable growth.

In this episode, I am joined by Sue Tiller, Co-Founder of The Growth Factors, to explore how category management has evolved and why the human side of the discipline matters more than ever.

We talk about the skills that set great category teams apart, from storytelling and influencing to championing the shopper inside the business. We also explore where AI can help, where it can fall short, and why critical thinking remains essential.

Whether you work directly in category or alongside a category team, this episode is about turning insight into better decisions for shoppers, retailers and the wider business.

Difficult behaviour gets tolerated far too often in food businesses, particularly when the person involved is seen as commercially valuable or difficult to replace.

In this episode, I explore why this happens and what you can do when you find yourself dealing with someone whose behaviour repeatedly crosses the line.

I share practical ways to prepare for difficult conversations, stay grounded in the facts and decide your boundaries before you walk into the room. I also look at the important difference between a challenging personality and behaviour that becomes a genuine workplace conduct issue.

If you've ever walked away from an interaction wondering whether you're the problem or you're simply being too sensitive, this episode will help you think more clearly about what's happening, what you can control and where you need to draw the line.

Stress and uncertainty have become part of everyday life in food manufacturing and retail. But one thing we don't often talk about is what happens when work starts to shape how we see ourselves.

In this episode, I'm joined by Dahlia Stroud, commercial consultant and host of the Stressed But Well Dressed podcast. Together, we explore confidence, identity, and what happens when redundancy or career change leaves you questioning who you are without your job.

We discuss why something as simple as getting dressed can become an anchor during difficult times, the reality of rebuilding confidence after redundancy, and how small, practical actions can help you regain a sense of purpose when life feels uncertain.

Whether you're navigating change yourself or supporting someone through it, this conversation is a reminder that confidence isn't built through grand gestures. It often starts with the small things you can control today.

Season 4 of The Fearless Foodie begins with one of the most common pieces of leadership feedback in food manufacturing and retail, and one of the least explained.

Being told to "be more strategic" sounds simple, but what does it actually mean in practice?

In this episode, I break down the four pillars of Fearless Strategic Leadership, a practical framework I've developed alongside Donna Ward-Higgs to help leaders step back from constant firefighting, think more clearly, and lead with greater confidence.

Whether you work in Technical, NPD, Commercial, Operations or Supply Chain, you'll come away with practical ways to move beyond simply getting things done and start making decisions that create long-term impact.

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

The food industry is under pressure. Rising costs, restructuring, talent shortages, and frozen budgets are creating challenges that many leaders and teams have never experienced on this scale before.

In this season finale of The Fearless Foodie, I take an honest look at what is happening across food manufacturing and retail right now, and the impact it is having on the people behind the businesses.

This episode is not about quick fixes or leadership buzzwords. It is about recognising the reality many teams are facing and understanding why burnout, disengagement, and talent loss are becoming genuine commercial risks.

If you are leading people through uncertainty, trying to keep teams motivated, or simply feeling the strain yourself, this episode offers practical reflections and a reminder that people are not machines.

The food industry talks a lot about talent shortages, but what if the problem is not a lack of talent?

In this episode of The Fearless Foodie, I’m joined by Rich Howell, founder of Marvel FMCG, for a straight-talking conversation about recruitment, career paths, and the assumptions that are holding both candidates and businesses back.

We explore why great people are often overlooked because of age, career breaks, industry background, or CVs that do not follow a traditional path. We also discuss why businesses that focus too heavily on finding the "perfect" candidate may be missing some of the strongest talent available.

If you hire people, lead teams, or are navigating your own career journey, this episode is a reminder that talent comes in many forms and that the best careers rarely follow a straight line.

Conflict is part of working life in food manufacturing and retail, but for many of us it still creates that familiar reaction of a racing heart, a blank mind, and the feeling that we either need to fight back or disappear completely.

In this episode of The Fearless Foodie, I explore why conflict feels so uncomfortable and why our reactions often have more to do with biology than communication skills.

Using the Thomas-Kilmann conflict model, I break down the five different conflict styles and explore how they show up in meetings, projects, and everyday workplace conversations.

If you’ve ever left a meeting wishing you had spoken up, handled something differently, or understood your own reactions better, this episode offers practical ways to build confidence and stronger working relationships.

Leadership in food manufacturing and retail has never been simple. High expectations, tight deadlines, and constant pressure can make it easy to focus on results while forgetting the people behind them.

In this episode of The Fearless Foodie, I’m joined by James Campbell, Director of Product and Innovation at Sainsbury’s, for an honest conversation about leadership, resilience, and creating environments where people can perform at their best.

We explore career pivots, lessons learned through difficult experiences, and why trust has a bigger impact on performance than pressure ever will.

If you lead people, manage teams, or are trying to build a culture that performs without burning people out, this episode offers practical insight and honest reflections.

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

Supporting women in food manufacturing and retail is not just the right thing to do. It is a business decision.

In this live episode of The Fearless Foodie, I’m joined by Tracy Southwell from March Foods and Ross Dennison for an honest, no-nonsense conversation about what it really takes to build workplaces where women can thrive.

We explore the practical realities of diversity, equity, and inclusion in food businesses. From retaining talented women after maternity leave to creating cultures where difficult conversations around menopause, miscarriage, and menstruation are not awkward or avoided.

This is not a conversation about policies on paper. It is about real people, real leadership, and the everyday decisions that shape whether people stay, grow, and perform.

If you believe the future of food depends on stronger people, not just smarter systems, this episode is for you.

Creativity gets talked about a lot in the food industry, but it is often misunderstood or limited to a handful of roles.

In this episode of The Fearless Foodie, I’m joined by Susan Arkley to unpack what creativity actually looks like in food manufacturing and retail. This is not about being artistic or coming up with big ideas. It is about how people think, solve problems, and get work done every day.

We explore creative intelligence, the five creative styles, and why understanding your own way of working can transform how you collaborate, make decisions, and manage your energy at work.

If you have ever thought you are not creative, or felt drained by the way your team operates, this episode offers a practical way to think about creativity differently.