The Fearless Foodie Podcast

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/

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/

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/

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

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