Oh For Food's Sake

Lucy welcomes listeners to the first episode of 2025, acknowledging the unique pressures and chaos that food industry professionals face in January. Together, Amy and Lucy share four practical strategies to help listeners prioritise their work, set boundaries, plan recovery time, and maintain connections with their support network.Throughout the episode, they touch on personal anecdotes and practical examples, making the advice relatable and easy to implement. We emphasise the importance of ruthless prioritisation, setting clear and communicable boundaries, planning both short micro breaks and longer recovery times, and staying connected with friends and mentors in the industry. Lastly, we encourage listeners to decide on one actionable step from their tips and implement it to improve their work life.Timestamps00:00:16 - Lucy welcomes listeners and introduces the episode's focus on strategies for a busy January. 00:01:34 - Discussion on the post-launch review stage and the typical January busyness in the food industry. 00:02:59 - Tip #1: Prioritise ruthlessly. 00:04:20 - Tip #2: Setting boundaries and communicating them. 00:07:11 - Sponsor Break: Microsearch Laboratories. 00:07:51 - Continuation of Tip #2.00:09:49 - Tip #3: Planning recovery time and small rewards. 00:10:38 - Discussion on the importance of finding micro breaks.00:15:05 - Tip #4: Connecting and reaching out to your support network. 00:16:30 - Wrap-up and invitation for listeners to share their chosen strategies.Links and Resources:Website Link: https://ohforfoodssake.co.uk/FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/ohforfoodsakeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oh-for-food-s-sake/You can follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_forfoodssake/Oh For Food's Sake is sponsored by Microsearch: https://micro-search.co.uk/ For industry consulting from Lucy, connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation from Amy.See you next time!

In this episode, we’re joined by Tor Hunt Taylor, Marketing Director at The Collective, to explore the challenges and opportunities of driving sustainability in the food industry. Tor shares her thoughts on the importance of networking and transparency, emphasizing how platforms like B Corp are instrumental for staying informed on advancements and navigating policy changes. These connections have proven vital in The Collective’s ambitious mission to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025. She explains the company’s current reliance on carbon offsetting and their plans to transition to insetting through regenerative farming practices, particularly in dairy farming, where milk production heavily contributes to carbon emissions.The conversation delves into the hurdles faced by farmers attempting to adopt regenerative methods, including policy gaps and market pressures. Despite these challenges, the positive environmental impacts seen on farms that have embraced these practices offer hope and proof of concept. Tor also discusses how consumer behavior plays a critical role in driving sustainability. While interest in sustainable products is growing, price and taste often outweigh environmental considerations in purchasing decisions. Clear and simple communication about the benefits of regenerative farming is key to aligning consumer habits with sustainable goals.We tackle the controversial topic of ultra-processed foods and the confusion surrounding this term. Tor highlights the need for better research to guide policies and inform consumers, especially given that some processed foods can still offer significant nutritional benefits. The discussion also touches on The Collective’s innovative approach to product development, including their new adult pouch range inspired by the success of their kids' snacks. This product line targets the adult snacking market with a focus on health and sustainability and has already received positive feedback. Sainsbury’s adoption of the range, paired with engaging and humorous marketing campaigns, showcases the brand’s commitment to connecting with consumers through relatable content.Tor also shares insights into The Collective’s marketing strategy, which prioritizes impact over budget. By leveraging small, collaborative teams and using social media insights to engage with their audience, The Collective demonstrates how thoughtful, resourceful marketing can drive consumer engagement and build brand loyalty.This episode offers a wealth of insights for anyone interested in the intersection of food, sustainability, and consumer behavior. From practical strategies to inspiring stories, it’s a conversation filled with actionable takeaways and food for thought.Timestamps0:00 - Introduction and guest welcome Tor Hunt Taylor 3:35 - Networking and transparency in sustainability 12:22 - Achieving carbon neutrality: Offset vs. inset 19:01 - Regenerative farming practices and challenges 27:45 - Consumer behaviour in sustainable product adoption 33:30 - Ultra-processed foods controversy and research needs 42:15 - Innovation at The Collective: Adult pouch range 51:40 - Marketing strategy: Connecting with consumers through humour and relatability58:20 - Team dynamics and collaborative culture at The Collective 1:04:10 - Conclusion and call to actionLinks and Resources:Website Link: https://ohforfoodssake.co.uk/FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/ohforfoodsakeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oh-for-food-s-sake/You can follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_forfoodssake/For industry consulting from Lucy, connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation from Amy.See you next time!

Lucy opens up about how working with coaches and mentors has been a game-changer, giving her the clarity and confidence to push forward in both life and business. She even shares a courageous journey through the small claims court process, which she found hugely empowering and a significant growth opportunity.Amy shares her own story of navigating a tricky client relationship, the freedom that comes with being your own boss, and why trusting your gut can save you a world of stress. Plus, we explore the highs, the lows, and how delegation became Amy’s superpower during a tough personal health challenge.We encourage listeners to reflect on past challenges and use these experiences to propel personal and professional growth. Lucy shares a personal story about revisiting a past business area, comparing her feelings of discomfort to PTSD, only to find pride in her mature handling of these feelings. Amy recaps questions for reflecting on 2024, advocating for the value of reflection to set future goals.The episode underscores the theme of discomfort as a catalyst for growth. It discusses Lucy’s realisation of not being the right fit for a client’s needs and quickly finding someone else to assist. Amy shares her struggle with losing her voice and the subsequent growth it led to in her business by trusting her team more.We wrap up with a heartfelt discussion on personal growth, celebrating mutual achievements, and teasing upcoming topics for 2025.Timestamps00:00 - Introduction 02:30 - Lucy's life-changing experience with a financial coach 07:15 - Acknowledging and valuing oneself 12:45 - Amy's insights on handling challenging clients 18:10 - The advantages of being self-employed 24:00 - Reflecting on past challenges for growth 30:20 - Lucy’s personal story on revisiting past business areas 35:45 - Amy’s method of year-end reflection 42:00 - The theme of discomfort as a growth catalyst 47:30 - Lucy’s approach to handling client fit issues 53:15 - Amy’s struggle with her "voice" and delegating work 58:00 - Importance of mentorship and coaching 1:01:30 - Final reflections and advice for 2024Links and Resources:Website Link: https://ohforfoodssake.co.uk/FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/ohforfoodsakeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oh-for-food-s-sake/You can follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_forfoodssake/For industry consulting from Lucy, connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation from Amy.See you next time!

The episode starts with Lucy talking to Bobby Edge Partington, Senior Communications Manager at the Institute of Food Science and Technology The IFST celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024 and the conference serves as a platform for discussing advancements like AI in food production and sustainability and we also talk about future initiatives for the IFST and its membership opportunities.Lucy then shares her thoughts on the morning session as well as asking how attendees were enjoying the morning's talks.Lucy then chats with Max Grell from BlakBear and he tells her about the technology BlakBear has developed; sensors for food packaging that indicate freshness by detecting gases emitted by the food. These electronic labels send data every second and can be read using a smartphone via NFC technology and will play an important role in reducing food waste.The episode continues as she talks with a sponsor of the conference, Tracegains, and discusses how their business transforms supplier management for food and beverage companies, simplifying compliance and quality control through data-driven solutions and learns how their innovative network, likened to LinkedIn, lets suppliers share documents and certifications efficiently with clients like Coca-Cola. Next, she speaks with another of the sponsors, IFIS, and they discuss FSTA, a database of comprehensive literature searching in food science and related fields where you can discover scientific articles, patents and other information across disciplines and from publishers worldwide.Daria Liutcerina, another attendee shares with Lucy her views on the conference and what she has enjoyed so far.Lucy talks with Susan Arkley, a seasoned product development consultant and long-time member of the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST). Susan shares her journey from being an IFST member as a student to becoming more engaged as a self-employed consultant. They discuss the misconception that IFST is not for product developers and delve into the value it brings, particularly through initiatives like the innovation special interest group. Susan recounts her long-standing membership, starting from her student days, and explains how her involvement deepened after becoming a self-employed consultant. She also interviews Ruth Dolby, the joint chair of the Midlands branch of the IFST. Ruth shares her experiences and the significant role she plays within the organisation. From her accidental foray into conference organisation to her proactive involvement in the IFST, Ruth highlights the importance of engaging within professional organisations. They discuss the value of cross-disciplinary work in the food industry and the benefits that active participation in the IFST can offer, from networking opportunities to exceptional educational talks.The last part of this special episode moves onto the talks from conference with experts from speakers Chris Elliot and Nik Watson.Chris Elliott is the founder of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast and is an Honorary Professor there. He is also Professor of Food Security at Thammassat University in Thailand. He discusses the pressing issues reshaping the global food landscape including the critical forces impacting food security including climate change, geopolitical shifts and economic pressures causing the price of food to rise.The episode concludes with a talk from Nik Watson, Professor of AI in Food at the University of Leeds. He explores how AI is revolutionising the food sector, focusing on health, sustainability, and resilience. We hope you found this episode from Lucy’s visit to the IFST conference insightful and we look forward to bringing you more “on the road” episodes in the future. To find out more about the conference click here https://www.ifst.org/ac24.Time Stamps0:00 Intro to Episode1:20 OFFS Music Intro2:02 Bobby Intro11:28 Lucy talking about morning session12:08 ROQUETTE on conference13:41 Max Grell from Blakbear16:58 Tracegains 25:14 Sponsor talking26:49 Daria on conference29:14 Susan Arkley31:15 Ruth Dolby33:19 Mezze Ad33:41 Lucy intro to Chris Elliot34:39 Chris Elliot Talk49:00 Lucy intro to Nik Watson49:17 Nik Watson on conference51:05 Nik Watson Talk1:07:00 Lucy End of EpisodeLinks and Resources:Website Link: https://ohforfoodssake.co.uk/FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/ohforfoodssakepodcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oh-for-food-s-sake/You can follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_forfoodssake/For industry consulting from Lucy, connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation from Amy.See you next time!