January is loud. Predictions. Hot takes. New “rules” every week.

But heading into 2026, what we’re seeing across food & drink brands isn’t noise - it’s pressure.

Pressure to grow. Pressure to be everywhere. Pressure from founders who’ve done the “right” things… and still aren’t seeing the results.

So in this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, we're cutting through the chaos to share what we see first-hand inside real food & drink businesses - what’s actually working now, what’s quietly stopped working, and how smart brands are building stronger foundations for 2026 and beyond.

This is a no-fluff Marketing Mastery episode focused on quality growth, not loud growth.

1. Why paid ads are no longer a safety net in 2026, and what food brands need in place before spending a pound
2. The shift from loud growth to quality growth, and why traffic, reach, and virality don’t equal profit
3. How email marketing becomes your strongest revenue channel through retention, lifetime value, and post-purchase journeys
4. Why trust is now a performance metric, not a brand “nice to have”
5. What trust looks like in practice: founder-led content, organic social, stories, and smarter influencer use

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by platforms, trends, and advice, and want clarity on where to focus your energy in 2026, this is the episode for you.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

1. Read our 2026 Marketing Trends blog!
2. Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly hub for TikTok strategies, templates, and content ideas
3. Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
4. Follow @kwmarketinguk for TikTok, content, and food & drink marketing tips

If this episode inspired you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow founder - we love seeing how you’re fuelling your growth 🔥

Taking on the giants of big food isn’t easy… but that’s exactly what Paul Brown did.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Paul Brown, founder of BOL Foods, to unpack how he turned bold decisions into one of the most exciting growth stories in food & drink.

Here’s what we cover:

• The BOL origin story - where it all started, the mission behind the brand, and the pivotal moment that led to going fully plant-based
• Repositioning the brand overnight - the decision to remove all meat, fish, and dairy, how the team responded, and why bold moves matter
• Scaling with values intact - growing fast without losing authenticity, becoming an “energised lifestyle brand,” and keeping purpose and profitability aligned
• The rise of Power Shakes - spotting the nutritionally complete meal trend early and building a category-leading range
• Disrupting big food - why BOL is still growing while the wider plant-based category declines, and what other brands are getting wrong
• UPFs & consumer trust - Paul’s stance on ultra-processed foods and how BOL balances convenience with clean, whole ingredients
• Hot takes from the founder’s seat - the moments where risk turned into game-changing reward, and what every founder can learn from them

If you’re building a food & drink brand that wants to innovate, stand out, and scale with integrity… this episode is one you’ll want to take notes on.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Learn more about BOL Foods
• Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly hub for digital marketing strategies, templates, and support
• Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Follow @kwmarketinguk for food & drink marketing insights, email tips & digital strategy

If this episode inspired you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow founder - it helps us fuel even more foodies 🔥

TikTok isn’t about going viral anymore... it’s about creating content that sells.

In this episode of Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast, Kate sits down with Laura and Phoebe to break down the TikTok Formula that food & drink brands are using right now to build reach, community, and revenue.

Here’s what we cover:

• Why TikTok still wins for food brands: discovery, community, authenticity, and why follower growth no longer matters
• The winning content formula (HOOK → VALUE → PROOF → CTA) and how to structure videos that actually convert
• Entertainment Score: why entertaining content generates 4.5x more reach and outperforms traditional product push videos
• What to post (and how often) without burning out - from lo-fi content to batching, content pillars, and keyword-first captions
• Hashtags are dead: how TikTok’s search-first algorithm actually works in 2025 & beyond
• Turning views into revenue: TikTok Shop, linking strategies, pixels, and creator partnerships that drive 3x more views
• Our hot takes: real campaigns from real food brands that generated actual sales (not just likes)

If you’ve been trying to figure out why your TikTok isn’t converting or how to use it to grow your food brand... this episode is a must-listen!

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Join the Food Marketing Club for just £57/month - your monthly hub for TikTok strategies, templates, and content ideas
• Want tailored strategy support? Book a Strategy Call with Kate
• Follow @kwmarketinguk for TikTok, content and food & drink marketing tips

If this episode inspired you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow founder - we love seeing how you’re fuelling your growth 🔥