Food Matters Live Podcast

Does being an entrepreneur in the food sector mean doing everything yourself?Not according to Ayesah Grover, CEO and founder of strp'd, a company that makes flour, milk and flakes out of tigernuts.In the episode of the Career Conversations series, Ayesha tells Elisa Roche that collaboration and outsourcing are hugely important: "I don't think anyone can do absolutely everything."She says, although she is a one-woman team, she outsources some of her social media content, product development and package design.That doesn't mean being hands-off though: "I'm very involved in every process."In this episode, Ayesha reveals what tigernuts actually are, and how she came to find them and turn them into a number of successful products.She also tells us how she benefited from joining the Amazon Launchpad programme, and how disaster turned to success when the first Covid lockdown hit just as she was about to launch her brand new product. Ayesha Grover, CEO and Founder, strp'dAfter a number of years working in London, graduating with an MBA in NYC and launching a fitness business in Mumbai, Ayesha finally returned to the city where she grew up - Lagos, Nigeria.Whilst working in Nigeria, she discovered an incredible super-ingredient: tigernuts! Don’t be fooled by the name, tigernuts are NOT nuts, nor do they come from tigers but in fact are nutrient-dense tubers.  Ayesha was intrigued by this allergen-friendly superfood that tasted delicious and proved to be a powerhouse of plant-based nutrition. She launched tigernut-based brand, strp’d in 2020 for everyone to enjoy delicious foods, regardless of dietary restrictions. 

The ketogenic diet is everywhere you look, promoted as a quick way to lose weight.It seems to tap into something within many of us and comes with the added attraction of appearing to be based in some scientific theory.There is also the fact that there is evidence that, under proper medical supervision, the low-carb diet can be effective for children with drug-resistant epilepsy.But is it all it's cracked up to be when it comes to weight loss and could there be some damaging effects?Keto certainly has a number of high-profile supporters, but there are just as many people warning of the dangers.In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, Stefan Gates is joined by the London Chair of the British Dietetic Association, Sophie Medlin, to explore the science and bust the myths.She sets out what a typical keto diet meal plan might look like, how ketosis works, and why the diet is proving so popular.She also discusses potential risks to gut health, the impact the diet can have on our relationship to food, and concerns about the lack of evidence around its long-term effects.Sophie also offers some advice on how to establish a sustainably healthy diet. Sophie Medlin, Consultant Dietitian, Director of City Dieticians, and Chair of the British Dietetic Association for LondonSophie worked for many years in hospitals before moving to a career in academia where she was a lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics at King’s College London before leaving to run City Dietitians and work as a consultant. In her clinical work, Sophie specialised in managing the nutritional needs of people with intestinal problems. She is considered a leading specialist in the dietary management of bowel conditions such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticular disease and the nutritional management of colostomies and ileostomies. Sophie carried this through to her research which focuses on the nutritional consequences of bowel surgery. Her experience in complex nutrition support sees her overseeing the nutritional management of patients with complex feeding needs such as tube feeding and intravenous nutrition support.

Rising inflation is hanging over every household and business in the country. In January 2022, overall prices were rising at around 5 per cent, with food a key contributor.So how will rising prices affect the food industry?In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, Stefan Gates is joined by two experts in this field.Tim Lloyd is Professor of Economics at Bournemouth University, Fraser McKevitt, is Head of Retail and Consumer Insight at Kantar.They look at how today's rate of inflation compares to recent - and not so recent - history, the factors that are driving prices up around the world, and they discuss who is likely to be worst-affected.Will supermarkets keep prices down to protect their market share? Will that lead to even more pressure on suppliers? And what can companies and individuals do to mitigate against the worst effects? Tim Lloyd, Professor of Economics, Bournemouth UniversityTim Lloyd is Professor of Economics in the Business School. He was appointed in July 2015 having previously been Associate Professor in the School of Economics at the University of Nottingham. Professor Lloyd’s research interests lie in the fields of agricultural and food economics, particularly pricing, diet and health and competition in the food industry. Recent work, funded by both the European Commission and the UK’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has focused on the transmission of prices through the food chain and food price inflation in the UK and EU Member States. Fraser McKevitt, Head of Retail and Consumer Insight, KantarIn over a decade at Kantar, Fraser has helped advise some of the UK's biggest FMCG brands and supermarkets. All of this advice has been powered by real observed behaviours from Kantar’s purchase and consumption panels, widely used throughout the grocery industry. He keeps a close eye on changing consumer and shopping behaviours, explaining how and why these trends influence and impact both manufacturers and retailers.  He describes, analyses and comments as the grocers battle competitively for market share each month, through the Kantar ‘Grocery Market Share’ release.

When Mark Whalley was doing his degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, he had no idea that he would end up happily working as Consumer Insights Controller for a major food company."I didn't know what consumer insights was," he tells Elisa Roche in the latest Career Conversations episode. "I thought I would be a primary school teacher."But it was when he saw a job advertised that he thought it was worth a shot. He says he didn't apply because he had a particular interest in the sector, he just thought he would be good at it.And, it turns out, he was. He now works for Greencore, a major food manufacturer, supplying lots of different types of convenience foods.Greencore make just about everything, from ready meals, to soups, sushi, and quiche.Mark describes it as "the biggest company you've never heard of".He says that after a couple of years working in the sector, he discovered a real passion for working out what shoppers want.Although he studied English, he says anyone who is curious about people can excel in the role. And people with a psychology or sociology background are often well-suited.Listen on to find out what an average day looks like for a Consumer Insights Controller, why you will often find Mike hanging around supermarket aisles, and how his job has taken him all around the world. Mark Whalley, Consumer Insights Controller, GreencoreMark has spent more than a decade working in consumer insight, starting on the “agency-side” with business intelligence company Datamonitor, where he wrote on a diverse range of topics from fibre, to skincare, to trends in incontinence products. This saw him work with some of the biggest brands in the world, including Unilever, Pepsi, and Heineken.He is now the Insight Controller for Greencore – one of the largest manufacturers of convenience foods in the UK. He is responsible for commissioning all market research within the company’s “Food-For-Later” division, which includes categories such as prepared meals, cooking sauces, and salads.He works closely with both the Commercial and Product Development teams, where his experience in consumer trends and shopper behaviour help guide the company’s innovation agenda and product category strategy.

Benjamina Ebuehi says for a long time, she never saw baking as a career. "I didn't want to work in a restaurant kitchen or run a bakery," she says. "And I didn't really know what else I could do with it."So she carried on with her degree in Economics at the University of Leicester, and kept baking for friends at the weekends.But that all changed, when she appeared on The Great British Bake Off in 2016.In this episode of the Career Conversations series, Benjamina tells us all about her time on the show: "As a watcher, it does look like a lot of fun.. but being in the show is definitely more intense than I was expecting."You're practicing at home all the time, every single day... it was tough but really enjoyable."And being on Bake Off wasn't her only career-defining moment. Benjamina says one day she was making a cake for a food video, when she met a food stylist - and that sparked something in her. Sign up for our Food Photography Masterclass with world-renownd food photographer Georgia Gylnn-SmithFind out how she was turned on to being a food stylist, how hard she had to work to get her foot in the door, and how her economics degree still stands her in good stead to this day. Benjamina Ebuehi, Food Stylist, Recipe Writer, BakerBenjamina is a baker, food stylist and recipe writer. Born and raised in south London, she has always had a love for food and being creative in the kitchen, and quickly became the person who made all the birthday cakes and desserts for friends and family.  Benjamina was a contestant on The Great British Bake Off in 2016, finishing as a quarter finalist. Since then, she has gone on to work full time within food, publishing her first cookbook, The New Way to Cake, in 2019, writing a bi-weekly baking column in Guardian Feast magazine, food styling and developing recipes and social media content for numerous brands.She is an ambassador for Luminary Bakery and is co-founder of The Sister Table.

The market for plant-based food and drink is undoubtedly growing, but what does that mean for the types of products we might see on the shelves in 2022?This year's Veganuary was the biggest ever, and Marks and Spencer alone has added 175 new plant-based products to its range this year.But with a seemingly every-expanding customer base, how do producers understand what it is they want? How do you target what used to be niche products, when your customers have so many varied needs and desires?And if more and more people are looking to buy plant-based, what does that do to the types of products that are being produced? Join one of our plant-based Masterclasses March 9th 2022 - Latest retail and consumer trends in a growth category: plant-based foods March 30th 2022 - Launching a Plant-Based Brand: from niche to opportunity In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, Stefan Gates is joined by two experts in the market to discuss who will be buying plant-based food and drink in 2022.Rohini Alam is Global Brand Manager for Plant Based at Nestle Professional, and Philip Linardos, Co-founder and CEO at ShelfNow offer their insights into what could be a standout year for the sector.They look at the role big brands are playing in making plant-based more mainstream, how the pandemic accelerated changing eating habits, and they look at how consumer demographics are shifting. Rohini Alam, Global Brand Manager for Plant Based, Nestle Professional SBURohini has many years of experience in the FMCG industry and is transitioning from her current role as Category Manager for Food at Nestle Professional to Global Brand Manager for plant-based brands working across multiple markets. She successfully launched the company’s plant-based brand in the UK Food Service Industry where the Garden Gourmet brand is going from strength to strength. Rohini is passionate about innovation and has experience in establishing new categories, developing communication campaigns, and creating and executing long term business and brand strategies that deliver value to the consumers. Philip Linardos, Co-founder and CEO, ShelfNowPhilip brings his experience in technology to ShelfNow to shape and develop the direction of the business. Previously, he led operations at Bizzby to transform the first on-demand marketplace for home professionals in Europe. Furthermore, he spearheaded the sales team at DynaRisk, a cybersecurity SaaS company to scale the company within 18 months. He also brings experience in venture capital at CyLon, Europe’s first cybersecurity startup accelerator, to ShelfNow. At ShelfNow, he heads business operations, market development and the shaping of the company’s vision, aiming to establish ShelfNow as the leading marketplace for small and medium-sized brands and retailers in Europe.

How do we inspire young people to become fascinated by food? It's a question food teachers up and down the country are answering every day - but is their work being valued?In England, there has been a big decline in children taking a GCSE in food and nutrition, and it is the only national curriculum subject that doesn't have an A-level.That's despite the crucial role learning about food and nutrition can play in our efforts to tackle the obesity crisis.In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, Stefan Gates is joined by Louise T Davies, Founder of the Food Teachers Centre.They discuss the shortage of food teachers in our schools, the importance of giving children hands-on experience in the kitchen, and the disconnect between what is being taught in lessons and what is being served up in the school dinner hall.Louise also gives some top tips on the best way to get your children fascinated by food. Louise T Davies, Founder, The Food Teachers CentreLouise has been in food education for more than 30 years as an experienced teacher and subject leader. She recently worked for the United Nations School Food and Nutrition Education programme and is the OFQUAL subject adviser for exams in Food Preparation and Nutrition and Home Economics. She was adviser to Department for Education for the new 2016 Food Preparation and Nutrition GCSE.After senior positions at Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and as Deputy Chief Executive at the D&T Association (creating Food in Schools, Licence to Cook, Active Kids Get Cooking and the School Food Champions), she founded the Food Teachers Centre. She is recognised for leading one of 131 most impactful on-line communities in the world through the Facebook Community Accelerator Award.  The Food Teachers Centre offers national innovation in curriculum and professional development to over 12,000 members, with over 500 training events and 16 unique on-line learning platforms, as well as delivering Kitchen Angels, Fish Hero, Schools Game Changer, Chefs Back to School and Teach Food programmes.

As work placements go, it's fair to say Laura Bradshaw wasn't too impressed when she was sent to a chicken producer in her third year of university."All my peers were going off to well-known brands like Cadbury's, Nestle and M&S," she tells Elisa Roche in this episode of Career Conversations, "and I was going off to a chicken factory."But, Laura now says it was a pivotal moment in her career: "It was the best grounding I could have hoped for."She describes how she got to work on product trials in France: "I was totally thrown in at the deep end. I had a great experience."Fast-forward to today, and Laura is a New Product Developer (NPD) at Pilgrim's, the UK's biggest pig producer and manufacturer.Her job is to develop new food products, which means spotting the very latest trends, and developing meals and snacks around that theme to appear on supermarket shelves.She says it's a mixture of glamour - eating in fancy restaurants to see what's titillating the trendiest tastebuds - and very hard work - sometimes she finds herself on the factory line at 2am.But all-in-all, Laura says it's a job she really enjoys: "I live for the euphoric moments when you get a product over the line."Find out what a typical day is like for a New Product Developer, how she manages to keep up with the very latest food trends, and we tackle some of the acronyms new starters might be coming across for the first time. Laura Bradshaw, Innovation and NPD Controller, Pilgrim'sA food product development professional with over 15 years’ experience within the chilled and ambient food sectors. Working with all of the top retailers within the UK to develop great tasting, commercially viable products.  Passionate about product innovation, food trends and creating great relationships. A parent outside of work with a young family, quickly learning how to juggle the career and home life. Enjoys cooking, visiting new restaurants, travelling, reading (mostly recipe books!) and walks with the family.

What role can probiotics play in helping all of us, whether we're casual runners or elite athletes, achieve our fitness goals?The link between diet and sports performance is a fascinating area.  At its heart is the gut microbiome - that colony of microbes that digests our food and regulates our metabolism - it can also affect our behaviour, our emotions, and our overall health.In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, in partnership with Lonza, Stefan Gates asks: What is the relationship between the gut microbiome and sports performance?And what role can probiotics play in that relationship?  Shane Durkee, VP platform Innovation, Capsules and Health ingredients, Lonza Shane Durkee is the vice president of platform innovation, ingredients, and dosage form solutions at Lonza. An internationally trained R&D executive with more than 25 years of experience in the consumer healthcare industry, Shane has a background of developing new and innovative products, platform capabilities and technologies. Shane leads the Global Platform Innovation Team responsible for all R&D activity on the ingredients and dosage form solutions businesses.   He is passionate about improving people’s lives through the latest in technology, nutrition and clinical research. Lindsey Toth, Director, Global Product Management for Nutrition Products and Services At Lonza, Lindsey is responsible for overseeing global product management for the nutrition portfolio, including value messaging, go-to-market strategies, and product innovation and life-cycle management.

It's well known that insects are a good, and abundant, source of protein.But just because we can eat them, should we be considering whether we should? And if we should eat them, do we need to start thinking seriously about how we farm them?In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, Stefan Gates is joined by Adam Hart, Professor of Science Communication at the University of Gloucestershire.They discuss some of the ethical issues around using insects as a source of protein.Professor Hart explain what an insect is (clue: it's about more than just having six legs), and tells us how scientists try to go about measuring what an insect is feeling.And he tries to answer the biggest question: Is it morally better to feed many people with one large cow, or kill thousands of worms to feed the same number of people? Adam Hart, Professor of Science Communication at the University of Gloucestershire, Fellow of the Royal Entomological SocietyA biologist, broadcaster and author, Adam works on a range of topics including African ecology and conservation, insects and citizen science. He has made more than 30 documentaries for BBC Radio and World Service, most recently the series Tooth and Claw, eight programmes examining our complex relationships with predators. His last book, Unfit for Purpose, discussed how our evolution has made us a bad fit for the modern world we've made. Coming out in 2022, his new book Eaten explores our difficult interactions with the world's greatest predators, and how we can balance conservation with development to create a world where predators and people can thrive.