From Jitters to Clarity: Building a Functional Coffee Brand That Actually Works | Unconform Founder Yusuf Amanullah

A teenage trader learns to move stock on Romford Market, then builds a clean‑label snack factory that challenges ultra‑processed bars and keeps going through COVID with a private‑label engine. Matt Hunt, co‑founder of The Protein Ball Co, joins us for a candid, high‑energy tour through graft, grit, and the choices that change a business. We dig into margins, manufacturing, pet treats you could eat, and a bold rebrand made to win shelves.• early market lessons shaping sales craft and urgency• olives to protein balls and the Expo West insight• outsourcing pain points versus owning production• factory build on a tight budget and fast scale to export• airline margins, cancellations, and cash discipline• educating customers on protein types and absorption• clean labels versus ultra‑processed ingredients• COVID impact and the private label pivot• launching human‑grade dog treats with low carbs• rebrand to Ballsy By Nature and paper packaging• returning to proactive sales with a stronger story• partnership roles, stress, and family balancePlease like and subscribe. And prior review, would really appreciate it. If you want to know more about starting a food business, head to www.jgreenwood.comSupport the show

We trace Yusuf’s path from schoolyard hustles to building a functional cold brew that swaps jitters for calm focus. The story spans painful caffeine experiments, tough retail lessons, and the mindset shift from making a product to selling one at a profit. Listen to the story of building Unconform• early ventures and the itch to build • caffeine overload as the spark for a solution • cold brew, adaptogens, and nootropics for a smoother hit • scrappy R&D, 31 iterations, and crowdfunding proof • timing, outreach, and landing Holland and Barrett • taking feedback, rebranding for shelf visibility • packaging that signals benefit at a glance • avoiding ego traps and focusing on sales • the real maths of margins and target numbers • recommended resources for learning to sellPlease like and subscribe, and write a review, would really appreciate it If you want to know more about starting a food business, head to www.jgreenwood.comSupport the show

We explore how poker shaped Andrew Macleod's thinking and how those mental models helped him build Emilia’s Crafted Pasta into a debt-free, multi-site brand. From scouting Italy to opening under budget and growing slow, we show how to balance soul with margins.• Poker as a mirror of risk and behaviour• Bootstrapping events and earning trust without capital• Finding the pasta gap and validating with travel and craft• Raising seed from relationships built on delivery and discipline• Securing a first site through persistence and landlord alignment• Opening lean, surviving the quiet months, building word of mouth• Frameworks for skill acquisition and early career risk-taking• Balancing hospitality warmth with unit economics• Cross-functional accountability and consequence visibility• Choosing independence, optionality, and long-term brand depthPlease like and subscribeAnd post a review, we'd really appreciate itIf you want to know more about starting a food business, head to www.jaygreenwood.co.ukSupport the show

Will Howard shares his journey from hospitality worker to Managing Director of GrowUp Farms, revealing how purpose-driven leadership and vulnerability create stronger businesses and teams.• Started career with a passion for food, working in hospitality before transitioning to FMCG roles at L'Oreal and PepsiCo• Found his authentic leadership style at purpose-driven companies like Red Bull, Innocent and Ella's Kitchen• Practices vulnerability by openly discussing mental health challenges with his team• Maintains mental wellbeing through consistent morning exercise routines• Joined GrowUp Farms after being impressed by both the team and product quality• Explains how vertical farming creates perfect growing conditions without pesticides in the space of "three double-decker buses"• Balances aggressive commercial growth targets with sustainable business practices• Uses technology including AI and machine learning to optimise crop production• Emphasises communication with context as essential for effective leadership• Advocates normalising mental health support: "If you cut your finger, you put a plaster on it. It's normal the other way"If you want to know more about starting a food business, head to www.jgreenwood.com.Support the show

What does it take to build a thriving food brand that refuses to compromise on values? Karen and Patrick O'Flaherty, founders of Pip Organic, reveal the remarkable journey that transformed their humble market stall selling fresh juices into one of the UK's most trusted organic food and drink brands.The husband-and-wife team share how their backgrounds in marketing and finance, combined with Patrick's family history in organic farming, created the perfect foundation for their business. Their adventure began at Borough Market in London, where queues quickly formed for their fresh organic juices. When customers started bringing bottles to fill for home consumption, they recognized a retail opportunity that would define their future.The conversation takes a fascinating turn as they discuss a pivotal moment in their business journey – purchasing a bottling line at auction without fully consulting each other, a decision that nearly caused "a divorce in the car" but ultimately proved transformative for their production capabilities. This candid glimpse into their partnership reveals how entrepreneurial impulses sometimes clash with practical considerations.Perhaps most compelling is how parenthood reshaped their business direction. When Karen and Patrick couldn't find clean-label products for their own children, they identified a crucial market gap: while the baby food category was predominantly organic, options disappeared once children outgrew the toddler stage. This insight led to their mission of creating products that pass a simple but powerful test: "Would we give this to our kids with a smile?"Their commitment to quality comes with constraints – developing products takes longer, costs more, and sometimes means saying no to certain categories. Yet this unwavering approach has built extraordinary consumer trust. As they've scaled to over 10,000 distribution points across the UK without external investment, the O'Flahertys prove that patience in business can yield remarkable results.What lessons might your business gain from their "you only get out what you put in" philosophy? Listen now to discover how authentic values and consumer-first thinking can create sustainable competitive advantage in even the most challenging markets.Support the show

Matthew Jones is the founder of Bread Ahead bakery. On this episode, Matthew shares his remarkable journey from sleeping on bakery floors to building a global brand that's reshaping how people experience and understand artisan baking.• Growing up in 1970s Britain surrounded by makers and creators despite the "dire" food scene• Leaving school at 15 to pursue chef training through a Youth Training Scheme• Working under Sir Terence Conran and learning from his visionary approach to restaurants• Transitioning from chef to baker with the founding of Flower Power City Bakery in 1999• Losing his first bakery business and hitting personal rock bottom due to alcohol addiction• Finding sobriety and rebuilding his life through baking in 2010• Starting Bread Ahead with just a market stall at Borough Market• Creating a revolutionary bakery concept that combines retail with baking education• Expanding internationally with 11 bakeries across the Middle East• Evolving as a leader and finding joy in seeing young professionals succeed• Maintaining focus through exercise, creative pursuits, and staying busy with varied activitiesSupport the show

Dominic Rice, co-founder and CEO of CANS, is on a mission to build a new category of non-sweet, no-sugar, no-sweetener soft drinks. After 16 years at Red Bull, Dom is applying his beverage industry expertise to create a genuinely healthy alternative that doesn't compromise on taste.The idea came over a steak dinner in Prague, where three friends shared the frustration of living sugar- and sweetener-free and finding their only drink options were water, tea, or coffee.CANS is built on radical simplicity: Alpine spring water, real fruit, and bubbles — simplicity that took 40–50 test rounds to perfect without any sugar or sweeteners.They are carving out a “third category” in soft drinks, showing that non-sweet drinks can be satisfying, refreshing, and cool to hold.Growth is built patiently, can by can: the first six months focused on laying foundations — distribution, awareness, and trial — before sales reached 500,000 cans in year one.Sampling drives both trial and insight, letting people taste without risk and giving the team direct feedback on reactions and habits.Dom applies the best of his 16 years at Red Bull, from sales and distribution playbooks to in-store execution, while unlearning corporate habits that slow a startup — prioritising speed and subtraction over complexity and addition.The UK launch shows how ready the market is, with both retailers and consumers actively rethinking soft drink options for health and enjoyment.Sleep underpins his productivity and resilience, supported by morning gym sessions, weekend nature breaks, kickboxing, and time with his wife and friends.Self-doubt is met with progress over perfection, leaning on his team and personal relationships to stay grounded as the business scales.Their approach to change is human, not preachy: they focus on making a drink people genuinely enjoy and are proud to hold, letting habits shift naturally.Support the show

Daniel Cray, an Australian entrepreneur and CEO of Phizz, pivoted from advertising to create a revolutionary three-in-one hydration, vitamin and electrolyte tablet that's now one of the UK's fastest-growing wellness brands. He shares his journey from bootstrapping with three friends to leading a category-defining company used by Premier League teams and travellers worldwide.• After discovering travellers lose up to six litres of water during flights, Dan identified hydration's broader impact beyond just athletic performance• Partnered with a neuroscientist co-founder to develop a scientifically-backed formula that enhances brain performance through proper electrolyte balance• Initially secured partnerships with Emirates Airlines, W Hotels and Premier League teams to build credibility while bootstrapping• Made the bold decision to relocate from Australia to London despite having no UK connections or secured funding• Transformed from a £250,000 revenue business to nearly £10 million by transitioning from brand partnerships to retail distribution• Maintained scientific integrity by including glucose in their formula despite "sugar-free" trends, as it's essential for optimal hydration• Successfully positioning Phizz as a category leader in "hydration enhancers" – creating an entirely new retail category in UK stores• Recently expanded into Middle East and European markets with plans for continued international growthCheck out Phizz in major UK retailers including Boots, Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, or online with Amazon.Support the show

Suzie Millar shares the inspiring journey of growing The Scottish Bee Company from a purpose-driven venture into a thriving business while introducing over 27 million bees to Scotland and establishing a charity to support pollinators' habitats.• From lawyer to chiropractor to honey entrepreneur, connecting analytical skills with empathy and health interests• Starting a bee company while pregnant and building a family alongside the business • Raising investment to buy beehives for Scottish beekeepers and developing apprenticeships• The stark difference between imported, artificially-matured honey and authentic hive-matured honey• Building a brand on transparency, including publishing pesticide and GMO testing results• Creating the Repollinate charity to build wildflower spaces and support natural pollinators• Diversifying from honey to vinegars and salad dressings made with bee-pollinated fruits• Acquiring complementary food brands to create the Natural Larder Collective• Balancing family life with business ambitions, including flexible 28-hour work weeks for staff• The importance of establishing boundaries when running a business with your spouseVisit our website to explore our range of authentic Scottish honey products and learn more about our environmental initiatives. Use discount code RECIPE for a special listener offer.Support the show

Martin Holden-White takes us through his journey of founding Grubby, the UK's first 100% plant-based recipe kit company that has delivered over 2 million meals since launching in 2019.• Starting in kitchens at 16 years old before studying hospitality• Originally conceptualizing Grubby as a smart fridge vending machine for offices• Pivoting the entire business model during COVID lockdown to home delivery• Delivering free meals to NHS workers as a testing ground for their operations• Building a distinctive brand identity with deliberate "special wrongness"• Prioritizing sustainability through biodegradable packaging and bike couriers• Taking a measured approach to growth compared to competitors who raised 10x more funding• Achieving profitability in three of the last five months through operational efficiency• Expanding into a marketplace featuring exclusive plant-based products• Opening up into ready meals as their next business developmentCheck out our cookbook published with Penguin, available on Amazon and in bookstores across the UK. The recipes have been refined through five years of customer feedback, making them simple, accessible weeknight dinners using easy-to-find ingredients.Support the show