How a fluke led to a Sainsbury's listing
I’m building a few things at once across food, drink & hospitality. Sunday Service is where I share the wins, the wobbles - and the growth tips to help you build yours...
In this week’s Substack:
Making it official: Sunday Service & Midweek Service
Learnings from being listed in Sainsbury’s
Ticket sales don’t lead to profitable events
Find out what’s been my most commented on LinkedIn post of all time
SUNDAY SERVICE #1
Before I delve into the main subject of this week’s post: learnings from being listed in Sainsbury’s.
Some kind of housekeeping…
On Weds, I launched a new series for my Substack: Midweek Service.
Through my marketing services biz, On A Plate Growth, what I know for sure is that people and companies struggle to write marketing emails.
How do I know this? People tell me every single week. From founders to marketers.
What I also know for sure is that emails drive sales.
How do I know this? Because I send emails for brands each week, inc my own, Bloody Bens.
So, I had a thought…
Why not write a weekly suggestion for people to use?
Either directly or simply as the spark.
And, then I thought, well some people also struggle to come up with new offers or incentives.
So, within the email, I’ll suggest a promo.
Again, something you can directly use or take to inspire your next move.
The first one is within this post…
It’s about the products we don’t talk about.
We tend to focus on new releases.
Neglecting the very thing that makes the majority of our sales. E.g. our bestseller.
“Everyone knows about that - we don’t bother talking about it.”
They don’t you know. Honestly. Not everyone knows your product range. Especially newcomers.
Or, often, there’s a fan fave, i.e. a massive sign that other people are likely to want this but again we overlook it.
“Oh yeah, people really like that one”. Ok, maybe give it some more airtime and see if others might feel the same - if only you told them about it.
Anyway, have a read if this resonates with your situation.
I’ll drop another one next Weds - thinking I’ll look at making it topical, so using Wimbledon as the hook.
And, this style of my substack posts?
The ones where I share a bit of the behind the scenes and process of building,
and my thinking and journey as a solopreneur and co-founder.
Well, going forward, I’ll be putting them under the banner of, Sunday Service.
And, guess what - I’ll publish them on Sundays.
Want me to run the rule over your emails? Or, just want a no obligation call to discuss your needs & strategy?
LEARNINGS FROM BEING LISTED IN A NATIONAL SUPERMARKET
So, as you may know, back in the Spring, I set up, The Growth Collective.
An online community for those of us in the business of growing food, drink and hospitality businesses.
Not limited to founders.
It’s a place to come together to share challenges, exchange ideas, find solutions and discover partners who can help us grow.
Plus, there’s regular masterclasses.
And, a couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of chatting to Charlie Turner, co-founder of Penrhos Spirits.
He was there to share his learnings from being listed in Sainsbury’s but actually he shared way more.
He shared how it was a fluke that he ended up with an aluminium bottle.
It was this switch that led to Sainsbury’s (and now EasyJet) listing his gin.
He also shared how he unintentionally turned up to the meeting with the Sainos buyer with his samples in a Waitrose bag!
And, there’s more gems to be discovered, when you watch the replay.
Plus, of course, there’s the main thrust of the masterclass.
THREE LEARNINGS FROM BEING ON THE SHELVES AT SAINSBURY’S
Difference: Stand Out & Solve a Problem
Branding: The Bit After The Listing
Promotions: You Can’t Ignore Price Sensitivity
You’ll need to watch the replay to unlock all of the learnings.
But, I’ll share some of the info around Promotions here…
When Penrhos landed on the Sainsbury’s shelves, they realised their price point was too much at £34.
For two reasons, 1) their competitors were frequently on promotion and 2) their competitors had greater brand equity and trust.
So, if they were in a head-to-head, shoppers would go with one of the bigger names, ‘trusting them’ to deliver quality liquid.
Now, you could choose to be stubborn here. To hold your price.
But, most likely, you don’t have the budget to position yourself as a premium brand ‘worth’ the price point, so, it’s going to take forever (if ever).
And, in that time, you risk being delisted, and v.likely, you risk not being able to pay to keep the lights on for your operation.
Charlie, turned to his farmer’s mentality.
Fresh fruit needs to be shifted.
Yes, you might want to be paid a higher price for your produce but you can’t be too proud, otherwise, it will all go to waste before you achieve the price you want.
Data also helped Charlie make his pricing decision.
85% of their sales in Sainsbury’s come on promotion.
What does this mean for you?
It means you need to make sure you have enough margin built in to the price you supply supermarkets/retailers with.
Because, on this basis, you will need to go on promotion.
Think about it. Why do the big boys go on promotion, rather than simply rely on their brand equity? Because reduced pricing shifts product. In this moment, it is a necessary evil.
Charlie was shown data for 2 brands, the one that went £1 cheaper outsold the other 2.5x
Charlie also shared this - people have the greatest propensity to purchase in the lead-up to Christmas.
So, go on promotion then.
The temptation is to do promos in January.
It should make sense, right? People have less money, so they’ll welcome the reduction in price.
BUT!… they have less money. So, the reduced price isn’t terribly effective.
Additionally, if you are in the booze game, don’t forget to factor in Dry January - so again, this would make your promo less effective.
TIPS TO TRY IN YOUR BUSINESS THIS WEEK
Based on Charlie’s masterclass, here’s a number of things you should consider for your business this week.
✅ Audit your biggest costs + could changing formats or suppliers also be a brand story?
Like it was with Penrhos, switching from expensive glass to aluminium gave a good reduction in unit cost (great for margin - you’ll need this for your promos!) but also far more sustainable (great for winning listings like Sainsbury’s)
✅ Stand in the supermarket aisle - Watch how people shop your category.
✅ Get (and use) real data- Even a small sales insight can shift your strategy.
✅ Make trial frictionless - Airline listings, events, mini-sizes. Get liquid on lips.
✅ Promote with intent - Build a smart calendar and drive volume strategically.
✅ Be a pest - nicely. Email that buyer. Make things happen!
JOIN THE GROWTH COLLECTIVE TO WATCH THE REPLAY
There’s basically 2 ways to become a member, then you’ll get access to all upcoming and historic masterclasses.
Pay the Monthly Fee - £15 a month
Work with me through On A Plate Growth and I’ll gift you a free membership
MORE MASTERCLASSES
Earlier this week I hosted, Isabel Lydall, founder of Curious to Clear.
She presented:
3 ways to grow your customer base to the next level
Making the leap: from selling to ‘people like me’ to appealing to a bigger audience
Experiment while you’re small: creating a loop of constant customer learning
Effective, no-holds barred conversations: how to understand what people really think of your brand
It was such a good session. I’ll share more from it another time but you can watch the replay, over on The Growth Collective, now.
And, next up… not a Masterclass but a Spotlight session - with Tim Simmons, founder of Sipello, a British aperitif that’s different by nature.
Catch it on the 26th June, 12.30pm.
TICKET SALES PROBABLY AREN’T ENOUGH
Just wanted to quickly share this…
If you’re thinking of doing an event. Ticket sales probably aren’t going to cover the costs or make you a profit.
You’ll need other revenue streams - like bar takings.
Actually an interesting thing here. With people reducing their alcohol intake, in part for health, in part due to cost, bar take is way down.
For Best Before, we don’t have a bar.
And, there’s a whole bunch of things to pay for,
Venue hire
Lunch
Videographer
Photographer
Insurance
So, the thing we turn to is sponsorship - this also means that we can keep the ticket prices low.
As it happens, I haven’t locked down sponsorship for Best Before 3 on the 17th July:
WORK IN PROGRESS: Stories of Craft, Creativity and Chaos.
Bringing together people from all corners of hospitality, food & drink - spanning many disciplines and creative practices, from chefs to suppliers, brand owners to storytellers - to share the ideas, inspiration, and craft behind their work.
So, if you want to get your brand or product in front of some of the most influential people in food, drink and hospitality in Brighton and beyond, then get in touch.
Also, if you haven’t got your ticket yet, the you can grab yours here.
You’ll be joining around 100 of your peers, to listen to talks from these awesome peeps,
🍋 Diego Ricaurte, Chef & Founder, Palmito – Ecuador-born chef behind Hove’s Michelin Guide-listed Palmito, known for bold, seasonal cooking using local ingredients, Latin American flavours, and nose-to-tail principles.
🍋 Harry Dyer & Sam Best, Founders, SHRUB Provisions – Supplier of the finest British produce to restaurants in London and Sussex. Harry & Sam champion provenance and transparency, on a mission to build a better food system through thoughtful supply.
🍋 Mariell Lind Hansen, Photographer & Founder, Benk&Bo – Interiors photographer capturing considered design in hospitality spaces. Founder of Spitalfields’ much-loved café, events space, and creative hub Benk&Bo.
🍋 Luke Hemsley, Founder, Wednesdays Domaine – Creator of one of the UK’s leading non-alcoholic wine brands, rethinking how and why we drink, and carving out space for mindful consumption.
🍋 Suzie Bakos, Founder, The Little Sauce – From intimate Iraqi supper clubs to small-batch hot sauce and high-energy events, Suzie brings people together through food, culture, and flavour.
🍋 Rollo Scott, Director, Singular Films – Filmmaker and creative producer capturing stories across food, art and culture, with a knack for visual storytelling that connects on a human level.
and our event host,
🍋 Hayley Simpson, Hospitality Marketing & PR – Previously Head of Marketing at The Breakfast Club and Senior Marketing Manager at Dishoom, as well as founder of events and cocktail agency Lucky Pineapple. Now a freelance consultant, Hayley brings sharp strategy and impactful brand development to hospitality businesses.
and then afterwards there will be networking.
What next?
✅ Curious about The Growth Collective? Join for £15/month
✅ Got a growth challenge? Book a call or email me at ben@onaplategrowth.com.
✅ Want to be in the room for Best Before 3? Get your ticket here, before we sell out.
✅ Want to do email better? Download my free guide.
👋 I’m Ben, founder of On A Plate Growth Agency
I work with food, drink & hospitality brands to drive growth, create awareness and build engagement through community:
🧠 Virtual Co-Founder service - a sounding board, strategist, and connector, all rolled into one.
📩 Email strategy
📈 Smart marketing support
💬 Community & masterclasses via The Growth Collective
Got a growth challenge you’d like to talk through?
Drop me an email ben@onaplategrowth.com
or head over to my website to book a free discovery call - you can also download email marketing guides, inc my free guide to nailing your welcome series, The First Bite.
Also, co-founder of Bloody Bens & Best Before Events.
PS
I had a lovely, quick, lunch at Babble, situated on the front in Hove, on Friday.
And, had myself a functional soda from Dalstons.
I didn’t know they’d gone into this space, a sensible move I suspect and a way to get onto menus that may otherwise be closed off to ‘bigger’ soft drink players.
Oh and over on LinkedIn, I had my most commented on post of all time.
About lids at coffee shops.
Do you think they should be put on for you? Or DIY it?
Feels like the consensus was the coffee shop to do it for you, as an extension of good customer service and delivering a better experience.
It’s a world of marginal gains or indeed marginal detractions.
You can gain a little operationally but do you want to do that at the risk of diminished customer satisfaction?
I know which camp I’m in.
What about you?
PPS
If you liked this post, then I’d love it if you found time to give it a like, drop a comment or share it with others.