Jeremy Bowen on “Focus not fluff”

Gosh, it would be such a joy to run a food business that was all about giving back and not about making money! A hobby foodie charity that you could enjoy and deliver credible charitable results with no stress or strain. Talking about your love of artisan food (passion and vision) and its comfortable production in a non-commercial way.

But at JB Food Solutions it’s all about living in the real world. I have lived and breathed artisan food for the last 20 years and understand how challenging it is. Really challenging. We have all picked up a glossy magazine and taken a deep breath when we’ve seen a farming family head to foot in Boden, sitting on bales of hay and cuddling cute newborn baby lambs, and delighting in their passion and enthusiasm for their comfy artisan food business. But don’t panic. Get real. It’s fantasy, not reality. Refresh your memory by looking at the unopened bills on your untidy desk, SALSA paperwork waiting for completion, FIR compliance and debtors list which has resulted in late payment of your mortgage. So less talking and more walking, please.

Product is key for sure, combined with the story, but if you are not number commercial and don’t understand and celebrate how the food world works it will be pain and no gain. Therefore, I present three examples of new and established artisan businesses and how they don’t just talk but walk. Berkswell Cheese is celebrating 30 years of artisan cheesemaking but not resting on their established customer base and history. Stephen and George don’t just talk but walk; it’s not just about the fluff but true financial structure to what they do after 30 years of successful cheesemaking. Evolution rather than revolution – in 2019 it’s all about engaging and understanding what their customers require, hence whole cheeses, half cheese pre-packed, sliced prepack, baby Christmas cheeses and special order grated Berkswell. Therefore, from one product they have an offer of five and cover seasonality and foodservice. Credible and commercial boys who should be proud of their 30 years in artisan cheesemaking, and their customers are celebrating too!

Fiona Pink is Isle of White Food Royalty and her historic foodie credentials begin with Pinks Marmalade conquering the empire over 100 years ago. Fi has done the fluff and now is fully focused on moving her biz forward! She realised she had to consolidate rather than conquer, hence her focus on local and the Isle of White. Now she is ready revisit the UK Mainland. Slowly, but with commercial credibility, she is reaching out to old and new retail customers plus talking and walking with distributors, all the while understanding that it will take time as she does not wish to run before she can walk on the mainland.

Ballylisk of Armargh may be new kids on the cheese block, but Dean and Mark are established farmers in Northern Ireland’s County Armagh. They produce the only soft artisan cheese in NI, with great shelf life and packaging – and it’s clearly yummy. But if they are going ‘make it happen’ it’s all about a commercial plan of attack, and the boys are credible fighters for sure. They’ve been focusing their energy with a clear timescale in place and a commercial strategy orchestrated from day one. The boys are not busy fools – it’s more about focus and less about fluff with Dean and Mark; catch them if you can!