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Welcome to The Grocer’s entrepreneurs hub. Here you’ll find the best of our coverage on the UK’s thriving food startup scene as well as tips and advice for entrepreneurs and early-stage fmcg brands. Discover plenty of free resources as well as a selection of our premium articles for Gold and Platinum members
Guide for SMEs: How to nail your CBILS application in eight steps
We spoke to Atom bank to provide a step-by-step guide to nail your CBILS application
Black Lives Matter: black founders open up about race in the food & drink industry
Black food and drink founders talk to The Grocer about the struggles faced in their entrepreneurial journeys due to their skin colour
Guide for SMEs: how to pivot your business model
To find out how to pivot we spoke to Faversham’s Macknade food hall, which introduced its first delivery service while in lockdown to keep the tills ringing
How brands are setting up DTC operations in a jiffy
Since the lockdown, brands have been establishing DTC sites in double-quick time. How are they getting off the ground so quickly?
Guide for SMEs: Five small brands on coping with the coronavirus pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has made being at the head of a fast-growing food & drink SME more challenging than ever. But these five brands have proven it is possible to cope
As consumers retreat to old favourites, will coronavirus be the death of challenger brands?
Startups desperately need support – from consumers and supermarkets – to survive
Seven food and drink challenger brands ramping up online delivery during lockdown
These small businesses are getting creative as they boost their online offers
Growing challenger brands face stock wipe-outs and cashflow shortages
Startups experiencing strong sale increases due to the coronavirus outbreak have warned stock levels risk dropping because they were ‘unprepared’ for such sudden growth
How food & drink challenger brands are giving to charity during coronavirus
Whether it’s feeding the NHS, giving to food banks or supporting their stockists, here’s how brands are being charitable during the pandemic
Coronavirus: Challenger brands warn of further sales slump amid social distancing rules
Challenger brands are bracing for a further retail sales slump as social distancing rules implemented in supermarkets have focused shoppers on well-known brands
Nimble SMEs are showing their worth, but not all of them will survive
It’s one thing for a supplier to pivot from, say, in-store to online. An evolution from on-trade to off-trade is something else entirely
Support, don’t sacrifice, UK food & drink startups in these unprecedented times
Entrepreneurial, nimble brands can move quickly and have stock to keep shelves full in any supermarket within days
SMEs welcome government loan scheme revamp but warn of unanswered issues
Food & drink SMEs have welcomed the revamp to the government emergency loan scheme, but warned there remain issues to be ironed out
Can food & drink startups survive the coronavirus crisis?
SMEs are slipping through the cracks in aid packages as avenues close. What can they do?
Jim Cregan Big Interview: how Jimmy’s is keeping chins up
After 10 years, Jim Cregan’s iced coffee brand has revamped, but plans for a cola and its on-trade debut are on hold. For now
Southern Co-op to take part in Dragons’ Den-style event for local producers
The event gives local food and drink producers a chance to pitch to Southern Co-op and gain listings in stores
Time for entrepreneurs to address founder mental wellbeing
It’s time that we, the entrepreneurs, re-frame what our businesses truly need from us, says Chris Green of Young Foodies
Easy money and exploitation: should grocery brands explore multi-level marketing?
As more food and drink companies start to use the model, others warn it’s exploitative. What’s the truth?
Life as a challenger brand is anything but easy. Just ask Savsé
Challenger brands are all the rage right now - but they need more help
Are the supermarkets doing enough to support startups?
Startups are providing 59% of growth, yet 81% feel they lack the support their growth deserves. Do they have a point?