The big development this month is that I am writing this sitting at my own desk, looking across at our kitchen. Until last week I was facing a pillar at the desk I was sharing with Nick, and having to remember to get to the shared kitchen well before lunchtime in order to secure a fork.
The move to a new office with desks for everyone and a kitchen has taken a long year. Finding and getting an office space in London is notoriously and increasingly difficult, as well as eye-wateringly expensive. Yet, throughout all the gazumping and office disappointments, we never considered leaving London.
On paper, a food brand without a farm and with third-party consolidators could be based anywhere. There is no obvious reason to be in London. We could be living the broadband dream, running the business with a view of rolling hills and a kettle whistling on the Aga of our eco-friendly farmhouse, making the most of the government support for regional business.
Some small businesses are doing this, and very successfully. But we are staying put. Our lifeblood is innovation and for us that means being our own customers and living the trends. So we were first in the queue at Bao, we’ve been buying fresh turmeric at Indian stores for years and chasing tickets for Bella Younger aka Deliciously Stella’s stand-up show. London is where the trends start, and where the people are.
It’s the people that really matter. We could visit to enjoy steamed buns and stand-up comedy, and we shop online. But FaceTime still has nothing on actually talking to someone, giving them a granola sample to taste while ranting about why roasting nuts fresh for each batch of granola makes a real difference.
Then there’s the sheer variety of things to do and places to be. Yesterday, I delivered prizes to a food blogger, went to Defra to discuss promoting British food, set up a collaboration with a clothing brand and finished with a meal at Native - my new favourite restaurant in Neal’s Yard.
It would be different if we were a farm brand, selling the rural dream and own-grown oats. Or an artisan brand where it’s all about the hand-crafting. Our customers expect us to bring them the most exciting healthy food on the market. That’s why we’re here to stay.
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