Going from attendee to speaker at Ride the Wave

Josie Jeffery, owner of Foodshed, tells about her experience of going from attendee to speaker at Ride the Wave. Ride the Wave provides practical business support, with the last series running from November 2014 to March 2015. 

Tell us a bit about Foodshed 

I have been teaching gardening and running Seedbomb making workshops in the UK and Sussex for 10 years now, this led me to create a product and when it came to getting my product onto shelves I was met with a plethora of obstacles; either being sold short or having to expand in a way I couldn't afford! I was so frustrated by this I thought "what would be good for me, as a small producer, what kind of support do I need and is there anybody out there doing it"? I realized that this is something I should do myself and Foodshed was born! 

We are a social enterprise with food, people and the planet at heart. We aim to help educate our shoppers on all things food and we support the local community and agriculture by direct buying from local farms and dairies. We offer a retail space for Sussex producers to rent a shelf and sell their wares commission free with additional support and business advice/workshops etc.

We sell loose raw ingredients such as local organic vegetables and organic grains and pulses so that our customers can buys as little or as much as they need, this reduces packaging and potential food waste issues as well as supporting people who are living on a budget.

We also offer educational talks, workshops, film screenings and information on how to get involved with local community food related and gardening groups, and we support community buying schemes. We even have a free community library where people can borrow or swap books on food, gardening and sustainability.

What did you struggle with when starting out?

We were extremely lucky with the support and sponsorship that was awarded to us by Brighton & Hove Food Partnership and Food Matters. Their support and mentorship allowed us to find a clear path and direction before we set out to open Foodshed as a project. My attitude was very relaxed, that is how I dealt with the start up stresses, and almost everywhere I looked I found positive reactions to Foodshed as an idea, that positivity helped fuel my passion and keep me going....any negativity, i took on board, processed and didn't let it hang about for too long. You have to surround yourself with positive people when setting out a new project or business.

Why did you attend the ‘Building your food and drink business’ Ride the Wave workshop in March 2014?

I attended as a new food business in the hope I’d meet other foodie folk and to network. I was really nervous about approaching the room with my 'seed' business but struck up the confidence to announce it at the end and I am so glad I did, as several micro producers approached me and some have been renting a shelf at Foodshed since!

What did you get out of the workshop?

Confidence in my idea, new friends and business colleagues and some good advice.

What made you want to speak at the ‘Small producers meet local buyers’ workshop this year (March 2015)?

It was kind of like a mile stone for me and I wanted to be able to offer advice and support to people as it was given to me in 2014.  I hoped to build some new working relationships and seek new and fantastic products to go on the shelves of Foodshed.

How did you find the transition from attendee to a speaker?

I was so nervous! Some people are good at talking to a room full of people but that kind of thing sends a hot spike from my feet to my face - that's why I brought along a suitcase full of our products to put on the table and hide behind! But once I got into the swing of it and came into my own I was ok...I think! But one thing that really made me proud was the feeling of coming full circle, I was in the audience with a seed idea and now I am living it, and that is a great feeling.

What are your top tips for small producers?

Keep positive people around you and find something you feel really passionate about, because when you are tired your passion will keep you going. 

Find a product and expand on that, for example marmalade: rum marmalade, lemon marmalade, lemon and orange marmalade...you see where I'm going here?! Don't go for several different products all in one go because that could potentially be a waste of money, energy, time and food (if its perishable).

Get your legal stuff and your ingredients and labelling sorted first before you do any selling. 

Go softly softly and listen to the feedback from your customers without taking it to heart. 

Get a good logo, memorable name and brand but don't stress about getting that done before you do anything else (your product is the important bit to focus on.) Branding can evolve as you evolve organically. You are a small producer and people will forgive you for not being swishy and snazzy and perfect with your branding straight away, but remember that people do eat with their eyes first, so make sure your product looks its best even if it is wrapped in grease-proof paper with a piece of ribbon.

Don't waste money on paying for advertising, in my experience it could be better spent on getting a stall at an event where you can go out and meet people face to face. Use social media as a free advertising tool and post something every day.

Work with your micro producer community, share resources, order things together to save money.

And finally, try not to get freaked out by what other people, your competitors, are doing, it can get you down. Keep an eye on them but don't let it knock you off your thing, you are unique, original and amazing! 

Would you recommend the Ride the Wave programme to others?

Yes for sure, I see it as a great addition to the growth of businesses and communities, and a fantastic way of networking.

To find out more about Foodshed, visit www.foodshedbrighton.com or get in touch at foodshedbrighton@gmail.com. 

To find out more about Ride the Wave, email ridethewave@businessinbrighton.org.uk. 

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