Relish Food Marketing Club Celebrate Their First Birthday

Just one short year, but one great idea that has helped ...

• over 40 start-up foodie businesses
• launch their brands into 6 major supermarket and department store chains, as well as dozens of smaller independent retailers
• and grown a further online community of more than 600 foodie businesses, benefiting from free downloads and advice
• And all from one simple, timely concept: a unique, online, affordable marketing hub, offering professional advice, resources, contacts and a supportive network for smaller food and drink producers ...

As the Relish Food Marketing team celebrate their first birthday this week, there is much to celebrate!

"In the past year we've been over the moon to see so many of our members and clients achieve their

aspirations for their brands, with our help; and to have been instrumental in the launch of so many unique and innovative products." Claire Hooper, co-founder of Relish, food brand, product development & online

marketing expert.

The club ...

"The hefty price tag involved with hiring a consultant is simply out of reach for most start ups, particularly in

these economically challenging times. We wanted to find a way to make the marketing & business advice

needed to get a new food business off the ground - or indeed to take a fledgling brand to the next level - as accessible as possible for smaller business owners."  Jo Densley,co-founder of Relish and food marketing &

retail expert.

Relish was created as a subscription club to provide resources, marketing and retail advice to smaller food &

drink producers - budget-friendly way. Providing advice and contacts, webinars and subject-specific

downloads, produced by Food and Drink professionals, and individual, bespoke coaching to support growth at

whatever stage of development a product is at; from packaging, branding and publicising to NPD to dealing

with buyers to building those listings.

The business clearly struck an immediate chord, snowballing over the course of just one year and building a

growing and loyal core of nationwide members and more 'hands-on' clients, those who have asked Relish to

act on their behalf, whose own successes are the greatest testament to Relish's expertise.

The clients ...

Like Lisa & Helen Tse from Sweet Mandarin Dipping Sauces, who came to Relish fresh from a triumphant battle in the BBC's Dragon's Den ...

The sisters already had a successful Chinese restaurant business in Manchester when they decided to expand

into bottling their gluten free dipping sauces, in response to customer demand. Their plans took a leap

forward when they secured a place on Dragon's Den - and then won! Once the dust settled and the

supermarkets started calling, Lisa & Helen realized that they needed help, joined the Relish club and

approached the team to coach them through the process; receiving guidance on everything from what

questions to expect buyers to ask you, to those little extras to include in the presentation to really push the

retailers buttons.

"Working with Claire & Jo really helped us to secure the supermarket and department store listings we now

have - their pragmatism and experience gave us the confidence to tackle the buyers and the Relish club has

given us access to lots of resources to develop our brand", says Lisa.

Their fabulous sauces can now been found in Sainsbury's & Selfridges, as well as a wide range of independent outlets.

Or Karen Deans, MD of 'scoop your own' frozen food specialists Field Fare - outsourcing their marketing to Relish has been invaluable ...

"Our business has been around for 30 years, providing loose fruit, veg, & baked goods, as well as ready meals, to the farmshop sector. Working with Relish now to establish Field Fare as a well known brand with consumers, as well as our trade customers," says Karen. "I know I can 100% depend on Relish to put the passion and energy into building our brand that we do ourselves. They are constantly suggesting ideas to better reach our consumers and with a monthly budget of hours, we always know exactly what we are getting for our money and can plan accordingly, not to mention saving on recruiting someone in house", Karen adds.

In the space of just a few months, Relish has built Field Fare a 2000+ consumer mailing list through running

competitions and other online initiatives, established a successful social media presence and is beginning to

win PR coverage for the brand. Next up is a sampling campaign in store to really get shoppers engaged with

the brand.

And this little lot seem equally rapt ...

"I've just used the relish retailer presentation template to great success - thank you!" Charlotte Clarkson, Three  Little Pigs (www.yorkshiresalami.co.uk)  "I love all your tip sheets etc, I find them really useful especially as we are such a small company... finding my new membership really useful!"

Melissa Disney, Luponde Tea (luponde.co.uk) "Loved the '5 ways to increase farm shop & delis sales' - that was SUPER helpful. Finally getting the time to make the most of our membership & loving it! JOIN NOW"

Rachel Hannaford, Silver & Green  (www.silverandgreen.com)

"The information and advice you have on your website is awesome, really helpful, well done..." Camille Meskill,  Trumi (www.shoptrumi.com)

"I will definitely spread the word about Relish...it's so useful to have a resource like yours that doesn't cost the earth!" Nia Wood, start up business

The future ...

And it doesn't stop there. This next year will see Relish launching a further raft of innovative new initiatives

and capitalising on their growing inter-supportive network, including:

foodie networking evenings, where producers can bring their products along for advice, feedback and brainstorming

a panoply of workshops focusing on every aspect of taking a food business from "recipe to retail" and exciting plans for a book featuring all our lovely and talented members ... stay tuned ....!

To find out more about Relish, email hello@relish-marketing.co.uk or go to www.relish-marketing.co.uk,

where you can download a FREE Relish Recipe to Retail Tips Guide.