In this episode of the Food Manufacture podcast, host Bethan Grylls is joined by the co-founder of Bio&Me.
Jon Walsh covers his unconventional route into FMCG, from studying politics at Durham to his somewhat accidental appointment at Procter & Gamble.
With a decades-long career working on major brands, Walsh has honed a keen eye for great ideas, despite describing himself as a non-creative.
“I think the chances of me ever having the idea were pretty close to zero,” he said on the inspiration behind Bio&Me. “What P&G taught me, through their methodology and their analysis, is how to spot a good idea.”
That instinct led him to team up with Megan Rossi (aka The Gut Health Doctor), his business counterpart, with the duo founding the brand in 2019.
“Her whole passion when we met was all about gut health [and] gut health education. And she really wanted to get into the food market because that’s the way to make a difference,” Walsh explained.
Walsh is candid about the realities of building a challenger brand and how early missteps in his career has helped shape his belief in the importance of transparency and delivering on a promise.
“You have to be the best at something, and then my God, you need to deliver on that promise. Because if you set an expectation to consumers and then you don’t meet it...that’s the way to commercial failure.”
He added: “Very big companies with very big distribution muscle, they can get away with more mediocre promises. But when you’re a challenger brand, you need to make a real distinct promise.”
The episode also explored wider industry challenges, including HFSS and the new NPM proposals.
With a focus on “Delicious Diversity”, Chester-based Bio&Me initially launched with a range of granolas containing diverse plant-based foods to help microbes thrive.
Today, the line-up spans four categories and includes overnight oats, mueslis, fibre + protein bars, as well as kefir yoghurts and drinks.