Weekly Digest #01
04.07.2025
👋 Welcome to the Forks & Founders Weekly Bite-Sized Digest a.k.a The Fork’s Lens
Every week, we’re serving up a 2-minute read for F&B enthusiasts building at the intersection of food, drink & hustle.
Expect:
🍴 Sharp insights from startup operators & food makers
đź“Š Bite-sized industry trends
🛠️ Tools & tips to grow smarter
🔥 Events & tastings worth showing up for
This is for you if you're building a food brand, launching a product, or just hungry for what’s next!
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Let’s build bold things. Now, let’s dig in. 🍽️
📨 The Forks Lens: Weekly #01
UK Snacks, Sourdough & Spicy Chicken 🍗
🍴 Bite-Sized Insight
“Scaling isn’t growth; it’s controlled chaos with spreadsheets.”
Just ask Gail’s Bakery. 35 new shops, but the sourdough still slaps.
🔦 Founder Spotlight: Sam Dennigan, Investor & Ex-Strong Roots CEO
After a €150M exit, Sam’s backing UK snack brand Love Corn through his new fund Square Root.
His take: “You can’t microwave brand loyalty—slow-roast it.”
🛠️ Fork-Worthy Tool: RangeMe
🔍 What it does: Connects UK & EU food brands to major retailers like Whole Foods, Boots & Holland & Barrett.
💡 Why it’s 🔥: Ditch the cold calls and get your product seen by buyers directly.
đź”— rangeme.com
đź“Š Industry Snaps (UK Edition)
🥖 Gail’s Bakery is opening 35 new locations in 2025, bringing its total to 175 across the UK. Known for its artisan sourdough and high street charm, the chain is scaling fast while maintaining a strong focus on quality and sourcing.
🍗 Dave’s Hot Chicken is launching its 3rd UK store in Manchester this August, with plans to hit 10 by 2026. The US cult-favorite is betting big on UK demand for premium fast-casual spicy chicken, backed by UK partner Azzurri Group.
🧬 Antler Bio, a Cambridge-based ag-tech startup, just raised £3.2M to expand its dairy-focused genomics platform. Their “Epiherd” tech helps farmers increase milk yield by measuring stress and optimising herd health — now used across 100+ EU farms.
🥢 David Page, the brains behind PizzaExpress and GBK, is staging a comeback by acquiring Tasty (Wildwood & Dim T). With £10M raised and a fresh rebrand as Bow Street Group, he’s planning a modern revival of legacy restaurant formats.
🍽️ Co-op is rolling out 15 “On The Go” micro-stores with 5 in London, and designed for grab-and-go food plus delivery-only dark store operation at night. The compact 600–1000 sq ft stores offer hot pizza, fried chicken, fresh meals, and aim to compete directly with Pret and Greggs.
🌍 Ferrero is acquiring WK Kellogg Co (the cereal arm of Kellogg’s) for $3.1B in a major global snacking expansion. This brings iconic brands like Froot Loops, Special K, and Rice Krispies into Ferrero’s portfolio, deepening its North American footprint beyond chocolate.
🔥 What’s Cooking (Events)
🍹 ArcadeX London Riverside Beach Club @ Battersea Power Station
A free pop-up beach club right on the Thames, open Wednesday–Sunday, 11 am–10 pm, running through August 13
Think riverfront faux‑Med feel with bao buns, tacos, pizza, gelato, cocktails, DJs, live music & big‑screen sports screenings
đź’ The Fork & The Flame
“If your food brand can't stand out on a shelf in Shoreditch, it won't last in Sainsbury’s.”
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