Growing a food and drink business takes far more than winning new customers. Whether you’re looking to scale a food business, secure supermarket listings or build a more profitable food and drink brand, sustainable growth requires more than a great product. From building the right systems and managing cash flow to developing strong teams and long-term capability, every stage of growth requires careful planning.

In this edition of Expert Insights, Simon Bell, food industry consultant and FDReviews expert, shares the lessons he's learned over more than 35 years in the industry. Drawing on his experience helping businesses scale successfully, he offers practical advice on avoiding common pitfalls, preparing for growth and building a resilient, profitable business.

Looking back over your 35+ years in the food industry, what are the biggest mistakes you repeatedly see food and drink businesses make when trying to scale? 

The most common mistake I see is focusing on winning new customers whilst underestimating the challenge of ensuring the business can support that growth. Additional business can stretch logistics, production and customer service teams, as well as putting businesses under financial pressure to fund the growth. 

What questions do founders and SME owners ask you most often when they're looking to grow their business? 

How do we win new customers? Pretty well every company I talk to wants this, but I also see lots of businesses worried about attracting good calibre people to help them grow. Questions are usually about the broader challenge of moving from being a smaller founder-led business to becoming a more professional, sustainable business. 

At what stage should a food or drink business stop thinking like a startup and start building the systems needed for sustainable growth? 

People usually only think about this when it's too late and they're already coming under pressure. It's much better to plan ahead and anticipate future requirements rather than trying to backfill later when staff are already at breaking point. 

What separates businesses that successfully scale from those that plateau after their initial success? 

I've been lucky to spend time with lots of different businesses, but there are a few common factors: 

Focus – Companies know how to differentiate themselves and exactly who their target customers are.  

Organisation – They monitor key performance indicators and understand the numbers behind the business.  

People – Building a great team beyond the founder is key. Some founders are, sadly, just not committed enough to succeed.  

Many businesses focus heavily on increasing sales. In your experience, what other areas should founders be prioritising if they want to build a resilient, profitable business? 

Cash flow is vital. Lots of seemingly profitable businesses run out of money. It's also not just about sales growth, but improving the quality of sales and the margin mix. Recruiting and retaining the best people is equally crucial. 

What do you think food and drink businesses consistently underestimate about growing into larger retailers, new markets or new channels? 

It's complex and time consuming. I've seen people get really excited about winning a big listing only to realise they're simply not ready for it. It's not just about winning the business—that's only the start. You've got to be able to serve the customer profitably and consistently over the long term. The service you offer, along with your insight and category expertise, matters just as much as your product. 

Can you share an example of a business challenge you've helped solve that offers a valuable lesson for other food and drink entrepreneurs? 

I worked with one company for a few days, advising them on how to move into a new customer channel. They had a product range suitable for entry into the channel but lacked the processes and discipline required to make it happen. They could never make the time. 

Winning new business is hard, but encouraging them to focus and be persistent led to them winning over £1 million of new channel business over a two-year period. Most people give up too quickly and aren't prepared to make the realistic investment in time and resources. This company did, and they reaped the rewards. 

If every founder could read just one piece of advice before trying to scale their food or drink business, what would you want it to say? 

Always, always decide what the end game looks like before you even start. Build a sustainable, profitable business that doesn't depend on you. Don't confuse being busy with being successful—you can't turn back the clock, so know where you're going, stick to the plan, and be honest about the progress you're making. 

Key takeaways for food and drink founders

Whether you're launching a new food and drink brand, preparing to supply major retailers or looking to scale an established business, Simon's advice highlights that successful growth is about far more than increasing sales. Building the right systems, managing cash flow, hiring great people and staying focused on your target customer are all essential to creating a resilient business.

If you're a food or drink founder wondering how to scale your business, how to prepare for supermarket listings, how to improve profitability, or how to build a business that can grow beyond its founder, these are the fundamentals that matter most. Taking the time to strengthen your operations before pursuing rapid growth can help you build a business that's profitable, sustainable and ready for long-term success.

Looking for more expert advice? Explore IFE Manufacturing's latest insights for practical guidance on product development, retail strategy, branding, finance and commercial growth.