🔥 From a shed in Birmingham to a £611M exit — Al Barratt’s story is a masterclass in brand-building, balance, and staying sane in the chaos.
The Grenade founder reveals how he built a world-class product, a world-class team, and a brand people actually love — while ignoring industry noise, financial vanity metrics, and the temptation to chase every shiny trend.
This is an episode about focus, systems, and having fun while you build something remarkable — even when revenue is flat, growth stalls, or the journey feels uphill.
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🍫 How Grenade reinvented the protein bar category — “We didn’t invent them, we invented good ones” 🚀 From shed to £611M exit at 27x EBITDA 🧠 Don’t solve problems that don’t exist — why simplicity wins 🏋️♂️ “Be good and new” — how to win in stale categories 💼 The hidden path to profitability (and why you should never use your own money) 🔥 “Better revenue ≠ better business” — how flat sales can still mean a better company 👊 Building a world-class team and killing cultural cancers fast 📊 Understanding systems: category, context, and shelf strategy 💸 The 6 rules Al uses when investing in other founders 🥇 Compete where you’re strong and they’re weak — love competition 😌 Finding contentment on the journey — and why happiness fuels success, not the other way around
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HUNGRY is the podcast for Challenger Food and Drink brands wanting to pour gasoline on their growth. Fancy being kind? Want to feel warm inside? Please hit the Subscribe button. You’d really, really make my week.
