Episode Description
Two creatives, a side startup, and a pasta sauce that's turning heads across Australia.
In Episode 155 of the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast - Season 16, Planning Season - I sit down with Lachlan and Grga, the Melbourne co-founders behind Sorry Nonna. One's a graphic designer. The other's an advertising creative director who's worked with Netflix and Gatorade. Together, they're doing things in the pasta sauce category that Nonna absolutely did not approve.
Gochujang Arrabbiata. Limoncello Marinara. A limited-edition Carolina Reaper collab with Doom Juice wine. Oh, and a coffee bolognese that consumer testing quietly killed before it saw the light of day.
But underneath the cheeky branding and flavour obsession, there's a real business story, about what happens when creatives lean hard into their strengths, start planning (loosely), and build a cult following before chasing the majors.
Tune in to hear:
🍝 How Grga and Lachlan built a brand world first, and why they believe everything else follows from that
🍝 What winning a BiteBack Award actually unlocked for them - including the consumer testing that saved them from a very bad idea
🍝 Why they're in 100+ stockists in stores they genuinely love, and what that's done for their growth
🍝 How planning doesn't have to kill your creativity - it just needs to suit you
This episode of Season 16 - Planning Season - is brought to you by Foodpreneurs Festival. The only Festival where packaged brands get seen, stocked and supported.
LINKS & RESOURCES:
- Sorry Nonna website
- Sorry Nonna Instagram
- BiteBack Awards Entry Kit
- Your Free Pitch Plan
- Grab Your Foodpreneurs Festival Ticket
- Chelsea Ford Co. Industry Newsletter
Season 16
Season 16, out now, is 'Planning Season' and is being presented by Foodpreneurs Festival - a must-attend event dedicated to bringing consumer packaged goods food, drink (alc and non-alc), pet and supplements brand owners, buyers, media, industry specialists, distributors and investors together under one roof.
Here’s why you should be there:
- Thousands of stockists looking for new products for their shelves.
- A chance to pitch for funding + mentorship to scale your brand.
- Workshops tailored to where you’re at - whether you’re just starting or scaling big (THIS IS NEW!)
- ‘Brand Story Studio’ - 1:1 help with your messaging strategy - you'll leave with your founder story dialled in (THIS IS NEW!)
- ‘Distributor Lunch & Learn’ opportunity to speak directly with distributors about how they work and what they need you to do to work successfully with them.
- Opportunities to get recognised and get your brand in front of brand owners, buyers, media, industry specialists, distributors and investors.
- If you’re an Industry Specialist, tap into a highly engaged, niche audience.
- And much, much more.
Schedule May 21-22 in your diary and click this link to see how you can be part of it.