On the last ever "Oh For Food’s Sake" episode, we open up about the process (and sometimes pain) of letting go—whether it’s stepping down from your own business, leaving a beloved job, or, in this case, moving on from a podcast that’s meant so much.

We discuss how the show itself began out of Lucy’s journey with letting go of "Pudology," and how leaving isn’t as sudden as it looks from the outside. Both share the behind-the-scenes doubt, fear, and tough conversations that come before big leaps.

Amy explains how leaving her corporate career was terrifying, but ultimately created space for greater creativity and meaning and Lucy gets honest about how hard it is to say goodbye to something that’s become part of her identity but knows it’s time to allow new projects (hello, YouTube!) to take root.

We break down the stigma around the word "quitting," reframing it as evolving or moving forward—and offer straight-talking advice for anyone feeling stuck or afraid to step into the unknown.

There’s practical wisdom here too: from reevaluating your routines and systems, to recognizing whether your fear is rational, to getting honest about what you’d do if you weren’t afraid of failure.

Lucy and Amy are as supportive as ever, reminding all listeners that it’s okay to change, growth is messy, and sometimes the bravest thing you can do is create the space for something new.

While "Oh For Food’s Sake" is ending, the journey isn’t: Amy will be back with a rebranded podcast, and Lucy is jumping into new content, so make sure you keep following their adventures!

Timestamps

00:00:00 – Lucy and Amy welcome listeners and reflect on four years of podcasting together and the decision to end the podcast.

00:02:14 – Discussing the challenge of letting go—why we stay stuck, fear of the unknown, and personal examples.

00:03:30 – Behind-the-scenes of previous big life changes: stepping away from Pudology, corporate careers, and relationships.

00:05:03 – Examining the negative connotations of "quitting" and why failure isn’t fatal.

00:06:21 – The emotional experience of change—grieving, fear, and reframing for growth.

00:07:44 – Celebrating continued friendship, personal growth, and being honest in pivoting.

00:09:48 – Letting go of limiting thoughts and internal narratives, not just jobs and external situations.

00:11:09 – Creating space—how making small changes enables bigger pivots.

00:12:29 – Using self-awareness tools (like human design) to recognize if something is no longer serving you.

00:14:33 – Looking back on tough decisions and only remembering the good, after growth.

00:17:29 – Lucy and Amy reflect on what they gained by letting go, and the different types of change in life and business.

00:19:37 – Identifying when you’re operating out of fear vs. intention. Practical ways to check in with yourself.

00:20:52 – The regrets we don’t want to have and how to make bold decisions intentionally.

00:22:21 – What’s next? Updates on Lucy’s YouTube channel and Amy’s rebranded podcast.

00:24:51 – Thanking listeners, sharing the journey and what’s coming in their next chapters and an invitation to join the mailing list and connect for future news and resources.

00:26:19 – Final sign-off.

Links and Resources:

Website Link: https://ohforfoodssake.co.uk/

FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/ohforfoodsake

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oh-for-food-s-sake/

You can follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_forfoodssake/

For industry consulting from Lucy, connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation from Amy.

Oh For Food's Sake is sponsored by Microsearch Laboratories https://micro-search.co.uk/ and Point 74 https://www.point74.co.uk/

Welcome to another episode packed with insights, laughter, and brutally honest takes on what it’s really like working behind the scenes of food innovation. Lucy starts us off by sharing why Stage Gate is close to her heart—yep, she’s our resident “systems geek”—and Amy jumps in to champion the power of people and soft skills.

Together, we break down how Stage Gate is supposed to be a framework that supports swift, safe, and high-quality product launches, not just another dreaded hoop to jump through.

We explore why most folks in the food biz end up learning systems by osmosis rather than by proper training, and how the lack of clear, regularly reviewed processes leads to unnecessary pressure, repetition, and confusion—especially when every team seems to be stashing their own spreadsheet empire.

We spill the beans on how they’ve helped businesses map out what’s actually going on, often leaving people gobsmacked at the sheer complexity of bringing a product to shelf.

The conversation doesn’t shy away from the frustrations: outdated tech (“We’re still using Excel from 1995, what’s that about?”), squeezed timelines, and the struggle to get leadership onboard with investing in proper product development systems. We put a spotlight on the importance of soft skills and why junior and seasoned team members alike need better training and support—not just chucked in to ‘figure it out’.

Listener questions spark discussion about AI’s (potentially huge) role in freeing up time for the creative, human parts of innovation, and how vital it is to educate business leaders about making Stage Gate a business-wide priority, not just an NPD headache.

In trademark Oh For Food’s Sake style, the episode concludes with a call to constantly review systems, embrace new tech with open arms, and invest in people—because systems are only as good as the folks using them.

Timestamps

00:00 – Why Stage Gate is vital in the food industry
00:54 – What Stage Gate is (and isn’t)
02:18 – Lucy’s journey with Stage Gate + early food industry experiences
04:25 – Why people and systems must work together
05:23 – What Stage Gate actually does & where it goes wrong
07:27 – Product development as the “gatekeeper” role
08:24 – It’s not just NPD’s job: Why Stage-Gate is a business process
10:07 – The chaos of poor systems: too many spreadsheets
11:23 – The industry’s slow adoption of technology
12:45 – Workshop revelations: Realising the true complexity of launches
14:25 – The knock-on effects of a broken process
15:50 – What needs to change: Reviewing and modernising Stage-Gate
17:23 – Making frameworks flexible and people-focused
18:59 – Investing in soft skills and ongoing support
19:28 – Embracing tech and AI as tools, not threats
20:39 – Top takeaway: Systems + people = successful innovation
21:30 – Audience questions: Leadership buy-in, off-the-shelf systems, AI worries
24:54 – Training the next generation and the need for mentorship
26:55 – Wrap up and calls to action

Links and Resources:

Website Link: https://ohforfoodssake.co.uk/

FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/ohforfoodsake

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oh-for-food-s-sake/

You can follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_forfoodssake/

For industry consulting from Lucy, connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation from Amy.

Oh For Food's Sake is sponsored by Microsearch Laboratories https://micro-search.co.uk/ and Point 74 https://www.point74.co.uk/

See you next time!

This week, we peel back the layers on what running a genuinely heartful business looks like in food and retail.

We welcome Andrew Thornton, legendary for shaking up the industry and for always bringing his signature purposeful approach to everything from the shop floor to the boardroom. Andrew tells the story of his journey from his first job in a Dublin newsagent—serving the iconic Fergal Quinn—to launching a consulting company and eventually taking on supermarket ownership in the heart of North London.

We talk about Andrew’s midlife crisis (where instead of buying a Porsche, he bought two supermarkets!), the challenges and triumphs of making Thornton's Budgens a haven for people, planet, and innovation, and the world-first plastic free zones that changed the industry’s approach to plastics. Andrew unpacks how shifting focus away from short-term profits actually made good business sense, and why psychological safety and authenticity matter—as much in retail as in life.

You’ll also hear why describing what people are doing well can make all the difference, what gratitude really looks like at work, and how slowing down at the start of a meeting can transform how people show up. Andrew even shares the story of the “giant tomato display”—a beautiful example of what happens when people are empowered to bring their full creative selves to work.

We wrap up with a bold look at the big challenges facing the industry (hello, UPFs and microplastics), and why real innovation—driven by diverse voices and new tech—is our way forward. Oh, and we don’t shy away from the fun either, because if work isn’t enjoyable, what’s the point?

Timestamps

00:00 From Dublin News Agent to Foodie

05:22 Musgrave's Long-Term, Stakeholder-Focused Strategy

09:21 Testing Reusable Packaging Initiative

10:46 Team's Dedication Over Personal Glory

15:59 Inflow Matrix Exercise for Success

18:37 Purpose Over Profit

23:36 Reducing Costs with Natural Sweetener

25:52 Tech and AI Revolutionizing Food Industry

29:14 Unconventional Meeting Approaches

33:10 Encouraging Innovation Through Open Dialogue

35:30 Gratitude vs Negativity Hardwiring

37:59 Start Meetings with Positives

41:40 "Essential Human Needs Reminder

43:58 "Share and Review Episode"

Links and Resources:

Website Link: https://ohforfoodssake.co.uk/

FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/ohforfoodsake

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oh-for-food-s-sake/

You can follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_forfoodssake/

For industry consulting from Lucy, connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation from Amy.

Oh For Food's Sake is sponsored by Microsearch Laboratories https://micro-search.co.uk/ and Point 74 https://www.point74.co.uk/

See you next time!