Foodservice | Food & Beverage Consultant | Food Sales Strategies UK

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ACCELERATE YOUR
FOOD & DRINK
BUSINESS.

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WHY VISIONARY?

We're your dedicated Food and Drink specialists, committed to propelling brands forward with tailored commercial support. Whether you're a budding founder embarking on your entrepreneurial journey or a seasoned multinational aiming to expedite channel entry or brand growth, our expert team is here to seamlessly integrate with your business.

With over a decade of hands-on involvement in the food and drink sector, ranging from Commercial Manager to Managing Director roles, we've witnessed the spectrum of business approaches, enabling us to offer refined solutions.

Founders of food startups in the UK face significant challenges, with statistics indicating that over 60% of founders struggle to scale beyond their initial phase due to various market complexities and competitive landscapes.

Our forte lies in Foodservice, grocery, and guiding brands entering the UK market. Whether you require mentorship, strategic planning, channel entry strategies, business development, or meticulous account management.

Leveraging our strong affiliations within retail and Foodservice sectors, coupled with past collaborations with industry giants such as M&S, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, and others, we provide unparalleled support to elevate your business to new heights.

With over a decade of hands-on involvement in the food and drink sector, ranging from Commercial Manager to Managing Director roles, we've witnessed the spectrum of business approaches, enabling us to offer refined solutions.

Founders of food startups in the UK face significant challenges, with statistics indicating that over 60% of founders struggle to scale beyond their initial phase due to various market complexities and competitive landscapes.

Our forte lies in Foodservice, grocery, and guiding brands entering the UK market. Whether you require mentorship, strategic planning, channel entry strategies, business development, or meticulous account management.

Leveraging our strong affiliations within retail and Foodservice sectors, coupled with past collaborations with industry giants such as M&S, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, and others, we provide unparalleled support to elevate your business to new heights.

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WHAT
WE OFFER

For bespoke services get in touch and we can organise

Retail Exploration

With this comprehensive solution, businesses gain invaluable insights into the intricate landscape of retail, enabling them to navigate the complexities with ease. With our expert guidance and data-driven approach, food brands can confidently navigate the complexities of the UK retail market and establish a strong foothold for long-term growth and profitability.

Foodservice Exploration

Delve deep into the intricacies of the market, our package offers strategic guidance on navigating distribution channels, optimizing menu placements, and forging partnerships with key players in the foodservice sector. Armed with actionable data and expert advice, brands can confidently chart their course towards success, carving out a lucrative niche in this dynamic market.

Account Management

Our expert team will work tirelessly to forge strong relationships with retail chains and foodservice establishments across the country, ensuring prime placement and maximum visibility for your products. With our proven track record and industry expertise, you can trust us to drive sales, boost brand recognition, and unlock new opportunities for growth in both retail and foodservice sectors.

Director Services

From crafting visionary business strategies to navigating regulatory frameworks and fostering key industry relationships, our experienced team ensures your brand's long-term growth and profitability. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within the UK food and drink sector, we provide unparalleled insights and innovative solutions to drive your brand forward.

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MEET THE TEAM

Hey there! Welcome to our Team! Here, you'll find the awesome folks who make our company tick.

Click on our profiles to connect with us on LinkedIn and stay in the loop with our latest adventures, thoughts, and industry connections. Let's chat and collaborate - we can't wait to connect with you!

Swipe to see the rest of the team and click on our faces to connect with us on LinkedIn...

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Gareth Hobbs

MD/ Head of Retail

For 16 years, Gareth has thrived in various commercial roles in the Food & Drink industry, nurturing robust relationships with top retailers like M&S, Waitrose, Ocado, Aldi, and Lidl.

He's spearheaded multimillion-pound portfolios across ambient, chilled, and frozen categories, both for brands and private labels. Recently, he's focused on guiding challenger brands, from startups to SMEs, in crafting business strategies and executing commercial plans.

With a keen eye for weaving sales strategies into actionable plans, he has facilitated remarkable growth for brands. This support offers founders invaluable industry insights and connections, ensuring their success in the competitive market.

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Matthew Robinson

Head of Foodservice

With over 18 years of experience in FMCG, Matthew's career journey began in retail with Tesco before advancing into field sales, representing Premier Foods' brand range across retail multiples.

Transitioning into Foodservice account management, he collaborated with manufacturers in Europe and the UK on branded and own-label projects.

Now, as part of Visionary Food Solutions, Matthew leverages his industry expertise to support start-ups, SMEs, and larger brands in need of Foodservice guidance. Leading the Foodservice division, he implements market entry and growth plans, ensuring sustained growth for companies of all sizes in this channel.

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Matt Norton

Business Development

With now over 7+ years in the FMCG industry, Matt's commitment lies in providing invaluable aid to ensure the team is equipped with all the necessary resources and tools to carry out their daily tasks seamlessly.

Within this role, Matt assumes several primary responsibilities that form the core of his contributions. These encompass lead generation, a vital aspect of identifying and nurturing potential prospects for clients, as well as data analysis and market outreach, strategically engaging with the target audience to amplify brand awareness.

He also possesses extensive expertise in ICT and Design, which he has effectively applied to various projects and brands within the Food and Drink Sector.

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TESTIMONIALS

Welcome to our Testimonial Hub! Dive into the voices of our satisfied customers as they share their experiences with us. These testimonials offer a glimpse into the satisfaction and success our services have brought to their lives. Take a moment to peruse through these commendations and discover why we're the trusted choice for so many.

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“We thoroughly enjoyed our time working with the VFS team. Their knowledge around the food service channel was very thorough and helped us to 'dip our toe' into the food service world, with him helping to secure us listings with Brakes, Delicious Ideas and Forest Green Rovers. Along with initiating conversation with many other customers.

I would highly recommend VFS as a partner both on a professional and personal level and I know the rest of the Candy Kittens team only have good things to say about them."

Jack Anderson, Candy Kittens

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“As a challenger brand with a relatively small team, the Visionary Food Solutions team has been an extension to our business. Not only have they helped us grow our sales and distribution channels, but their expertise in the Food & Drink industry has been invaluable. Whether it is about a sales related enquiry, support during retail reviews, achieving retail listings, NPD or just use as a sounding board, the entire VFS team has always been available to us and provided the guidance that we need.VFS are on top of the game and we couldn’t recommend them highly enough.”

Jagir Mankodi, Superfoodio

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We’ve been working with the Visionary team for more than 12 months now and it’s easily been one of the best decisions we’ve made as a start-up brand. Visionary's vast experience and knowledge within the industry is incredible and has been instrumental in the strategy, growth and structuring of our business. With their support, we’ve been able to navigate and overcome difficult barriers within the business, identify new opportunities and subsequently, have been able to achieve substantial growth. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Visionary to any food or drink start-up.

Luke Buckmaster, Dough Boys

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“Visionary were a real pleasure to work with. The whole team have a really can-do attitude, and a wealth of experience and contacts to draw upon in both the retail and food service sectors. We felt very lucky to have them in our corner!”