Food, hair-nets and a 95kg squat
Plus political musings & an announcement
This week, I went behind the scenes at the Huel - the famed protein drinks/food startup. It was one of my favourite - and hardest - episodes yet to pull off: involving an onsite, multi-interview tour, and an extensive post-production edit. You can find the abridged, spark-notes summary below.
I am also excited to announce that I’ll be doing my first ever Ask Me Anything (AMA) on 8th July! If you’re curious about the future of UK business after the election - and the future of the Tories - please get involved. More details on that below.
And as we count down to the vote, spare a thought for the campaign data chiefs, who have perhaps the most important job now. They are crucial in deciding where parties allocate final resources based on the polls.
I’m off to enjoy the final few sets at Glastonbury now… (as if my life as a dad of 3 is usually this glamorous! And yes, I dance about as well as Prince William dancing to Taylor Swift)
But first, what caught my eye this week
POLITICS
While Keir Starmer is almost certainly going to be Prime Minister, the strength of the polls means he now faces a potential expectation curse. Anything less than a triple figure majority will be viewed as below par.
What did Sunak have to eat before the final BBC debate? (He’s previously shown a penchant for on a Twix and a Sprite) He was more fired up than he had been all campaign - whatever it was, get it on a plane to Germany for Southgate and the team.
During the BBC debate broadcasting, there was a young lady in the audience that talked about young people emigrating to Dubai and Australia. That was fascinating - we are so focused on inward migration, I wondered how we might look back on people moving the other way, in the future.
Lots of praise for the older gent who said ‘Are you two really the best we could do’. But when I compare us to America I actually think the standard of candidates for the top job is actually pretty good. The News Agents thought it was a lazy comment too.
Raoul Ruperaul, one of Theresa May’s senior Brexit aides known for being the busiest man during my days in No.10, has released a new report on long term sickness and economic activity. Economic activity is one of the biggest issues that faces the next Government
SIMPLER PLEASURES
Former FT Editor Lionel Barber has announced his new book. It is a biography of Masayoshi Son, the SoftBank founder who has made many remarkable bets. I cannot wait to read and chat to him about it in September. It has made me think whether we could see any UK business biographies? Demis Hassabis? Jim Ratcliffe - who would you suggest?
Very interesting piece by Jonathan Liew, Sports Writer at the Guardian, on England’s failures on the football pitch and how it reflects our national identity. Even David Baddiel has written how much he enjoyed it. Hopefully we’ll all be proved wrong later this evening!
Inside Huel HQ - the Takeaways
As promised, I’m bringing you the spark notes on this episode. But trust me, you should watch this one. Especially if you want to see a ginger in a hair net (not my finest look), or to watch me attempt to squat 95kg at the Huel gym…
I’ve been talking about Huel for years (I’m not sponsored, I’m just a fan boy), so it was great fun to see the magic behind it. Here are some pointers:
1. UK startups, take extra care if you’re launching in Japan.
Huel employees talked about how their launch into Japan didn’t work - despite launching successfully in other places like the US and Europe. They’re going to try again now. But this is a reminder of where companies could and should link to Department for Business and Trade - this is where Govt can be quite useful.
2. Location, location, location
It’s inspiring to see how a global business can now be run from a remote part of Hertfordshire. Think about if this took off - cheaper office space that means you can have perks like personal trainers and gyms on site much more easily.
And while we’re talking about the gym, I was seriously impressed how this has built internal 'community' and how there were a number of fitness teams who even go and compete at competitions. In the modern world, where employers are looking for new team building events that incorporate less alcohol, this could be one to watch.
3. There’s a battle going on around meal replacement
In my conversation with Huel’s Chief Sustainable Nutrition Officer, James Collier, he told me he pushed back against critics who said meal replacement foods were inherently unhealthy. Having worked for a long time at the NHS, James is passionate about health and convenience and strength-building. Tackling misconceptions about the synergy between these areas is a big part of his job.
4. Designing new flavours of protein is harder than it looks!
One of the coolest things was seeing inside the laboratory where Huel powders, drinks and meals (essentially healthy pot noodles) are made. The process also involves blind taste-testing, and combines various stakeholders including nutritionist teams, technical and legal, and marketing.
5. Winning the Influencer game
Huel is one of the UK startups that has perhaps best cracked its influencer partnerships. They gave us a peek behind their partnerships model, how they pick them, how much they pay them (!), and how they get their messaging across.
One notable example this year is their collab with the “Hardest Geezer” (aka long distance runner Russ Cook), who was fueled in every sense by Huel.
THE AMA - Send me your questions!
As many of you know, I’m a politico at heart. So I want to hear your questions on the electoral aftermath we’re about to encounter.
So, on 8th July, I’ll be publishing my first “Ask Me Anything…”*
*Well, anything in politics / business / economy / jobs
(Don’t come asking for dating advice!)
Please send your questions to this email anytime before the 6th. I will pick the best of the bunch.
It was great to have you visit us, Jimmy!