Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford
Imagine a consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry where both small and large players coexist on a level playing field, consumers have choice, there’s integrity in what they’re buying and they experience innovative, sustainable products.
In this weekly podcast, hosted by founder, award-winning coach, consultant & small business advocate, Chelsea Ford, you'll hear interviews with incredible founders and hard-to-reach industry specialists as well as practical and actionable content that directly supports your CPG business to grow, become more profitable and thrive.
Learn more at www.chelseaford.com .
Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford
#143 How Cremorne Street Bakers Built Three Brands to Dominate Multiple Channels
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Building one successful food brand is hard enough. But what if you could leverage your existing production to create multiple brands that serve different markets and price points?
In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with sisters and co-founders Michelle Blyth and Justine Curtis from Cremorne Street Bakers, Balmain Baking Co., and cookï. Over eight years, they've built a wholesale baking business that now operates across three distinct brands - each serving different customers, channels, and price points.
Their retail journey escalated when Coles Local called them out of the blue after a category manager's mum spotted their products in Melbourne cafes. They had no retail presence, no barcodes, and no retail ready packaging - but they said yes and figured it out.
Today, their business spans foodservice (including Starbucks), Coles Local, independent retail, petrol & convenience, and direct-to-consumer.
Listen today and learn:
🍪 Why they created three brands instead of stretching one and how each serves a different market segment.
🍪 The "diffusion brand" strategy: using the same base dough to create premium, mid-tier, and convenience products.
🍪 How to inflation-proof your business by diversifying revenue streams while leveraging existing production.
🍪 How to make an unforgettable trade show stand.
🍪 The seasonal reality of wholesale baking, and how to manage when you make most of your money in a short time of the year.
🍪 Why their first salesperson after 8 years was a game-changer
This episode is for brand owners who've built strong foundations and are ready to think strategically about scaling - not just adding more SKUs, but creating multiple revenue streams that work together.
Season 15 is brought to you by Foodpreneurs Festival - a year's worth of sales and promotion opportunities under one roof.
LINKS & RESOURCES:
- Cremorne Street Bakers Website
- Cremorne Street Bakers on Instagram
- Balmain Baking on Instagram
- Function 8
- Your Free Pitch Plan
- Become A Foodpreneurs Festival Insider
- Chelsea Ford Co. website
Season 17 with NFTC
Season 17, out now, is brought to you by NFTC – The Natural Foods Trading Company.
If you're a growing food brand navigating that tricky middle phase—scaling up, maybe landing your first major retailer, figuring out how to buy smarter—NFTC is worth knowing about.
They're a mid-tier ingredient supplier specialising in natural wholefoods: nuts, dried fruits, herbs, spices, seeds, and more. Small enough to offer lower minimums and genuine flexibility, but backed by serious sourcing capability and a team that actually knows its range inside out.
Think of them as the ingredient partner that grows with you—not one you'll outgrow.
Check them out at nftc.com.au
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