Meet Rachel Kettlewell, founder of Fearne & Rosie

Founded by teacher and mum of 3 Rachel Kettlewell, Fearne & Rosie provides healthier, tastier and happier jams and spreads for families.

The business scaled kitchen table to 3 of the UK's largest retailers in under 2 years securing a Dragons' Den offer from Tej Lalvani before opting to partner with industry icon, Giles Brook.

Rather than a curve it's been vertical learning with rapid growth which is testament to the brand's community, retail partnerships and ultimately to the product itself.

We have a responsibility to provide healthier choices for families.

And Rachel would be the first to say, Fearne & Rosie is just getting started.

There’s always a lightbulb moment before the beginning of a new venture. What was that moment for you?

For me, it was less of lightbulb and more of a series of sparks I think. I was a teacher and I could see the impact that health and healthier lifestyles could have on children. I became a parent and began learning about food in an entirely different way. I knew how much sugar there was in jam and I wanted there to be a healthier alternative.

Tell us about your experience prior to launching your business?

I was a teacher and I still believe that that is what I am. Teachers, and particularly primary school teachers, are I would say Jack of all trades. And I mean that in the best possible way. I can tell you about Georgian England, I know what a dodecahedron is, I can use a semicolon... but I'm not an expert at any of these things.

When you apply that to running a business it means I can do lots of different things, but I definitely need experts to help me.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?

Ask for help.

Honestly, I don't see many people standing at the top saying they did it by themselves. Ask for help. Build out your team and whatever your 'top' looks like the most important thing is to try to enjoy the journey.

How did you conquer those moments of doubt that so often affect entrepreneurs or stop many with great ideas – what pushes you through?

My bottom line is: we need to provide healthier choices for children.

So when people tell me no, or x wont work because of z I stick to that sentence.

That's my full stop.

As a business owner, do you know when to walk away from a sale?

Yes. It has to work for everyone and business relationships should be seen as partnerships. If I know that the numbers don't add up I'll pause. I'll wait and I'll look for ways to make it work in the future.

Any moments where you thought you’ve bitten off more than you can chew?

Erm... I definitely had a moment as I pressed the button on the Dragons' Den lift...

How well versed were you in the planning and strategic growth of your business? Did this come easy to you?

When I started Fearne & Rosie I didn't know what a P & L was. I've been lucky enough to learn (and continue to learn!) from the best in industry and that's why it's so important to build your team. I've always had the drive to grow Fearne & Rosie but the strategy behind growth is something I really knew nothing about.

You don't need to be an expert. You need to work hard and I would say (teacher hat on) you need to love learning.

How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?

Our biggest success has always been our product. At Fearne & Rosie we've created a product that tastes better. You can taste the fruit! And that, paired with the fact we really are the only brand doing what we are doing is what has set us apart.

What plans do you have for Fearne & Rosie over the next two years?

We want to work with schools to teach children about where their food comes from, what it is and the impact that it has on their bodies. We believe that all children deserve access to healthier choices at home and at school. The way we can make this happen is wider distribution. We want to work with more retailers to provide that healthier choice for families. My dream is that all families can afford to buy Fearne & Rosie and with the support of retailers, we can make that happen.

Describe your business in three words.

The pillars we build our business to are healthier, tastier, happier.

We provide a healthier choice, we taste better (berry important) and the choices that we make are happier. Whether that's balancing profit for purpose as part of our Bcorp journey, our charitable partnerships or just the silly jokes we put on our jars.

We're here to educate, spark joy and have a jammy good time along the way.

What are your thoughts on ‘no sleep’ culture as an entrepreneur?

For me it's balancing those periods. I know when times are busy I will see less of my children, less of my friends, I'll have less time to exercise and I will sleep less.

That's ok as long as it's a balance.

I can't do that forever nor would I want anyone too. It is not, and never has been, cool to be exhausted.
It's a balance of acknowledging busier weeks and then ensuring there are periods that I can make time for breaks.