KW Marketing turns 8: FUEL, founders & the future of food & drink
Eight years ago, I sat at a second-hand desk in the spare bedroom of my parents’ house with a laptop, a vision, and not much else.
No team. No office. No website. No roadmap.
Just a fire in my belly and a belief that there had to be a better way to do digital marketing, one that cared about people and results in equal measure.
Today, I still feel that fire. But the view’s a little different.
KW Marketing is now eight years old. We’ve worked with over 120 clients, grown a powerhouse team, built a name for ourselves in the food & drink world, and launched events, products, and podcasts that I only once dreamed about.
But it still feels like just the beginning.
What have the past 12 months looked like?
We hosted FUEL LIVE 2025: A room full of food & drink founders, packed with no-fluff strategy, real connection, and hard-earned insight. I’ll never forget the energy. It reminded me exactly why we do what we do.
We launched Fuelling Foodies: The Food Marketing Podcast: A platform to share the real stories behind growing a food brand – unfiltered, unpolished, and rooted in experience. Our first guest? The incredible Cathy from Boundless. And we’re just getting started.
We launched the Food Marketing Club: A place for founders to access expert support without the agency price tag. Because building a brand shouldn’t feel like guesswork or require a 6-figure budget.
We were nominated (again!): From regional business awards to national spotlights, we’re being recognised not just for what we do but how we do it: with integrity, impact, and a deep love for the brands we support.
And I’ve spoken on more stages than ever before: From Building Brands to Small Business Britain, I’ve had the chance to share everything we’ve learned about scaling DTC the smart way and remind marketers that email still matters (a lot).
This year, something shifted!
We didn’t just work in food & drink, we became part of it. At events, in Slack channels, across tasting tables, and brand launches – we’re in it with our clients. We feel the pressure, the plateaus, the pivots… and we’re building marketing that actually works through it all.
And if you’re a founder doing all the things, wondering how to scale without sacrificing your soul (or your profits), we see you. You’re EXACTLY who we’re building for.
What I’ve learned in eight years of growing KW Marketing
- Success doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from doing the right things, well.
- Marketing isn’t magic. It’s strategy, structure, and story – delivered consistently.
- Community is everything. From my team to our clients to the people who show up to FUEL – I couldn’t do this without you.
- There’s no such thing as “ready.” Start anyway.
- And finally, it’s okay to be both ambitious and kind. That’s our superpower.
So… what’s next?
- Our September roundtable event is in the works.
- We’re evolving the Food Marketing Club into a DIY marketing powerhouse for start-up brands.
- And brand-new insights are coming your way, designed to give food & drink founders clarity, structure, and next-step strategies that work (without us giving too much away just yet!).
But for today? I’m celebrating the last eight years and everything we’ve built TOGETHER!
If you’ve been part of this journey, thank you. If you’re just finding us now, welcome in.
Here’s to year nine and to fuelling food & drink founders with heart, strategy, and the kind of support that actually moves the needle.