Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford
Imagine a food, drink & pet food packaged goods 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 & CPG 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 food, drink & pet food CPG business to grow, become more profitable and thrive.
Learn more at www.chelseaford.com .
Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford
#124 How Welly Grew from an Idea to a Must-Have Snack, One Insight at a Time
When Jarahad Valeri saw parents struggling to get kids to eat more fruits and veggies, he saw an opportunity. That spark led to Welly — a snack company that turns fruits and veg into kid-friendly, gut-healthy bites that parents can trust. Launching Welly Kids in 2022 and expanding to adults in early 2023, Jarahad set out to bring these health benefits to a wider audience. His formula for success? A powerful mix of internal data, direct consumer conversations, and retailer insights that shaped Welly’s path forward to where they are now - stocked in Coles and Woolies across the country as well as in 250 independent retailers.
In this episode, Jarahad reveals the core strategies that have helped Welly grow, including:
🍎 Real consumer insights – Why talking directly to parents was his key to understanding what they actually needed from healthy snacks.
🥕 Pitching with precision – His winning formula at Foodpreneurs Festival, where he used every second to create a tailored, impactful pitch for buyers.
🍎 Growing with intention – Why Welly focuses on specific retail partnerships over widespread distribution, ensuring each location supports steady sales.
🥕 Partnering for Success - How Welly joined forces with this season’s presenting partner, Thrive Consulting, to achieve national distribution of their powders and bites in Coles, Woolworths, and Woolworths Metro.
Whether you’re building a brand or planning your next pitch, listen now as Jarahad’s journey offers practical advice for making an impact in retail! This season of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast is presented by Thrive Collective, the growth engine behind brands like Bae Juice, GYM BOD, The Kimchi Company and Welly!
LINKS & RESOURCES:
- Welly Website
- Welly Instagram
- Welly Kids Instagram
- What Jarahad says about working with Thrive Collective
- Thrive Collective Website
- Food Entrepreneurship Academy Website
- Your Free Pitch Plan
- Become A Foodpreneurs Festival Insider
- Chelsea Ford Co. Industry Newsletter
Season 14
Season 14, out now, is 'Scale Season' and is being presented by Chelsea Ford Co.’s 10th anniversary.
For a decade, Chelsea Ford has backed Foodpreneurs and pushed to shake up an industry that too often plays it safe and leaves smaller players behind. She champions bold products, smarter tech, and better ways of working - because the future of CPG should be shaped by ideas, not just deep pockets.
Chelsea believes every emerging brand deserves a fair shot - not crumbs from the big end of town. Founders, no matter their gender, ethnicity, cultural background, spiritual path, sexual orientation, or beliefs, deserve their place on the shelves.
Chelsea stands for healthy competition - real competition - where brave ideas and fresh brands rise up because they’re good, not because they’re bankrolled.
This podcast is part of that mission. Every episode sparks bigger thinking, practical action, and the connections you need to get your products into more hands - and more money in your pocket.
Ten years in, she’s more committed than ever. The next decade is wide open for those ready to do things differently and back themselves to grow.
Click this link to see how you can be part of it.
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