We've known of Pip Organic for years and have always been impressed with how they balance retail and OOH, especially with kids as the target shopper. It's an interesting position to be in, your shopper is very black and white, they either have kids or they don't. Super excited to get into this one with Karen.

What made you decide kids' drinks and snacking was the right space to pivot into, rather than another adult category?

"Realising the challenges parents face navigating good food and drink choices for their children and the gap in the market for these options was definitely a driver behind our move into this category. As a parent, you just want the best for your kids, and encouraging a healthy diet is a major part of that. When we had a family of our own, we were shocked by the lack of offers that were fun and tasty that didn't contain added sugar, sweeteners and a list of additives as long as your arm.

"With this in mind we set about bringing our clean label organic proposition into an accessible range of drinks and snacks that kids love, and parents feel better about saying 'yes' to. At a time where we are increasingly concerned about what goes into our food and how it is produced, we're on a mission to lead the way with options that are better for people and the planet."

You've built Pip Organic to £10M with no outside investment. How did you land on that decision not to raise funding, and how has it actually been living with it?

"We had zero experience in food production when we started out – the cash and guidance that outside investment brings can be a huge head start but, to be honest, we didn't feel comfortable taking investment while we were still learning. We have taken an intentionally slower route, but our growth is healthy and sustainable.

"Staying on part time in my global brand development role provided some financial stability to self-fund without taking on external investment but, like many founders, we've made sacrifices to make the business happen. We juggled jobs, used credit cards, savings and sold a lot of what we accumulated in our previous careers, like flats and cars… it made us really focus on every penny we spent.

"Looking back, I believe our early naivety was a strength because we weren't challenged by prior knowledge and experience – instead our energy and enthusiasm gave us a fresh perspective and allowed us to address challenges in the industry that had been deemed impossible."

Fizz is the first healthy soft drink built for Gen Alpha. What did you learn about that generation's taste and habits that surprised you, and how did it change the product from your original brief?

"We started making this range when our daughter was 11 and asking us for sugar-laced fizzy drinks. The first thing that occurred to us was how young children were when they started drinking fizzy drinks (especially at parties!). We wanted to make a fizzy drink that we were happy to give to our daughter – Pip Organic Fizz is made using only 100% organic fruit, sparkling water and nothing else. Initially we launched this range with a more grown-up branding look and feel, which on reflection was too mature for this age range and it didn't appeal to kids in a way that excited them – we knew branding was important to engage them. With this in mind, we switched the design after lengthy work with focus groups with kids ages 8-15 - it went down a storm and winning The Grocer New Product & Packaging Awards for two consecutive years."

You're in both retail (M&S, Waitrose, Ocado) and out-of-home (Wagamama, Pizza Express, Nandos). How different are those two worlds, and how much does each one actually weigh on the business?

"These worlds are very different to operate in but ultimately the same community. Firstly, we decided to grow our business in OOH to give parents a healthy choice on menus - parents often find it even more challenging to cater for their children with better quality options when they are out and about. The OOH channel has become a real shop window for the brand, and it has paved the way for us to now replicate that success in retail. We are excited to be in Waitrose, Ocado, Booths, Abel & Cole, Whole Foods and more recently M&S Food, with our smoothie range. The work we have done in OOH means parents recognise the brand instore and trust the brand when making a purchase for home."

You're on the FEBE Growth 100 Watch List and expanding into more out-of-home environments. What does the next chapter of Pip Organic look like, and is there a category or channel you haven't cracked yet that you want to?

"We're proud and delighted to be included in the FEBE Growth 100 Watch List in the company of some incredible businesses. Our small but mighty team have been a key part of unlocking this steady growth over the past 10 years. Now that we have become more of a trusted household brand in the UK, we hope that the next few years will bring more retail listings as well as expansion into some key EU markets, building on our success in OOH – watch this space!"

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