Hey {{first_name}} ,

This week we sat down with Toby Saxby, Head of Operations at punchy, the B Corp hydration brand making electrolyte drinks in cans and sachets. We get into how its can manufacturer Belvoir Farm became an investor and what challenger brands should build before they scale.

Elsewhere, Tesco's Accelerator is back with NINE new brands, a creator collab lands in retail, a kombucha brand moves into alcohol-free cocktails, and an energy drink's origin story hits cinemas.

Let's get into it 👇

What is punchy, and how has your role grown alongside the brand?

“punchy is a hydration brand. We make full-flavoured electrolyte drinks in both cans and hydration sachets, loaded with electrolytes and vitamins. They're low calorie, caffeine free and vegan, and we're B Corp certified. You'll find us in Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Holland & Barrett, Boots, Wholefoods and Soho house as well as online at Ocado, Amazon and on our website. We've also got distribution across Europe like Albert Heijn and Delhaize so certainly keep an eye out!

I joined in January 2023 as Operations Executive, when a lot of our processes lived in spreadsheets and people's heads. Since then, I've moved through a few roles up to Head of Operations this year, and we've grown as a team from 5 to 14 by the end of this year. My remit has grown with the business - I now look after forecasting, production, supply chain, co-packer relationships, compliance and future planning.

A big part of the job has been building things from scratch: our S&OP process, a long-term forecast model and channel P&Ls. Growing the team has been a big step too. Having more hands on deck has let me step back from day-to-day firefighting and focus on planning ahead and future proofing the brand.”

Why hydration, and with the category booming, where do you see it going next?

“It's an everyday need, not just a sports one - the gym, a long day in the office, travel, a hot commute or the morning after. People wanted the benefits of electrolytes without the salty, artificial taste a lot of the category had, and that gap is where we sit: proper flavour first with function built in.

It's also a category that suits more than one format. Cans work brilliantly for chilled, grab and go moments, while sachets give people a lower cost per serve and something they can keep in a bag or a desk drawer now that we all have water bottles within arm's reach. Having both lets us show up across far more occasions and retailers.

Looking ahead, I think hydration keeps moving from niche to everyday, becoming more visible in supermarket fridges and shelves. That means more formats, more occasions and more demand for credible, better for you options with cleaner ingredients and clear benefits. For us, that looks like wider retail distribution for sachets, growing Amazon and DTC, and continuing to build in Europe.”

Belvoir Farm has gone from being your can manufacturer to being an investor. What does that partnership mean for punchy going forward?

“It means our key manufacturing partner now has a direct stake in our growth, which changes the conversation. Instead of a purely transactional supplier relationship, we're planning together - looking at capacity, production scheduling and next year's volumes as one team with the same goal.

For an operations team, that alignment is huge. 2027 is set to be a much bigger year for us, with larger and more regular production runs and more stock held to protect availability. Having a partner who is invested in that plan, rather than just fitting us in around other customers, gives us real confidence we can scale without the wheels coming off.

It also brings a lot of experience to the table. Belvoir know drinks manufacturing inside out, and being able to lean on that as we develop the range, improve processes and look at packaging options is incredibly valuable.

Longer term, it gives us a stable foundation. As we push into more retailers and more markets, knowing that production is in safe hands, with a partner who wants us to succeed, lets us focus on growing the brand.”

What's one operational decision you're most glad you made early on, and what would you tell other challenger brands getting ready to scale?

“Moving to smaller, more frequent production runs. Early on it's tempting to produce big batches to get a better unit price, but that ties up a huge amount of cash in stock sitting in a warehouse. Switching to shorter, more regular runs freed up a lot of cash we could put back into growing the business, and it made us far more responsive to what was actually selling.

The flip side is that it only works if your forecasting is good, which leads to my advice: build your forecast and S&OP process before you think you need it. Get one version of the truth that connects sales, production and finance, and review it regularly. It's not glamorous, but it's what stops you running out of stock during a promotion or sitting on months of the wrong flavour.

We've also learnt to keep a sensible buffer as we grow - running too lean can cost you availability, and availability is everything with retailers.

Beyond that, treat your suppliers as partners. The relationships you build when you're small are the ones that get you through when things go wrong.”

As punchy has grown the range and moved into more hydration formats across cans and sachets, how has Opply helped you scale sourcing and supply without adding complexity to your operations?

“Cash flow is one of the biggest constraints for any growing drinks brand. You pay for production upfront, then wait for stock to sell through and for customers to pay you. The bigger the run, the bigger that gap gets.

Opply has helped us bridge this gap, meaning we can commit to the production runs we need without the upfront cost holding us back, which matters more and more as our volumes grow.

Just as important, it hasn't added admin. Our orders sit in one dashboard and we pay a single grouped monthly statement, rather than juggling multiple invoices and payment dates. The Opply team are also quick to respond when we need something turned around, which makes a big difference when production timings are tight.

For a lean operations team, that combination of flexible cash flow and simple process is exactly what we need. It lets us focus on planning and growing the range, rather than chasing payments.”

Check out punchy: Website - LinkedIn - Instagram

‘Til next week