I started Piccolo when I decided I wanted to provide parents with the opportunity to connect with provenance from family farm to family table; I strived to create a brand with strong ethics on the sourcing side as well as on the charitable side. From day one, Piccolo鈥檚 ethos was to give back to charitable causes and, to this day, is one of the few brands to do so across its entire product range.
We officially launched in 2016 when I partnered with Alice Fotheringham, infant nutritional specialist, and Kane O鈥橣laherty, creative director, to develop Piccolo鈥檚 recipes and design. We鈥檝e now expanded to over 50 products and have our own e-commerce site and personalised subscription box.
听
听
听
How did you come up with the idea for the company?
听
I have always been passionate about the ways healthy, nutritious food can empower families and communities. I dedicated a large portion of my working life to promoting the universal right to access nutritious food, and the decision to found Piccolo became another chapter in my lifelong aim for good, sustainable food for all.
In 2013, after my first daughter was born, I noticed a gap in the market. I wanted to feed Juliet a diet that paid homage to my Mediterranean roots, with a healthy combination of organic fruit and vegetables and complex carbohydrates such as pasta and rice, all while encouraging Juliet to get used to a range of different flavours such as mint, sage, basil and cinnamon.
I experimented with home-cooked meals but noticed that when I needed something quick, there was nothing readily available in any supermarkets that fit my needs.
听
More from Interviews
- A Chat With James Clark, Partner At Spencer West LLP On What Digital Regulation May Look Like Under An Andy Burnham Government
- Product Market Fit: Early Green Flags And Where To Look
- A Conversation With Brennen Lawrence, Co-Founder And CEO At Proofly On The Next Evolution Of Claims Readiness
- A Chat With Liam Houghton, Founder & CEO of Popsa On What The Next UK Government Needs To Do To Best Support Startups
- A Chat With Richard Kersey, Founder And Chief Architect Of Chirpper On What People Are Missing With The 鈥淒ead Internet Theory鈥�
- A Chat With Paul Beare, Founder Of Paul Beare Ltd On UK Companies Going International
- Get To Know Taiwo Akinropo, Founder And CEO At Heyfood And MENA40 Judge
- A Chat With Obinna Umeh, Co-Founder And CEO of Growwr And MENA40 2026 Judge
What advice would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs?
听
Despite years of experience in the charity sector, the world of business was unchartered territory for me. Although I didn鈥檛 have the same know-how on the ins and outs of the UK grocery scene as some of the more established players in the game, my fresh perspective and experience working with charities brought something new to the table. It鈥檚 this flexibility and creativity that has been vital in Piccolo鈥檚 transformation from one mum鈥檚 idea to the UK鈥檚 biggest premium baby food company.
Getting a mentor is also always at the top of my list when giving advice, whether it be to leaders or to someone starting out in their career. They can guide you through situations that they鈥檙e experienced in and I鈥檝e always felt seeing something first hand is the best way to learn. Not only that but having someone who truly believes in you is so important 鈥� when I was transitioning from charity to business, my mentor, Prue Leith was there for me every step of the way.
听
What can we hope to see from Piccolo in the future?
听
We hope to achieve a strong social impact for families in need during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the poverty crisis that鈥檚 widespread across the UK. All the while of course giving the best in nutrition, quality, advice and information to parents with our Piccolo Family Club and extensive range.
