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Let me introduce myself as a 25-year-old marketing assistant who spends far too much time on TikTok. Yet all of this scrolling, combined with being immersed in a recruitment business operating within the food and drink industry, has got me thinking. What is it that makes food brands go viral?Whether it's ‘my eyes eat first’ or just the creative appreciation of food advertising, lunchtime strolls into Marks and Spencer have slowly formed an addiction to picking up trending items and giving them a review myself. It started over Easter with the launch of their themed hot cross buns and speckled egg cookies, with the retailer selling 142,000 packs of cookies over easter weekend. Whilst both of these sweet treats scored high on my ranking, we know it is more than good taste.Is this just good luck? Or smart branding?But what makes the food go viral before people have even tasted it? And how can brands consistently capture that kind of attention on social media? It starts with building the hype. A couple of weeks before the launch drop, we see sneak peeks from M&S bakery, using trending audio with coming soon clips. They leave us with just enough information to get excited and keep our eyes and noses out in the store. Consumers then learn about location drops, limited edition features and seasonal launches. “I don’t know how long they will be in store for!” “Every time I visit my local branch, they are not there!”. Soon enough, you’re faced with the lime green sticker saying, ‘We will be back soon!”… just enough teasing to make you return one more time. The pre-launch exposure on social media is a clever tactic. Consumers are already familiar with the packaging and appearance, we know what we are looking for and where to find it. M&S branches have already shown us on TikTok what section of the supermarket the item will be located in, all we need to do is find it.With over 1 billion active users, TikTok has become the number one influencer platform, successfully turning a desirable product into a must-have item. It has produced so much hype and demand that as soon as we see the item, we are ready to pounce. Having watched video after video about the viral food products, and learning about how it tastes, smells, and (if you are into ASMR, sounds), we’ve actually experienced the product through the eyes or screen of somebody else.Millions of likes and views are spread across food review videos, from What I Eat in a Day (WIEIAD) or wacky food combinations. It’s clever, by partnering with brands to promote certain products, food brands will target the most successful content creators to review their products, and influence others to see why it is a must-have.  Packaging as clickbaitPackaging design is a key component of viral trends, as we touched on earlier. But when you think about it, packaging is evolving to be “social first”. M&S hit the nail on the head with appealing to the influencer generation in terms of design. From hip typography and Gen Z language, to bold and playful packaging, they’ve tuned into their audience (arguably a shift from an older target audience to a younger one) and it is proving once again why every item from its food hall is desirable. It seems to be a recipe of strategic hype-building, FYP competition and a sprinkle of the fear of missing out (FOMO). We’ve learnt that products need to be influencer-ready before shelf-ready. Retailers are no longer just selling products; they are selling experiences that can go viral, or instantly flop. It’s a tough game. Getting the balance right is crucial, which is something that M&S have absolutely nailed. Product and content go hand in hand, and whilst taste is super important, it is the desire and psychological tricks, originating from social media platforms, that are the real revenue generators. Colin the Caterpillar and The Big Daddy may be taking a back seat, but for now, I’ll keep scrolling and running to the M&S food hall, every other day.  

​Having worked in recruitment for a few years now, I’ve witnessed some significant shifts in the employment market, particularly across food, fresh produce, agriculture, and horticulture. Trends in retention, work-life balance and culture are evolving rapidly, and these changes are influencing how people think about their career movements.From countless conversations with candidates and clients, alongside insights from our previous MorePeople Salary Surveys, it’s clear that work-life balance and company culture are becoming top motivators and sometimes even more important than salary when people consider a career move. Earlier this year, I attended an Employment Law briefing that outlined some of the key recruitment challenges employers are facing today. One trend stands out: flexibility has overtaken salary as the top motivator. In fact:66% of candidates say they would choose flexibility or work-life balance over a pay rise.In our 2023 Salary Survey, one of the top-voted benefits across these sectors was: Flexible Working at 35%Flexible working expectations are a daily topic of conversation, even in sectors traditionally rooted in full-time, on-site roles. This is especially true in seasonal environments like food and fresh produce, where the pressure is relentless. To retain talent, businesses are having to adapt and provide more than just a competitive salary. A culture that supports and understands work-life balance can foster far more than just happier employees."Hybrid working and other perks are as important as salary increases to buffer against inflation. Trust from employees to work remotely is very important” (MorePeople Salary Survey 2023)One of the most meaningful conversations I’ve had recently was with a candidate who I asked:"If you could change one thing about your current job, what would it be and why?" On paper, they had no obvious reason to leave their job. There was no major conflict, and things were going well. But they shared a growing realisation that work was on their mind almost 24/7, often interfering with their personal life. They didn’t feel comfortable speaking up in case it made them seem uncommitted or not a team player.This question opened up an honest and revealing conversation. It was a reminder that sometimes, people don’t leave for purely negative reasons, but they leave because, in high-pressure jobs, people often go into survival mode, where they just keep going out of habit. It’s only when something tips them over (health issues, family strain, burnout) that they consider pushing back or leaving.That’s why asking, "If you could change one thing about your current job..." is such a powerful tool for leaders and managers. It creates space for honest reflection, uncovers silent frustrations, and gives both sides the chance to act before things escalate. It's a simple question, but it opens the door to understanding what’s really going on beneath the surface. In fast-paced, margin-tight industries like fresh produce and FMCG, it’s easy for both employers and employees to get caught in the cycle of just getting things done. But long tenure and solid performance don’t always equal long-term engagement.So, what can employers do?Check in and identify what might be missing in someone’s current roleStart honest conversations before people feel stuck and their only option is to leaveAsk questions that go beyond performance reviews like: “If you could change one thing…”Create a culture where it’s safe to speak upReview and refresh optionsEmployers who take the time to listen, support flexibility, and build a culture where people feel safe to speak up will be the ones who keep their best talent. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple question to keep someone engaged and committed.

​Each year, the MorePeople conference explores powerful themes relating to both the development of our team and the business as a whole. In 2023, we explored Growth, in 2024, it was Maturity, and this year, we took it to the next level, Scalability. Imagine your typical work conference. A structured day, hand out slides, refreshments, and you go home feeling brain-fried and wonder if you retained any of the information.This couldn’t be any different from our conference. Hosted at the beautiful venue, the William Cecil in Stamford, the day was packed with energy, motivation, vibrancy and excitement. We really took the festival theme to new heights with branded T-shirts, lanyards, bunting, giant deckchairs, and yes, even our very own Sax player, DJ and fire breather! (I know!) But what we are great at here is creating an engaging atmosphere, combined with motivational content, meaning everyone became engrossed with the topics, and can question, where do I fit into this expansion? Where do I see myself in 5 years? We can all grow together.Managing Director, Richard Hanwell and CEO, Andrew Fitzmaurice, kickstart the conference by reflecting on how the business has scaled and plans for the future. Watching the growth our our desks since 2021, especially the Agriculture and Horticulture teams, leading to the birth of the garden centre desk, was eye-opening. You can’t imagine MorePeople without these desks now! Cogs were turning whilst we discussed sectors on our fingertips that we could delve into, and how this expansion could impact the MorePeople Team.It was time to welcome the Founder of MuchClearer and the incredible Executive Coach, Sean Sankey. Sean has been part of our MorePeople conferences for three years running now, and what an influential addition he has been! After some introductory activities (including someone winning some Represent merch, you know who you are), Sean started with analysing the levers for scaling. We discussed this from a company perspective, viewing the 5 levels to scale a service-based business, and where this sits within the vision of MorePeople. Everyone loves a personality test, right? Sean introduced us to the GC Index, allowing us to visually see how our obsession, imagination, action and pragmatism align into our own drives. This identification flowed nicely into how, as individuals, we can scale up too. We learnt that it's not just about identifying these points and saying right, I need to improve all of these instantly. Progression comes incrementally, one step at a time. Identify your first point of improvement, and continuously work towards this. Set your goals, keep yourself accountable, and be realistic!​You’ve all heard of 75 Hard, let me introduce you to Focus 5050 days before the conference, we all committed to becoming the best version of ourselves, with one focus point in mind. For me, I was assigned personal branding. If we take this as an example, I outlined what I wanted my personal brand to be – whether it be internally in the office, what people think of me, my characteristics, as well as how I create an online presence. Now it was time to hit the gas, in the mindset of a £1m biller and think, what would they do? It's not just identifying what you want to do, let's hold ourselves accountable for 50 days and make an impact, and share what we learnt along the way.The focus 50 session allowed us to all share our journeys on the different topics. Whether it be building rapport, taking references, post-placement care or intel gathering. We were all prepared to present, and we pulled names out of a hat to dictate who would take the mic. One of Sean’s points from Focus 50 that really resonated with me was ‘be cool with managing liabilities’. Improvement doesn’t happen overnight. Consistency, even small increments every day, is how to start and maintain improvement. You must be ok with failure sometimes! It is how you learn. So get up and try again. A peek behind...This was a really insightful session, where we heard from Associate Director Tom Edmondson-Matthews, Divisional Manager Lucy Renner and Senior Recruitment Consultant Felicity Mitchell. Three completely different journeys and routes into recruitment, but a really inspiring talk from them all. From imposter syndrome, honest failures, jumping teams and location moves, things weren’t initially a smooth journey to success. It's great for us to be vulnerable and share our ups and downs; we are all human after all. ​Stories of scaleDuring this session, Sean provided valuable context behind his ideas for scalability. He shared real-life case studies of businesses that started from humble beginnings, demonstrating how setting a clear vision, driving performance, and consistently generating ideas, paired with sustained action, is the true formula for scaling. With proof!The ideas for scalability and progression have left everyone motivated and full of desire. But Sean now pulls us into the present, allowing some reflection time to assess how we can fit into this plan. He asked us three questions: What do I really want? What do I actually want? And what should my team be aiming for?We discussed in our closer teams what our priorities are in order to keep scaling, and what we have learnt from other people over the last few months. We also made commitments for the future, to emphasise that scalability is about sustained action, whilst seeking the support you need to succeed. A final thoughtWhat really stood out at the MorePeople conference was how refreshingly grounded it felt. It's easy for events like these to focus solely on progression and ambition, but often they miss the mark when it comes to helping you see where you fit into that bigger picture. This wasn’t the case here. Whilst there is so much to celebrate within the business, Sean, Rich and Andy kept bringing it back down to the team involved, and the dedication to scaling the team to be the best it really can be. It was a thoroughly engaging conference, with so much fun, realism and a genuine desire to better its staff. A huge thank you goes out to Sean for his motivating content, structure and presence throughout the day. Another huge thank you to Rich, Charlotte, Nat and Andy, whose hard work and dedication made the event not only possible, but truly memorable.If that has left you hungry to join a thriving recruitment team with a great culture, let's talk! Click below to get started.​Work for us​ 

​As an operations recruiter specialising in the UK food and fresh produce industry, I’m speaking to more and more businesses that are feeling the pressure of balancing growth with long-term sustainability. One theme keeps coming up: how do you stay profitable while still investing in your team and future?It's not just about machines or margins anymore. It’s about people. And it’s about making smart decisions that won’t just get you through the next quarter but will set you up for the next few years.Balancing Growth and CapacityImagine a food manufacturer smashing its targets for the year. The board's happy, expectations go up, and suddenly there’s a push to do even more. But what often gets overlooked is whether the team on the ground actually has the resources to deliver.Operations managers I speak to are often caught in the middle. They know their teams are stretched, they know what extra headcount or investment could do, but without the backing, they risk burnout, reduced quality, and staff turnover.This is where the right recruitment strategy comes in. It’s not just about filling a gap – it’s about bringing in the kind of people who can drive improvement, bring fresh thinking, and support growth without compromising standards.The Broader Industry ChallengeAcross the food sector, it’s a similar story. A recent report by the Food and Drink Federation showed that production costs rose by over 9% in the year to March 2024, while average selling prices only rose by 4.3%. That’s a big gap, and it’s hitting smaller businesses hardest.In fresh produce, the figures are even more striking. Labour costs alone have jumped by 24% over the past two years. And while many businesses are focused on cutting costs, some are doing so at the expense of recruitment, training and retention, which can create even bigger issues down the line.Why People Are Still the Best InvestmentIn difficult times, it’s easy to look at recruitment as an expense. But the reality is, the right people are one of the few things that can actually improve your bottom line.Here are a few areas where forward-thinking businesses are getting it right:Hiring ahead of the curve – identifying where pressure is building and recruiting before it starts to impact performanceRetaining key staff – investing in training, progression and a culture where people feel valuedWorking with specialist recruiters – building long-term relationships with partners who understand your business and can help you act quickly when the right person comes alongBalancing investment – upgrading equipment and embracing automation, but making sure you’ve got the right people in place to get the best out of itMoving ForwardIt’s clear the profitability squeeze isn’t going away any time soon. But the businesses that come through it stronger will be the ones who see their people as part of the solution, not just another cost.There’s a huge opportunity here for UK food manufacturers to reassess how they approach recruitment. Strategic hiring and proper investment in people can help build resilience, boost productivity, and put your business in a stronger position for the future.If you’re thinking about where to go next with your operations team, now’s the time to make recruitment a real part of the conversation.

​Recruiters, employers, and decision-makers often assume money, job titles, or perks are what motivate people.But over the last few months, I’ve been asking candidates one simple question:“Thinking about your career, when were you happiest—and what was happening at the time?”The answers are almost never about salary.They’re not about job titles or company perks either.It’s the people, the pressure (the right kind), and the culture.Repeatedly, candidates describe their happiest work memories in a way that paints a clear picture of what really matters.They were surrounded by people they respected and who respected them. They felt trusted, valued, and heard. The environment encouraged growth, not fear.Interestingly, most people didn’t say they were happiest when things were easy. They were happiest when they were stretched—but not snapped. They liked pressure, but the right kind.The kind that’s energising, not exhausting.This is a reminder to employers: challenge is good. Burnout isn’t. There’s a sweet spot between boredom and overwhelm, and the best managers know how to find it.One word came up repeatedly: culture. Whether it was a small family-run business or a fast-paced commercial team, people felt happiest in environments where they felt seen, heard, and respected.They talked about leaders who communicated well, feedback that felt constructive (not personal), and a culture that didn’t just talk about values, but lived them.So, if you’re hiring or thinking about how to retain great people, ask yourself:·         Are we creating a culture people want to be part of?·         Are we giving people space to thrive under pressure, without tipping into burnout?·         Are we recognising the power of teamwork and communication?Don’t get me wrong—fair pay is important. But when people reflect on their happiest times at work, salary rarely comes up first. It’s how they felt, who they were with, and what they were working towards that really stood out.As employers, if we want to retain great people, we need to look beyond just compensation. Are your teams connected? Are your expectations fair and motivating? Is your culture something people talk about, for the right reasons?Because at the end of the day, happy teams are built on trust, purpose, and people who feel they belong.If you’re not sure how your team feels, talk to them. Ask for feedback and listen to what they say. Work on your onboarding process for new team members, so they can become part of the great culture you’re building. If you’re only going to do one thing, make sure it’s exit interviews! Do them in the right space and environment where the individual leaving feels comfortable to outline the small things that might frustrate them. You don’t have to do anything with the information, but you can’t make positive cultural change within the business if you don’t know how people feel.These answers tie in pretty much like-for-like to the answers in my Horticulture Industry Survey last year. When I asked people who had been in their role less than 12 months why they left, the top answer (27%) was poor culture and/or working environment. Salary was the 4th most voted answer at 11%.So yes, whilst money, packages and benefits are important and it’s crucial to make sure people are being paid for what they do, it’s as important to talk to your team, build an environment that excites people and where they feel valued.It might not show up on a payslip, but the return in retention, performance, and loyalty? It’s worth every effort. What made you happiest at work? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Sarah@morepeople.co.uk

​At work, I have been set a challenge to try something a little different: asking the same question 50 different ways. Sounds a bit excessive? Maybe. But what I’ve uncovered has been surprisingly powerful.This all started with a simple idea: the way you ask a question often matters just as much, if not more, than what you’re actually asking. So we set out to explore this. I asked the MorePeople team one underlying question:"What do you wish you’d known earlier in your role?"But instead of asking it once, I rephrased it - over, and over, and over again. Here's what I learned.​Small Changes, Big ImpactAt first glance, questions like “What’s one tip you’d give a newbie?” and “What’s something you learned the hard way?” might seem almost identical. But the responses told a different story. The first tended to prompt practical, bite-sized advice: “Jump on the phone. Learn by doing.” The second brought out vulnerability: stories of resilience, stress, emotional intelligence, and mistakes that left a mark.That shift from general to personal, from helpful to human, was entirely down to the wording.​Tone and Framing MatterSome of the most revealing answers came when I framed our questions around feelings, not facts.“What do you wish someone had been honest with you about?” sparked confessions about the emotional rollercoaster of recruitment.“What do you know now that would’ve made your start smoother?” brought out tactical insights about software, planning, and time management.Framing a question as a truth, regret, or moment of realisation invites a different kind of reflection. The lesson? If you want depth, give people permission to go there.​Curiosity Builds TrustInterestingly, asking a question differently, even when people had already answered a version of it, often led them to share more.That’s something we can all apply. Whether you’re interviewing a candidate, coaching a peer, or leading a team, repeating a question with a new twist can open up a whole new layer of insight.For example:“What advice do you wish had come your way earlier?”“What’s something you understand now that you wish you had earlier?”“What’s a piece of wisdom you didn’t know you needed at the start?”They all orbit the same idea, but they surface different memories, emotions, and lessons.​Patterns Point to PrioritiesAcross all the variations, some themes came up again and again:Resilience – Nearly everyone mentioned learning to handle setbacks, rejections, and radio silence from candidates or clients.Curiosity and learning – "Be a sponge" was repeated more than once. So was "ask the room."Relationships over transactions – From building trust with candidates to forming real bonds with colleagues, connection was key.These repeating patterns told us not just what questions worked, but what matters to our people.​Better Questions = Better CultureMaybe the most important learning? Asking better questions isn’t just about getting better answers; it’s about building a stronger culture.By creating a space for honesty, reflection, and sharing, we unlocked something bigger than advice for new starters. We built a deeper sense of community.​What We Now Ask OurselvesIf you're keen to try something similar, here are a few of our favourite rephrased questions to spark conversation:“If you could go back to Day One, what would you tell yourself?”“What’s one thing that would’ve saved you a headache?”“What advice do you now give that no one gave you?”“What caught you off guard when you started?”“What do people overlook when they’re new?”Try them in onboarding sessions. Use them in team meetings. Bring them into 1:1s. You might be surprised by what you uncover.​Final Thought:The challenge was set out to improve questioning skills. But what I found was this: better questions lead to better conversations, and better conversations lead to better teams.Sometimes, all it takes is asking the same thing... just a little differently.