“If you’ve got a really progressive, innovative brand, you're not going to hit average rate of sale out the gate - and yet that’s exactly what the system demands. We’re burning through founders and cash chasing short-term wins that kill long-term potential.”

What if the biggest problem facing food startups isn’t the buyer - it’s the system they work in?

This week, we talk to Andrew Allen, an ex-founder turned entrepreneur in residence, about the structural blockers that keep great ideas from scaling.

We dig into why the innovation funnel is broken, how corporates and startups talk past each other, and why accelerators aren’t always the answer. Andrew also shares what buyers really want in a pitch (and what to stop doing), why founders should be more willing to walk away, and what a better system might look like - from venture studios to shared-risk retailer models.

Key themes:

• The mismatch between startup pace and corporate systems
• Why zombie businesses persist - and what to do about them
• The risk of founder burnout in a broken validation loop
• How accelerators can help (and where they fall short)
• Why we need a new venture-builder model for food & drink

If you liked this episode make sure you check out our chat with Rhys Harvey on Scaling, Exits and Staying true to the core.