NUTS ABOUT NUTS
Pip Murray turned a love of nut butters into a business, writing a cookbook and developing nut milks along the way
Going off on a tangent is fine. Before Pip & Nut, I worked in the creative sector, so this was quite a tangent for me and very much driven by my love of the product – I’m a complete addict of nut butters. The idea came about because I’m a runner, and nut butter is a good way of getting natural protein. All the supermarket brands had palm oil and added sugar. I felt there had to be a way to make more natural butters that would still deliver on taste.
Ignorance can be a strength. When you’re new to an industry, you can face fewer barriers. If I’d known how hard it is to get into a supermarket or manufacture something, I’m not sure I’d have started Pip & Nut. But because I didn’t know any better, I threw myself in at the deep end. Progress can be both quick and slow. The lightbulb moment was four-and-a-half years ago. I worked three days a week for
the first 18 months, and did the Pip & Nut work around my day job. As a start-up, you want things to happen yesterday. I’ve learnt it’s important not to run before you can walk – it’s OK if things go that little bit more slowly.
Don’t wait for perfect. I’m a big believer in just starting and doing something. So, if you have an idea, get it in front of people as early as possible, as you need as much feedback as you can get. This will help to shape your business and save you money further down the line, because you can make changes while you’re still working on a small scale.
I took market research literally. I started at markets. I’d make 100 jars at home in my blender and sell them at London’s Maltby Street Market. Then I moved to a small commercial kitchen with two blenders. For me, that wasn’t about generating loads of sales, it was about getting the public to give
honest feedback. Doing the market made me think: you know what, there’s enough in this idea for me to commit myself.
Grow sustainably.
Our first customer was Selfridges – it’s a great one, but it was our only one. We didn’t go into supermarkets; we focused on selling to independent stores and delis. In a way this was another form of market research – not trying to be in Tesco on day one, but learning from consumers in smaller stores. I wanted to know that people liked the product before pushing it onto supermarket shelves.
Show, don’t tell.
A lot of brands focus on the benefits – high protein or low in fat, say, but I’m a big believer in having fun. So we brought out an inspiring recipe book. We also ran a Pipnics campaign, inviting people to try yoga, hula-hooping, colouring – and, of course, our products. We wanted people to slow down and enjoy the summer with us.
Make a difference where you can.
As we grow, I’m excited that we will have more power over how we work with our suppliers. Meanwhile, there’s lots we can do. We reduce our waste as much as possible, which includes not wasting the product.
Mistakes make you stronger.
As a start-up, it’s a rollercoaster. In the first six months, the cost of almonds went up, which left me very exposed and affected our margins. So I learnt to hedge, having not even really known what the word meant before.
Make sure there’s still (some) time for fun.
I do still run. I’m doing the Oxford half this month. We have a running club at work and I really enjoy it.