Celebrating 5 Years of The Good Crowd
Five years ago, we founded The Good Crowd based on a simple belief: that great brands—and the people behind them—have the power to drive real, lasting change in the food and drink industry.
Since day one, we’ve been passionate about championing brands that are doing things differently. The disruptors questioning the status quo. The founders rethinking how products are made, sourced and sold. The people who care just as much about impact on people and planet as they do about taste and profit. That’s because we believe the future of food and drink won’t come from the biggest players, instead it comes from those willing to challenge the category.
For five years, we’ve had the privilege of working with and supporting brands that are raising the bar. Whether it’s cleaner labels, more thoughtful formulations, or entirely new ways of thinking about everyday products, these businesses are shaping what “good” really looks like.
Since we started out, what’s become clear is that consumers are changing too. People are more curious, more conscious, and more demanding. They want transparency. They want quality. And they want to support brands that stand for something. But we are still acutely aware of the ‘say/do gap’ for consumers. Price and education both continue to be barriers to people driving change through their choices.
For us, The Good Crowd was always about connecting those forward-thinking brands with the people looking for something better. To create a space where innovation is celebrated, where new ideas can grow, and where the next generation of food and drink brands can be discovered and supported.
Of course, building this hasn’t always been easy but whatever hurdles we have faced our mission has never changed; helping good brands do good business. So, as part of our fifth birthday reflections, we sat down to come up with a few things we’ve learnt over the last five years that are fundamental to doing good business:
1. Collaboration, collaboration, collaboration. Working with others is vital. You can't do it all on your own; you can do anything but not everything. Five years on, we are much clearer on what we’re good at, what gives us energy and what truly inspires us to get out of bed in the morning. We can then collaborate with partners to bring the skills and knowledge we don’t have to the table.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask others in your industry for input on your business model. Since starting The Good Crowd, we’ve made a conscious effort to get feedback from smart thinkers from the agency world. It has helped us to shape our plans and strategic direction, and sharpen how we show up for our clients.
3. Get comfortable with saying no. Don’t take on projects that don't feel like the right fit, if your gut is telling you it isn’t right, then trust those instincts.
Finally, to everyone who’s been part of the journey so far—thank you. Your support has helped turn a strong belief into a growing community. And we’re only just getting started.
Here’s to the next five years of better brands, better products, and a better food and drink industry.
Natalie and Catherine