Butter, Boldness, and British Farming
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All Things Butter - with its Instagram-rooted origins, chef-crafted recipes, and striking packaging - was born not just out of passion, but from a pointed dissatisfaction with the supermarket shelves. "Our initial inspiration for the business was born from the lack of innovation we were seeing on supermarket shelves and in the dairy industry," Hopkinson explains. "We wanted to launch a brand that appealed more to a modern consumer versus everything else that was currently in the market."
That discontent turned into disruption. The duo wasn't content with simply offering unsalted and salted varieties; they dove headfirst into flavour. "Within the mass market, we were one of the only brands to innovate and experiment with different flavoured butters when we first launched," he says. "Now we see that other brands are starting to jump on board - for example, Tesco has just launched their own flavoured butter range."
But while competitors are catching up, All Things Butter keeps charging ahead. "Last year we released our first sweet butter - the delicious Cinnamon Bun flavour - which was the first sweet-flavoured butter on the market and then launched the category's first chocolate butter." Their innovations aren't limited to flavour. Hopkinson is acutely aware of the industry they're operating in - one with systemic challenges, especially for those at the start of the supply chain. "We also saw the opportunity to shake up the dairy industry - not only to bring innovative flavours to consumers but to support British farmers," he says.
"All Things Butter donates 1% of its revenue to RABI to support the farming sector with financial, emotional and practical help." It's a point of pride that goes beyond optics. "Farming is one of the toughest professions, and it is a particularly tough time in history for the industry... All Things Butter wants to form deeper relationships with the community and support the incredible industry at a time when they truly need it."
That commitment didn't come easily. Finding a farming partner willing to back the vision of two Londoners with a dream of a butter brand was, at times, a humbling process. "There are quite a few funny stories about when Thomas and I were trying to sell the dream of two chaps from London wanting to sell our butter business to multi-generational farms... we got laughed out of the majority of those rooms."
Fortunately, Brue Valley, one of the oldest dairy farms in Britain, saw past the branding and city polish. "They truly believed in what we were trying to do and saw that we really wanted to add value to a category that has essentially lacked innovation for many years." Hopkinson is honest about their early missteps. "I think the lesson we learned from this was perhaps we were a bit too bullish in our approach to the farmers… I've learnt that we needed to be a bit more adaptable rather than coming in with a quite modern approach from the get-go."
More recently, All Things Butter - like the entire dairy industry - faced a new kind of test. "Another more recent challenge... was the commodity price of cream skyrocketed due to a shortage of milk from cows," he says. Thanks to Brue Valley, "we were well-placed to deal with this challenge and continue to provide our customers with organic, British butter." But it has taken creative problem-solving and operational adjustments to navigate the crisis. "We had to come up with innovative ways to maximise efficiency within the supply chain and mitigate that risk."
The broader economic landscape is also shaping their strategy. "With rising inflation and a persistent cost of living crisis, we've had to be extremely mindful of how we price and position our products," Hopkinson says. "Consumers are feeling the pinch... We're planning to launch a more cost-effective product line later this year that delivers the same commitment to quality, just at a more accessible price point."
Still, the brand remains as trendsetting as ever. "We don't want to just follow trends in the food and beverage industry - we want to create them!" Hopkinson declares. Being born on social media - where the brand first took off through Straker's butter-focused videos - gives All Things Butter a powerful edge. "Our social channels provide us with a direct route to our customers and their feedback… This helps guide us when considering new product developments and helps us stay ahead of the curve."
So what would Hopkinson tell those considering their own leap into the entrepreneurial unknown? "Startups need a great idea, the right timing, the right skills, and a fair bit of luck," he says with characteristic candour. "There are so many talented startups that... don't succeed due to factors beyond their control." Yet, belief matters. "We turned our idea into a reality through having confidence in the idea... This confidence in the concept is what really enabled me to use my evenings, weekends and holidays to go out and put money where our mouth is."
And the most critical skill? Knowing when to leap. "As an entrepreneur, you have to be able to pull the trigger on some ideas and not just say yes to everything." In a market slow to change, All Things Butter has proved that even something as everyday as a pat of butter can be a vehicle for innovation, connection, and - just maybe - revolution.
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