When Growth Becomes Chaos: How a London Food Brand Regained Control
Introduction:
Scaling a product-based business often creates hidden chaos. That’s what happened to a London-based food producer who came to us after their revenue hit £2.1M, but their operations broke under pressure. Deliveries were late, margins were shrinking, and the founder was constantly fixing problems. In just 90 days, we helped them reset. This case study shares how we brought clarity to the chaos and rebuilt a business that now runs smoother, faster, and far more profitably.
The Problem Behind the Growth:
The founder had built an incredible brand and a loyal customer base. But as demand surged, their systems didn’t scale with them. Every new retailer meant a new set of problems: missed delivery windows, staff confusion, cash flow dips. The founder was spending most of the day firefighting supply chain breakdowns and jumping between marketing, logistics, and production. They couldn’t hire confidently, had no clarity on margins per SKU, and were afraid growth might collapse the business entirely.
Our 90-Day Reset Strategy:
1. Clarity Call & Supply Chain Diagnosis
In our initial clarity call, we quickly saw the root issues: no standardised process for production, unclear costing across product lines, and no clean view of cash cycles. The team lacked direction and the founder was stretched thin.
2. Rebuild with Systems & Structure
We rolled out:
A simplified cost model for all product lines
A weekly cash flow forecast tied to production volume
A fulfilment checklist and team-level KPIs across operations
Clear escalation paths that kept the founder out of daily fire drills
3. Refocus on Profit and Product
With systems in place, the founder finally had space to think. We removed underperforming SKUs, renegotiated supplier terms, and focused on their 3 highest-margin channels. Time freed up, clarity returned, and so did momentum.
Results:
On-time delivery rate rose from 72% to 97%
£50K in hidden margin losses recovered
Founder’s involvement in ops dropped 60%
Cash flow stabilized and forecasting became proactive
Team morale improved - fewer mistakes, clearer goals
The founder said: “For the first time in months, I feel like I’m leading and not just surviving.”
Want to Get Back in Control of Your Business?
If you’re scaling but struggling, let’s talk. Book a free Clarity Call and we’ll help you pinpoint the real problems and map out a plan to reset, in 90 days or less.
