The Food Marketing Expert

What The Food Marketing Expert does

The Food Marketing Experts (TFME) is a UK-based specialist food and drink marketing agency founded in 2012 and led by Managing Director Vhari Russell. Operating from headquarters in Brampton, Cambridgeshire, with a distributed team across Cambridge, Kent, and Oxford, the firm exclusively serves food and drink brands — ranging from artisan producers and micro-businesses to established FMCG names — through four interconnected service lines: PR & Marketing (media relations and promotional campaigns), Creative Development (food photography, videography, packaging and brand storytelling), Strategy & Insights (market research, competitor analysis and ROI tracking), and Social Media & Influencers (content planning, influencer partnerships and community management). TFME positions itself as a "conscious food marketing agency" with an explicit sub-segment focus on sustainability-focused food brands, differentiating from generalist marketing firms on vertical depth and environmental values.

TFME generates revenue as a professional services firm through retainer agreements and project-based engagements on bespoke, quote-based pricing, with no publicly disclosed rates or revenue figures. Client acquisition is sales-led, driven by direct outreach, industry referrals, and a case-study-driven marketing approach across the firm's blog, monthly email newsletter (which distributes a free 2026 Social Media Calendar as a lead magnet), Instagram/LinkedIn/Pinterest presence, and trade-event appearances. The agency has no proprietary technology platform, no app, no API, and no disclosed AI capability; its value proposition rests on domain expertise, established media and retail buyer relationships, and a portfolio of food-specific creative assets. Named customers include Warner's Distillery (spirits), Fruit Bowl (healthy snacks), Fragata (olives), The Happy Pear (plant-based), Fitzbillies (bakery), Cakehead (bakery), Seggiano (pasta), Kung Fu Mama (frozen noodles), La Rustichella (charcuterie), The Cheese Lady (artisan cheese) and The Food Incubator.

TFME's geographic footprint is primarily UK-domestic, with demonstrated dual-market delivery capability (UK and New Zealand) for international clients. The firm operates without external investment, parent-company ownership, or disclosed funding rounds. Corporate identity is reinforced by affiliations with Virgin Startup, Enterprise Nation, and the Federation of Small Businesses, and by a core partnership with the environmental charity Creating Nature's Corridors, founded by Vhari Russell. There are no public awards, patents, certifications, or regulatory actions recorded in the source data.

Name

The Food Marketing Expert

Legal name

The Food Marketing Experts

Website

https://thefoodmarketingexperts.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Food Marketing Experts (TFME) is a UK-based specialist food and drink marketing agency founded in 2012, serving artisan producers, SMEs, and FMCG brands with PR, creative development, strategy, and social media services on a project and retainer basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntingdon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketing Services: Professional services revenue generated through retainer agreements and project-based engagements for food and drink brands. Services include PR and marketing, creative development, strategy and insights, and social media management. Engagement types range from one-off campaigns to ongoing partnerships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Food Marketing Experts is a UK-based specialist food and drink marketing agency founded in 2012 that delivers PR, creative content, strategy, and social media services to food brands. Core offerings span four service areas: PR and Marketing (media relations and promotional campaigns), Creative Development (photography, videography, packaging, website, and brand identity design), Strategy and Insights (market research, competitor analysis, attribution modelling, and launch planning), and Social Media and Influencers (content management, influencer partnerships, and brand ambassador programmes). Engagements are delivered as retainers or project-based work for food and drink brands ranging from artisan producers to established FMCG companies.

Product overview

The Food Marketing Experts is a specialist food marketing agency offering a comprehensive suite of services for food and drink brands. Their core offerings consist of four interconnected service areas: PR & Marketing (media relations and promotional campaigns), Creative Development (photography, videography, packaging, and brand identity), Strategy & Insights (market research and strategic planning), and Social Media & Influencers (content management and influencer partnerships). The agency also provides a free 2026 Social Media Calendar resource. Services are delivered across all major UK retailers and international markets including New Zealand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PR & Marketing Public relations and marketing services for food and drink brands, including media relations, editorial placements, and promotional campaigns designed to secure trade and consumer coverage.
• Creative Development Design and content creation services including recipe development, food photography, videography, website design, packaging design, logo design, brand guidelines, and brand storytelling for food and drink brands.
• Strategy & Insights Market research and strategic consulting including industry insights, competitor analysis, qualitative and quantitative research, mystery shopping, attribution modelling, sales data analysis, ROI tracking, promotional strategy, launch mechanics, and customer acquisition.
• Social Media & Influencers Social media management and influencer marketing services including content planning, daily interactions, campaign activation, influencer partnerships, brand ambassador recruitment and management, competitions, brand collaborations, and community management for food and drink brands.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88.9M+ media reach for single Christmas campaign (Fitzbillies)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Creating Nature's CorridorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental charity founded by TFME Managing Director Vhari Russell in memory of her late brother. The agency is a proud supporter of the charity, which focuses on creating nature's corridors. The partnership aligns with TFME's environmental commitment and conscious marketing approach for sustainability-focused food brands.
• Virgin StartupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured in Virgin Startup ecosystem as a recommended marketing partner for food and drink startups. Displayed as member/partner logo on website footer.
• Enterprise NationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliated with Enterprise Nation small business support network. Displayed as member/partner logo on website footer.
• Federation of Small BusinessesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember of FSB supporting small business community. Displayed as member/partner logo on website footer.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Heavenly: London-based specialist PR, marketing, and digital agency focused on food, drink, and lifestyle brands. Closely comparable to TFME in vertical specialism, service mix (PR, social, creative), and UK SME/enterprise food brand client base.
• Cirkle: UK specialist food and drink communications agency offering PR, social media, influencer, and brand activation services to FMCG food brands. Directly comparable in target customer profile and integrated food marketing service offering.
• The Brooklyn Brothers: Independent creative and brand agency with food and drink clients across UK and international markets. Comparable in offering integrated brand, creative, and social media services to food/drink challenger and enterprise brands.
• Liquid PR: UK food and drink PR and marketing agency with deep media contacts in food publishing and broadcasting. Comparable vertical specialism and similar service suite (PR, influencer, events) to TFME.
• Manifest London: Creative communications agency with a strong food and drink client roster including restaurants and FMCG brands. Comparable in targeting UK food/drink brands with brand storytelling, social, and creative content services.

Broad incumbents

• Bray Leino: Larger UK integrated marketing agency with a substantial food and consumer practice offering advertising, digital, and brand strategy. A scaled competitor with broader capabilities beyond food specialism.
• WPP: Global advertising holding company with extensive food and drink clients across its agencies (Ogilvy, VMLY&R, Grey). Represents the enterprise-tier competitive threat TFME faces when food brands scale internationally.
• Publicis Groupe: Global advertising holding group operating creative, media, and PR agencies with significant food and beverage client work. Competes for enterprise food marketing budgets that TFME also targets.
• Havas: Global advertising and communications group with food and drink clients across its creative, media, and health agencies. A broader incumbent competitor for integrated food marketing engagements.
• Omnicom Group: Global advertising holding company with multiple food and beverage accounts across its network agencies (BBDO, DDB, TBWA). Represents large-scale competition for enterprise food brand mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-food-marketing-expert
• Instagraminstagram.com/thefoodmarketingexperts
• Pinterestpinterest.co.uk/foodmarketingex

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Food Marketing Expert