Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top London based Managing Director operating in the Food and Beverage space. If you think a Managing Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Kim Ludlow
Managing Director of mySupermarket
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About mySupermarket: mySupermarket designs a supermarket shopping and comparison website that helps users to compare prices across different stores.
Stephen Finch
Founder and Managing Director of Vagabond Wines
Stephen Finch is the Founder and Director of VAGABOND and BOXCAR
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About BOXCAR, Vagabond Wines: Vagabond Wines is owns and operates wine bars and shops in the United Kingdom.
Andrew Jennings
Group Managing Director, Retail of Woolworths Limited
A highly accomplished global retail executive with more than 40 years of achievement at some of the world’s most respected high-end, speciality stores. Recognised for his leadership capabilities and performance-driven management style, Andrew Jennings commands a vast knowledge of consumer trends, vendor networks and retail practices in mature and emerging markets. He has distinguished himself in senior executive positions in six countries and on four continents including Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, The United States, South Africa and Germany.
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About Saks Fifth Avenue, Woolworths Limited: Woolworths is an Australian company that was founded in 1924 in Sydney. When we opened our first store.
Stephen Argent
Managing Director of Soupologie
Stephen Argent is a Founder at Soupologie.
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About Soupologie: Soupologie was founded by Master Soupologist, Stephen, who discovered his talent for making soups while cooking for his family.
Ben Hopkinson
Co-founder & Managing Director of Hop King
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About Hop King: Hop King is a dual Beer and Skateboard brand.
B. Nick Popovici
Co-Founder & Managing Director of Vita Mojo
B. Nick Popovici is the Co Founder and Managing Director of Vita Mojo.
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About Founders Pledge, Vita Mojo: Vita Mojo’s menu allows anyone to eat for anyones’ individualized needs.
Daniel Blignaut
Managing Director of UCook
An articulate and passionate entrepreneur looking to utilise my unique background in management, finance and software engineering by taking on a role that challenges me to innovate business and drive value creation
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About UCook: UCOOK is a food and beverage platform that offers meal kit delivery service.
Charlie Thuillier
Founder and Managing Director of Oppo Ice Cream
Charlie Thuillier is the Founder & Managing Director at Oppo Brothers.
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About Oppo Ice Cream: Oppo Ice Cream provides a wide range of ice creams such as madagascan vanilla, mint choc swirl, and salted caramel.
Harry Thuillier
Co-Owner and Managing Director of Oppo Ice Cream
Harry Thuillier is the Co-Owner and Managing Director.
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About Oppo Ice Cream: Oppo Ice Cream provides a wide range of ice creams such as madagascan vanilla, mint choc swirl, and salted caramel.
Dominic Gesua
Co-Founder & Managing Director of Lickalix
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About Lickalix: Lickalix is a natural ice lolly company launched in May 2014.
Ruth Dronfield
Co-Founder & Managing Director of Atlantic Kitchen
The most common question I am asked as the Managing Director of Atlantic Kitchen is ‘How did you get involved with seaweed?’This is a fair question as for ten years I was an Event Manager running large-scale outdoor events in London and around the UK. I was on the senior management teams that run Field Day, Bestival, Winter Wonderland, BST Hyde Park and I also ran my own little production company for more exclusive private parties and mini-festivals. But the roots of Atlantic Kitchen run far deeper. I was born to hippy alternative parents in London, who took me on marches and dressed me in corduroy dungarees and certainly didn’t cook ready meals. I was brought up on home-cooked food and deprived (to my profound annoyance at the time) of pop-tarts, stringy cheese and shop-bought cakes. I was definitely the only kid in my class who had crumbly wholemeal bread sandwiches instead of nice, neat white ones. My mum is vegetarian so I was exposed to vegetable-based meals of rice, stews, salads, curries, quiches, lasagna and bakes. I grew up with the assumption that a mainly vegetable, pulse and grain diet was healthy, sustainable and normal. So, when my friend Dawn told me about her idea to set up a seaweed business to promote good eating and living, something resonated. That was in December 2012.Since then we launched a range of three dried seaweed products (here), crowd-funded, done deals with brilliant suppliers in France, Spain and Ireland, launched a range of three soups with seaweed (here) and are now stocked in over 150 stores in the UK including Wholefoods, Planet Organic and Ocado. See here for more stockists.It’s a huge challenge and a great honour to run Atlantic Kitchen and share the wonderful word of seaweed and its’ myriad of taste and health benefits with the world.
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About Atlantic Kitchen: Atlantic Kitchen was set up in 2012.
Gary Ward
Managing Director of Redchurch Brewery
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About Redchurch Brewery: Redchurch Brewery have a mission to explore the outer limits of brewing techniques and flavours.
Ruby Chan
Managing Director of My Teatime LTD
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About My Teatime LTD: Wholesome natural tea infusions: from blooming flower teas to perfectly crafted blends, made from whole leaves.
Ivo Slezak
Managing Director of Hummus Bros
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About Hummus Bros: Hummus Bros is about feeding you homemade hummus with mouth watering toppings.
