Frequently Asked Questions About Jellybean Creative

Who are Jellybean Creative?

We’re a specialist food and drink marketing agency based in leafy Leatherhead, Surrey. Founded back in 1987 by our brilliant CEO Fiona, we’ve spent nearly four decades helping household names grow their brand across foodservice, retail and consumer markets. As of September 2024, we’re proud to be officially employee owned – which means we really do ‘own it’.

What does Jellybean Creative actually do?

We’re a fully integrated marketing agency for food and drink brands. That means we offer services like PR, social media, branding, strategy, trade marketing and more. Whether it’s building buzz on social, getting press coverage, reaching chefs and buyers, or launching products to consumers – we help brands connect with the right audience and drive measurable growth.

How big is the Jellybean team?

We’re a mighty team of 25 food and drink fanatics – covering everything from PR and social to digital, design, insight, branding and beyond. We may be boutique, but we pack a punch.

Who do you work with?

We’ve worked with some of the biggest names in food and drink – including Nutella, Ferrero, Yeo Valley, Mutti, Maldon Salt and Flahavan’s. From challenger brands to global icons, we tailor our approach to suit each client. Some bring us in for big campaign moments, others treat us like an extension of their marketing team.

What services do you offer?

We offer a full mix of marketing services to suit your strategy, including:

Creative & Design
Branding & Positioning
Trade & Shopper Marketing
PR & Social Media
Video & Photography
Insight & Strategy
Content & Digital Marketing
ABM & Brand Experiences
Media Buying & Events
Marketing Consultancy

See our services in action.

What are your core values?

It’s simple – we treat people how we’d want to be treated. Our values are Expertise, Care, Courage and Collaboration. And as employee owners, every bean ‘owns it’ – literally and figuratively.

Where is Jellybean Creative based?

You’ll find us in Leatherhead, Surrey – just off Junction 9 of the M25. That’s in the Southeast of England, just outside London.

How much does a marketing campaign cost?

Costs vary based on your goals, but as a guide:

Smaller/tactical projects start from around £5,000+
Integrated brand campaigns range from £15,000 to £200,000+

We’ll always tailor an honest, commercially sound estimate that fits your needs.

How long does a campaign take?

It depends on the scope, but here’s a rough idea:

Quick projects (e.g. digital assets or packaging) – a few weeks
Larger campaigns – can run for anything from 3 months to 3 years

We’ll map out clear timelines upfront and stick to them.

How long do clients stay with you?

Some of our clients have been with us since day one – that’s nearly 40 years. We believe in building real, lasting partnerships. But we also love teaming up with up-and-coming brands and being part of their rise.

What kind of sales uplift can I expect?

It depends on your goals, channels and execution. But we’ve delivered:

Double-digit sales uplifts
Higher rate of sale (ROS)
Retailer buy-in & extra listings
Lead gen success in foodservice

We focus on clear KPIs, trackable outcomes and commercial outcomes.

How many sales will it generate?

There’s no one-size-fits-all number. But our role is to create demand and deliver tangible results – whether that’s product trials, shopper conversion, B2B leads or boosting online sales.

What makes a good foodservice marketing agency?

A good foodservice marketing agency understands the unique dynamics of the out-of-home sector. Unlike consumer marketing, foodservice targets professional buyers, chefs and procurement managers who make decisions based on operational efficiency and commercial viability.

The best agencies combine deep industry knowledge with proven marketing expertise. Look for agencies with established relationships across trade media, distributor networks and operator communities. They should speak the language of menu planning cycles, yield calculations and distributor partnerships. At jellybean, we’ve spent 38 years building these connections and delivering campaigns that drive trial, specification and repeat purchase among professional customers.

Why choose a specialist foodservice agency over a general marketing agency?

Specialist foodservice agencies understand the sector’s unique buying journeys and decision-making processes. We know the difference between a contract caterer and a managed pub operator. We understand why January menu planning matters and how distributor relationships affect brand visibility.

At jellybean, our dedicated foodservice team lives and breathes foodservice. We attend industry shows, read trade press and maintain relationships that take years to develop. This depth of knowledge means our campaigns hit the mark first time, without expensive trial and error that generalist agencies typically require.

What should I look for when choosing a foodservice marketing agency?

Start by examining their client portfolio and industry credentials. Do they work with recognised foodservice brands? Are they connected to trade bodies and major industry events? At jellybean, our clients include Unilever Food Solutions, McCormick and Ferrero.

Check they offer the full mix of services you need. Foodservice campaigns often require trade PR, distributor communications, chef engagement programmes and sales support working together. A full-service agency coordinates these seamlessly. Finally, consider team structure. Will you work with experienced senior staff or junior team members? At 25 people, we’re big enough to deliver complex campaigns but small enough that you’ll get senior attention.

How much does foodservice marketing cost in the UK?

Foodservice marketing budgets vary based on campaign objectives and brand size. Tactical projects like product launch packs or chef demonstration programmes typically start from **£10,000**. Integrated campaigns combining multiple channels range from **£15,000 to £50,000**. Major brand campaigns for established suppliers can run from **£50,000 to £300,000+** for annual programmes.

The key is matching investment to commercial objectives. A well-executed £25,000 campaign that drives distributor listings and operator trials can deliver far better returns than an unfocused £100,000 spend. We’ll always provide honest, commercially sound estimates that fit your needs.

Do you only work with foodservice, or retail and consumer too?

While foodservice is our heartland, jellybean covers foodservice, retail and consumer channels. Many clients need joined up thinking across all three sectors.

When we work with ingredients brands, we might support their foodservice sales team targeting pub chains, run retail trade campaigns for supermarkets, and create consumer social content simultaneously. Having one agency that understands how these channels interconnect is incredibly valuable. Our team includes specialists across all three areas, allowing us to take products from trade launch through to consumer awareness with one consistent brand story.

What results can I expect from working with a foodservice marketing agency?

Results depend on your objectives, but we measure success across several key metrics. Trade awareness typically increases through sustained PR and thought leadership. We track coverage volume, distributor engagement, operator trials and sales lead generation.

Commercial outcomes matter most. We’ve helped clients achieve double-digit sales uplifts, secure major contract wins and successfully launch countless new products. For one recent client, our integrated campaign contributed to a 40% increase in foodservice sales year-on-year. The key is setting clear, measurable objectives at the outset and tracking progress through marketing metrics and commercial outcomes.

How long should I commit to working with a foodservice marketing agency?

Foodservice marketing works best as an ongoing relationship. The sector operates on long buying cycles and operators plan menus months in advance. Building brand awareness requires sustained visibility.

We typically recommend an initial commitment of 6 to 12 months for integrated campaigns. This gives enough time to execute a full programme, see results and optimise based on what’s working. Many of our client relationships extend for years, with some partners working with us since 1987. That said, some clients start with specific projects, then expand into broader support once they’ve seen the quality of our work.

What’s the difference between foodservice PR and foodservice marketing?

Foodservice PR focuses on earned media and industry relationships. This includes securing trade publication coverage, building journalist relationships and positioning spokespeople as category experts.

Foodservice marketing is broader, encompassing PR plus all other activities like sales support materials, distributor communications, operator engagement programmes, social media, video content and trade show presence. At jellybean, we deliver fully integrated campaigns combining PR with broader marketing. For instance, product launches might include trade media coverage, product photography, distributor materials, menu guides, social campaigns and demonstration events all working together for maximum impact.

How do you measure ROI on foodservice marketing campaigns?

ROI measurement combines quantitative and qualitative metrics across the purchase funnel. At awareness stage, we track trade media coverage, social engagement, website traffic and share of voice. For engagement, we measure demonstration attendance, sample requests, sales enquiries and operator trials.

Commercial outcomes are the ultimate measure, including sales growth, new account wins, distribution gains and contract values secured. For one recent ingredients client, we tracked £250,000 in coverage value, 45 qualified sales leads and £1.2 million in new contract value from a £65,000 campaign investment. We provide monthly dashboards and quarterly reviews assessing campaign effectiveness and commercial impact.

What industry connections should a foodservice marketing agency have?

The best agencies have extensive networks across trade media, industry bodies, distributor networks and chef communities. At jellybean, we maintain strong relationships with publishers such as H20 Publishing who have a range of channel specific titles, The Caterer, Public Sector Catering, The Grocer, Foodservice Equipment Journal and other key publications.

Our team regularly attend HRC, IFE, Lunch and other major events. We have partnerships with chef networks, culinary schools and food development specialists. We understand the dynamics of working with Bidfood, Brakes, Booker (one of our clients) and regional specialists. These connections aren’t built overnight. They’re the result of 38 years’ operating at the heart of the UK food and drink industry.

Why is jellybean employee-owned and does it make a difference?

In September 2024, jellybean became officially employee-owned. Every team member is a shareholder with a direct stake in the agency’s success.

Employee ownership means everyone is invested in delivering exceptional work because they’re building value in a business they part-own. It creates accountability and pride that benefits clients. We take a long-term view rather than chasing short-term profit. For clients, this means stability and commitment. The team you work with today will still be here in five years. The relationships you build and brand knowledge we accumulate don’t disappear when someone sells up.

What makes jellybean different from other foodservice marketing agencies?

We’re one of the UK’s most established foodservice marketing agencies with 38 years’ track record and an award-winning portfolio. As an employee-owned agency, every bean has a direct stake in your success.

We combine specialist foodservice expertise with full-service capabilities across PR, creative, digital, events and strategy. We’re big enough to deliver complex campaigns for household names like Ferrero and McCormick, but small enough that you get senior attention. Our jellybrain insights hub demonstrates our market intelligence and thought leadership. Most importantly, we treat clients how we’d want to be treated, with our values of expertise, care, courage and collaboration embedded in everything we do.