Fighting Food Waste, Running Away to the Circus, and Closing the Funding Gap
What do running away to a Swedish circus at age 10 and tackling one of the food industry’s biggest hidden problems have in common?
Dini McGrath, Co-Founder of The Wonki Collective, joins A Little Bit Radical to tell her extraordinary story. From wild childhood adventures to founding a business determined to eradicate supply chain food waste, Dini’s journey is anything but ordinary.
Rob and Dini dig into the shocking statistic that 40% of food never even reaches supermarket shelves. They explore the power dynamics between manufacturers and retailers, and how radical thinking, resilience, and persistence are needed to fix it.
Dini also shares her experiences as a female founder navigating the funding gap, her work with Innovate UK, and why risk-taking should be for everyone, not just the lucky few.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Growing up wild: how moving into building sites and joining the Swedish circus shaped Dini’s fearless mindset
- The shocking 40% food waste problem hidden deep in supply chains
- How The Wonki Collective is using AI and technology to match surplus food with where it’s needed
- Why selling surplus cocoa powder wasn’t enough, and how Dini and her team pivoted to something bigger
- Securing a major Innovate UK grant and partnering with Nestlé and FareShare
- The brutal realities of raising investment as a female founder
- Why we need more women not just founding businesses, but funding them too
- The power of ignorance, resilience, and just keeping going when others say no
Memorable Quotes:
- “I often think: what would 10-year-old me do?”
- “You can’t sell 80 tonnes of flour from your mum’s utility room.”
- “Less than 2% of venture funding goes to female founders and that needs to change.”
- “Our mission is simple. Eradicate supply chain food waste.”
Resources & Mentions:
- The Wonki Collective Website
- FareShare – Fighting hunger and food waste in the UK
- Innovate UK – Supporting business innovation in the UK
- Guy Singh-Watson on A Little Bit Radical – Related episode on supply chain dynamics
Stay Connected with Rob and ‘A Little Bit Radical’:
- Rob Fawkes on LinkedIn: Rob Fawkes LinkedIn
- A Little Bit Radical Newsletter: Sign Up Here
You can listen to the podcast here:
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