The Truth About Supplier–Retail Partnerships with Breige Donaghy

This week Amy dives deep with Breige Donaghy, who shares her journey from food science graduate to Tesco’s Director of Product Development & Innovation.  She explains the critical differences in retail philosophy between giants like Tesco and community-focused Co-op, and why that breadth of experience shaped the way she leads teams and builds supplier partnerships today. Breige and Amy get hands-on discussing the realities of food development, including why product developers deserve more credit than just being “the fluffy ideas people.”  There’s a refreshingly open take on the weight (and the privilege) of driving sustainability, health, and resilient supply chains—plus how industry leaders need to wear many hats and adapt fast. Straight-talking as ever, Amy teases out how supplier-retailer relationships are (finally) evolving beyond old-school commercial transactionalism. Breige details exactly what she’s looking for from supplier partners: honesty, data-driven thinking, critical friendship, and the guts to challenge the status quo. For those on the supplier side, there’s invaluable advice on how to present insight, take calculated risks, and move from merely “delivering projects” to co-creating future food trends. We also peel back the curtain on leadership—Breige shares her people-first approach and why empowering teams (with a signature “20% more” encouragement) is key to success. They conclude with actionable takeaways for anyone seeking to build bolder, braver relationships in the food retail industry.   Timestamps   00:00 "Two Decades in Retail Reflection" 04:25 Career Journey and Growth 09:15 Customer-Centric Approach in Business 10:23 Omnichannel Innovation and Collaboration 13:45 "Building Innovation through Partnership" 19:16 Embracing Failure: Lessons and Growth 22:47 Strategic Planning for Future Innovation 25:26 "People-First Leadership Style" 29:57 Harnessing Data for Retail Evolution 32:41 Omnichannel Retail and Behavioural Shifts 36:23 Balancing Skills for Future Development 40:33 "Be Bold and Customer-Focused" 41:53 "Fearless Foodie Wrap-Up" Links and Resources: Website Link: https://fearlessfoodies.co.uk FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/thefearlessfoodiepod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thefearlessfoodiepod You can follow us here on Instagram: @thefearlessfoodiepod Find Amy on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation. Microsearch Laboratories sponsor the Fearless Foodie Podcast https://micro-search.co.uk/