What were the 3 keys to getting the company off the ground – where did you invest your time?
Lots of great companies have started either in the garage or in the kitchen and we were one of those that spent a lot of time creating our first products in the kitchen. It was really important to us to create smoothies that were both genuinely healthy and great-tasting. In addition, we wanted our smoothies to be completely smooth. Oatmeal in a bottle doesn’t sound so appealing but as anyone who’s enjoyed a bottle of Oatworks will tell you, our smoothies are lump-free and totally delicious.

How do you use events to expand the reach of your brand?
Events are very important to us. They give us an opportunity to engage with our consumers. That’s hugely valuable, because it allows us to tell our story and get consumers to experience Oatworks. Sampling demos, for example, are particularly helpful in overcoming any preconceptions consumers may have about the taste or texture of an oat-based smoothie. The feedback we receive from consumers at events is essential in helping us shape our brand and our products. Events also allow us to associate our brand with certain types of consumers and their associated lifestyle choices. This helps to build our brand equity and enables our consumers to identify more closely with our philosophy and image.

What is the coolest use of technology you’ve ever done for your brand or events?
Being able to post pictures from events as they happen is incredibly cool. We already take this sort of technology for granted but it’s incredible when you think about it that you can communicate with fans who aren’t at that event and make them feel part of it.