40 Minute Mentor

Episode 9

October 3, 2019

Building The UK’s Leading ‘Anti Food Waste’ Brand with Jenny Costa

In today’s episode of the 40 Minute Mentor, I’m joined by Founder and CEO of Rubies in the Rubble, Jenny Costa.

Having started her career in finance, Jenny soon realised there was a bigger cause she felt passionate about.

After reading that one third of all food produced globally is wasted, she knew she had to see it with her own eyes. So, one morning she decided to visit the New Covent Garden wholesale fruit and veg market. Her visit ended with her cycling back with baskets full of perfectly good and yet unsold produce. Produce that would have otherwise gone to landfill.

That’s how Rubies in the Rubble, the UK’s leading ‘anti food waste’ brand, was founded. In 2011 Jenny started making and selling chutneys, made of produce saved from the rubbish heap. Having started with a single stall on Borough Market, Rubies in the Rubble now stocks their delicious jams, relishes, chutneys, ketchups and other condiments at major retailers, such as Waitrose, Ocado, Whole Foods and a large number of independent stores.

Jenny Costa
“When you strip it back, the only fear is actually fear of failure, which is the fear of losing cash but also the fear of people laughing at you.”

Jenny Costa

Tune in to discover

30 second CV [02:59]
Passion for sustainability [04:40]
From corporate career to startup Founder [07:52]
Changing people's minds about food waste [12:12]
The early days of Rubies in the Rubble [15:06]
Scaling the team [18:40]
Raising funding through crowdfunding [20:07]
Mission vs commercial reality [23:09]
Reducing food waste [25:30]
Advice for early-stage Founders [28:50]
Hiring advice [32:48]

Listen on

Helpful links

➡️ If you want to find out more about Jenny you can check out her LinkedIn profile here – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-costa-685b474a/

➡️ If you want to find out more about Rubies in the Rubble you can check out their website following – https://rubiesintherubble.com/

We’re always keen to get feedback so if you have any thoughts once you’ve listened to this interview just drop me an email at ku.oc.cmbj@semaj

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