December 4, 2024

Ep.

163

57:18

MIN

How to scale a challenger brand with Tony’s Chief Chocolonely Douglas Lamont (ex Innocent MD)

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In the first of a two part special on one of my favourite challenger brands of all time, Tony’s Chocolonely, I speak with their Chief Chocolonely (CEO), Douglas Lamont. Douglas is an expert in Challenger Brands, having previously led Innocent Smoothie for 15 years, guiding them through their acquisition by Coca-Cola and subsequent scaling. In this episode, we'll explore the delicate balance between maintaining a strong mission and driving business growth. Douglas also shares insights into Tony's dedicated efforts to eradicate child labor, pay fair wages, and maintain transparency in their cocoa sourcing, all while making their chocolate appealing and fun for consumers.Tune in next week for an interview with Tony's Dean of Dopeness, Sadira E. Furlow (aka their Chief Brand Officer), to find out exactly what it takes to grow a brand like Tony's.

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Creators and guests

Jon Evans

Host

Jon Evans

Host of Uncensored CMO

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Timestamps

Start

Douglas’ journey to CEO at Innocent Smoothies

Lessons on how to scale up at Innocent

Why Coke kept Innocent independent

Innocent’s approach to launching new products

Why Douglas moved to Tony’s Chocolonely

Tony’s Chocolonely origin story

Why is Tony’s chocolate so good

The B2B side of Tony’s Chocolonely

Is it more expensive to be a change brand?

Balancing a serious mission with a fun brand

Why Tony’s is so transparent

Tony’s international expansion

Challenges of being in the biggest retailer in the US

Lessons as a CMO

Creating the culture at Tony’s

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