Turning Rejection into Success: How MOMO Kombucha Landed Selfridges
Second chances can change everything. Back in 2019, MOMO Kombucha was an up-and-coming brand selling a few hundred bottles a week. After a rejection from Selfridges forced a rethink and reformulation, they pitched to them again. Just weeks later, their product landed on the shelves. We caught up with the co-founder, Josh Puddle, to hear how he approached the pitch and what it takes to get listed at a national retailer.
Can you take us back to that Bread & Jam Festival in 2019 - what stage was MOMO Kombucha at when you stepped into that pitch?
We'd been trading for just under a year. We had built up ~20 stockists, mostly cafes and independent retailers around South East London near where we lived. We were selling around 300 bottles per week.
What made pitching to a Selfridges buyer such an important opportunity for MOMO at that moment?
We were desperate for a "Big Name" to give us more credibility. We'd already been rejected by Selfridges, as the buyer I was speaking to didn't like one of our SKUs, our Tropical flavour, which they said wasn't very "Tropically" and they didn't like the idea of Tropical anyway.
We'd recently changed that SKU to an Elderflower so I knew we were in with a better shot.
Did you tailor your pitch specifically for Selfridges, and if so, how?
It was my first official "pitch." Before MOMO I worked as a stockbroker in the city, and whenever we had an important meeting with a client we'd print off our deck in a little, professional A5 booklet. I'd prepared one of these for Selfridges and sent it off to the printers. But, it never arrived as it had got stuck at the courier depot. I woke up super early before Bread and Jam to head to the depot near the Old Kent Road, super stressed, but luckily they had it and the guy there kindly gave it to me.
When I got to the pitch, I had so much to say, and knew I only had 5 minutes. I barely drew breath, flipping through my slides, talking like a robot.
The buyer I was meeting was Louise Allen, and I could feel her body language and facial expression saying "chill out" but I couldn't get out of robot mode.
What do you think made your pitch land so well?
No idea. Sheer passion and enthusiasm perhaps. She definitely liked the taste and look of the product and I definitely knew all the information. I didn't leave anything to chance.
Looking back, how significant was that Bread & Jam pitching opportunity in your growth journey?
At the time it felt hugely significant, and launching in Selfridges stands out as a big moment. What I'm far more proud of is that we're still in there seven years later and we've done some cool activations with them over the years.
How long did it take from pitch to listing and getting on shelves at Selfridges?
About 4-5 weeks. The listing happened rapidly after Bread and Jam.
What’s one piece of advice you would share with a founder looking to smash their pitch?
Know everything, but don't try and projectile vomit all the information to the buyer as I did.
Try to relax and keep it conversational.
Where is MOMO Kombucha now, and how has the business evolved since then?
After Selfridges, we continued to grow organically and add other big name stockists over the following years: Planet Organic, Whole Foods, Ocado, Riverford, GAIL's and many more. We are still focusing on making the best-tasting kombucha out there.
Don’t miss the biggest event of the year for FMCG challenger brands! Bread & Jam Festival is back on 14th - 15th July.
