When bodo first launched in 2022, we were attending a lot of ecommerce conferences to meet brands and spread the word about our sustainable, same-day delivery. We quickly got fatigued by the large halls filled with hundreds of stands, fifty meter tall ceilings with bright office lights that made you lose all sense of time, and the impersonal nature of these “mass gatherings”.
Don’t get us wrong. These conferences are necessary for all industries, and they certainly gave us a great introduction to the UK consumer brand landscape. But we thought that we could organize them a little better, doing it our way, adding some soul into them.
We decided to organize a series of events called “Backed & Stocked” bringing together brand founders, consumer investors, and retail buyers together. We focused on creating a vibe that created real connections while also being genuinely enjoyable (and interesting). Founders, buyers and investors were able to discuss the latest trends at an awesome venue over a drink (or two) and with our homemade Spotify playlist playing in the background.
Our inaugural Backed & Stocked event took place at raye the store (by the one-and-only Nicole Compen), and brought together brand founders, buyers and investors. The panel featured Victoria Imorelli (Investor, JamJar Investments), Sophie (Senior Buyer, Planet Organic), and Sayde (Senior Buyer, Tesco). In the middle of our talk we even got a surprise visit by James Corden and Julia Carey who upon seeing a display of brands stopped by to ask what the event was about.
Our second Backed & Stocked event at the bodo facility in Hackney, and featured a draft beer truck by Wolfpack Lager, amazing oven-baked pizza from a local food truck, and a tasting of upcoming CPG brands. The highlight of the event was a panel featuring Amelie Salas (Co-Founder of underwear brand, Underdays) and Sophie Luck (Investor, Felix Capital). The discussion covered everything from how founders should think about raising, to dissecting creative advertising campaigns which Underdays had done.
We’re excited to see where Backed & Stocked goes next. Stay tuned for updates and we look forward to seeing you at the next event.
