THE NEWT IN SOMERSET

I worked with this award-winning country estate for two years, adding depth and character to its commerce side. Across retail, website and wholesale, my work was varied and responsive, from product launches and marketing emails, to campaigns, web content, video scripts, press releases, social posts and more.

Working with The Newt reinforced what I’ve long believed – the key to building brands that people genuinely engage with lies in consistency and quality across every customer touchpoint.

Marketing emails:

Packaging:

Ads (print, social) & POS:

Website pages:

MARKS & SPENCER

I worked with this beloved British retailer in two phases. First I was part of their in-house design studio, collaborating with packaging and digital designers on numerous product launches – including M&S's first cook's ingredients range and the creation of The Collection sub-brand.

Later, the Wine team brought me in to write labels for their vast range. I worked with the in-house winemakers to craft tasting notes and stories for hundreds of products, plus the M&S Wine Club. I then conducted a customer research/design guidelines project on the psychology of wine packaging.

Packaging copy:

Wine writing (back labels, online, wine club, design guidelines):

WESTCOMBE DAIRY

One of the 'big three' artisan cheddar makers, I've worked with Westcombe since 2013. I initially rewrote their website, then made them an entirely new one (design, build, the works). Later, I created a second site for their culture supplies business, and when Covid hit, worked with them to develop their online store. Along the way, I crafted lots of product copy, blogs, press ads and flyers for them.

Working with a business so passionate about beautiful food is the best kind of work, always.

Postcards (copy and design):

Website (copy, design & build):

SAINSBURY’S

My 'big break' came in 2004 when I landed the role of sole copywriter on the first rebrand of Sainsbury's Taste The Difference range. Working with Brewer Riddiford (now BrandMe), I wrote copy across 3,000 premium food and drink products in every category.

This wasn't just churning out product descriptions, it was about creating a consistent sub-brand voice that made premium food accessible and desirable for everyday shoppers. The job was intense, relentless, and ultimately career-defining – launching me as a specialist food and drink copywriter and teaching me what copy actually works at scale, and what's just fluff.

Packaging copy (click to enlarge):

AHMAD TEA | GALERIE DU THÉ

I started working with this British tea merchant in 2019, initially on SEO copy for their e-commerce site and expansion to Amazon – creating distinctive product descriptions across hundreds of SKUs that would rank well and reflect Ahmad Tea’s world-renowned quality.

I then helped to develop Galerie du Thé, their premium artisan tea brand. This needed elevated language and a sophisticated voice that would resonate with connoisseurs. I worked with the team on the packaging and website – naming, describing and crafting stories to bring out the uniqueness of the teas and position Galerie du Thé as a world-class luxury brand.

Packaging copy, product naming, web content, SEO descriptions, brand development, brand voice:

BEAU CACAO

Beau Cacao is a bean-to-bar chocolatier that makes the finest chocolate I've ever tasted. Run by couple Bo and Thomas, they source cacao directly from plantations in Malaysia, then handcraft their bars in the French Alps, where they've built their own cacao-processing facility.

Bo and Thomas also designed their own packaging, and approached me to write the copy. Once I tasted the chocolate I was completely enthralled, so wrote them a rallying mission statement and detailed tasting notes – which in turn helped to inspire the packaging design.

Packaging copy, brand story:

QUINTA DA FORMIGOSA

Quinta da Formigosa is a small winery in Portugal's Douro Valley. The owners approached me to write back labels for their range – copy that would also live on their website. We discussed the wines, the estate, the uniqueness of the Douro, and the constraints of small label space.

My task was to capture the essence of the wines and how they reflect the terroir, distilling that into concise, evocative tasting notes that would tempt and inform readers. It was a lovely project – thoughtful winemakers, beautiful wines, and the kind of work that reminds you why specialising in food and drink is such a pleasure. They were happy with the results, and so was I.

ROBERTS VINEYARD SERVICES

Neil Roberts got in touch in late 2020 and asked me to craft copy for two new websites – one for his viticulture business, the other for his personal wine cellar. Writing both simultaneously, I merged B2B technical writing with B2C storytelling to capture his laid-back Californian style.

Being a wine nerd myself, it was fascinating to interview Neil at length about his long career farming vineyards on California's beautiful Central Coast. As a pioneer of regenerative farmeing, his work represents the future of sustainable viticulture, and I enjoyed bringing that story to a wider audience.

PEYTON AND BYRNE

Peyton and Byrne is a bakery and café from restaurateur Oliver Peyton. I worked with him for several years on packaging and online copy, menus and decor. From chocolate bars and jam labels to tea boxes and café interiors, I wrote copy that complemented the brand's beautiful design and captured its much-imitated mix of British nostalgia and contemporary elegance.

Peyton and Byrne is strongly associated with designer Mark Farrow, who created the iconic look of the brand. Working closely with both Oliver and Mark – two visionaries who take a unique approach to the hospitality world – was a real pleasure. It was varied, creative work, and I always got a kick out of seeing Peyton and Byrne packaging on other designers' mood boards, from M&S and beyond.

Other notable work