Starting any kind of business from scratch is hard, but the logistics required to build a successful food or drink business can make the whole thing feel even more daunting.

Before you even go about coming up with a product that sticks out in an often-saturated market, you have to wrap your head around the intricacies of the food and drinks industry. And that’s not forgetting the process of dealing with everything from manufacturing to distribution.

But despite the challenges involved with starting a food or drink brand, it’s far from impossible – as Little Moons co-founder Vivien Wong has shown. In 2010, Wong left behind her successful job in the City to set up Little Moons with her brother Howard, and since then, the pair have taken their ice cream mochi balls all over the world (Little Moons is currently the UK’s fastest-growing ice cream brand and is now sold in 28 countries).  

While Wong and her brother grew up watching their parents manage their family bakery and shared their passion for food, the prospect of bringing a product to life was still a daunting experience.

“You could say that I knew a little more than the average person, but I also knew I was bringing an entirely new product to the UK,” Wong tells Stylist of her experience starting Little Moons.

“Howard and I had a tremendous amount to learn from how to develop products from scratch to selling into food service and retail. The development process was very much a test-and-learn approach – we knew what we wanted the end product to be (delicious gelato ice cream encased in a really soft and delicate mochi dough), but it took two years to perfect the process and recipes before we began selling mochi to restaurants.” 

The development process wasn’t the only challenge Wong and her brother faced. Over the years, they’ve come up against numerous hurdles, including working out how to introduce an unfamiliar product to the UK market. 

Looking back now, Wong says she’s “incredibly proud” of how far the business has come – but that didn’t make those initial hurdles any easier.

“We faced so many challenges,” Wong explains. “We were essentially introducing a new format to people that had never eaten ice cream in that way or tasted mochi before, and because of this, when we first started, no distributors wanted to list us. We were told it was not worth their while listing us as the business ‘wouldn’t be around in six months’.” 

The decision to manufacture their own products rather than outsourcing – which is typically unusual for a food business – also presented a challenge. “We had to build a factory, source the right equipment and then train team members how to make mochi,” Wong adds. “An expensive process, but it was absolutely the right decision as we were in control of the manufacturing process, and it’s still how we work today.”

If one thing’s for sure, Wong and her brother have learned a lot since they first started Little Moons over a decade ago. But what advice would she give to someone who is right at the beginning of their journey? To find out more, we asked Wong to share her top tips for people looking to start a food or drink business.

Whether you’ve got a product idea in mind or just want to know more about the process of starting a food or drink business, keep reading to check out what she had to say.  

Focus on your goals

“Remain focused on your goal and the bigger picture,” she says. “You may get distracted along the way but make sure to keep your eye on the prize.”

Do your research

“Understand the industry you’re getting into – it’s super competitive,” Wong says. “Make sure to decide on your distribution model, too – are you d2c (direct to consumer via your website) or via supermarket or both? This will guide your development from day one.”

Push yourself

“Get comfortable performing outside of your comfort zone,” Wong recommends. “That is where growth happens.” 

Take care of yourself 

“Invest in yourself and you will be investing in your business,” Wong explains. “Sleep well, exercise and make sure you turn up to work ready to give it your all.” 

Images: Vivien Wong/Little Moons