Butternut Box is on track to become Europe’s #2 pet food brand, but still feels like a “secret discovery brand.” Interim Brand & Creative Director Sarah Keegan reveals how she’s using her mat leave cover to reset the brand platform, overhaul design and prepare Butternut for its next decade.

Welcome to the Marketing Hustle - a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts.

Today’s guest is Sarah Keegan, Interim Brand & Creative Director at Butternut Box - the DTC pet food brand that’s quietly become Europe’s leading fresh dog food provider and is on track to become the second largest pet food brand across the continent.

Sarah stepped into her maternity cover role with a reputation for thriving in transition moments and she hasn’t wasted a second. Instead of just “holding the fort,” she’s set about putting the foundations in place for Butternut’s next 10 years: a new visual identity, a brand platform, a creative agency pitch and a sharper positioning that matches the business’s true scale.

In this conversation, Sarah opens up about:

• Why Butternut’s perception as a “small challenger” no longer matches reality

• The difference between fighting against something (kibble) and standing for something bigger (the love of dogs)

• How to break down silos between brand and performance with small, everyday rituals

• Why events, referrals and ambassadors are still central to Butternut’s growth story

• The commercial rigour and cultural rituals that make Butternut tick
  

We also dive into Sarah’s career across three very different challenger brands (OVO Energy, Vertical Aerospace, Butternut Box) and why the best marketing work happens when you’re brave enough to fight for the bold ideas.

This episode is packed with lessons on scaling challenger brands into decade-defining category leaders.