How Pubs Became Our Secret Weapon

How Pubs Became Our Secret Weapon

When people ask me how we built Salty Dog, they might expect some clever strategy or breakthrough moment. The truth is much simpler. From the very beginning, pubs were at the heart of everything we did, and that was no accident.

Before Salty Dog, I had worked for KP and Tavern Snacks (a London based van sales operation), so I already knew one important thing, a good pub can sell a lot of snacks. It might sound obvious, but that knowledge shaped everything that followed. I wasn’t trying to crack supermarkets or chase big retail listings, I was focused on a place where people were relaxed, enjoying themselves, and far more open to trying something new.

That decision turned out to be one of the most important we ever made.

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Why Pubs Work So Well

One of the biggest advantages pubs offer a challenger brand is exclusivity.  Consumers understandably tend to buy products they know and trust. In a supermarket, your product is sitting next to dozens of competitors, mostly well known brands. In a pub, it’s completely different.

Most pubs will only stock one brand of crisps.

That means if you get in, you’ve got a captive audience. People don’t stand there comparing ten different options, they simply buy what’s on the bar. And if they’ve never heard of your brand before, it doesn’t matter, they’ll still try it.

That’s your opportunity.

If your product is good enough, you win them over. It’s as simple as that. We built a huge following just from people trying Salty Dog crisps for the first time in a pub and coming back for more.

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Getting Through the Door

People often assume selling into pubs is complicated. It isn’t.

My approach has always been very straightforward. I walk in with a smile and ask for the boss. No tricks, no scripts, just a bit of confidence and a friendly attitude.

The first thing I do is establish whether they’re able to buy from me. If they are, I ask if I can leave a few samples. That’s key. You’re not trying to force a sale, you’re giving them a chance to try the product.

Sometimes that leads to an order on the spot, which is always nice. If not, I’ll pop back a few days later and follow up.

It’s simple, but it works.

A lot of people overcomplicate selling. They think they need perfect pitches or clever tactics. In reality, it’s about turning up, being genuine, and having something worth selling.

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What Makes a Landlord Say Yes

Over the years, I’ve met hundreds of landlords and landladies, and they all have one thing in common, they’re business people.

They care about margins, reliability, and what their customers want. But they also tend to have a bit of an entrepreneurial streak, and many of them like the idea of supporting a smaller, independent brand.

Price matters, of course. So does personality. And persistence helps too. But none of it works without a great product.

That’s the foundation.

If your product isn’t good, you won’t last. But if it is, and you combine that with a friendly approach and a bit of determination, you’ll get opportunities.

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The Power of Branding

One thing we realised early on was how important branding is in a pub environment.

Behind a bar, you’ve got a split second to catch someone’s eye. People are chatting, ordering drinks, not really paying attention. Your product needs to stand out from a distance.

That’s where Salty Dog really came into its own.

It was quirky, a bit cheeky, and memorable. The design made people look twice. It created curiosity, and curiosity leads to sales.

A strong brand does half the work for you. It gets noticed, it gets picked up, and if the product delivers, it gets bought again.

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When It All Clicked

For me, the real turning point came when I started venturing into London.

Up until then, things were going okay, but London opened my eyes. There were these big, busy pubs that didn’t want the usual brands. They were looking for something different, something original.

That’s when I realised I was onto something.

Pubs weren’t just a route to market, they were a competitive advantage. They gave us a platform where we could stand out, build loyalty, and grow without having to compete head-on with the big supermarket brands.

That’s when they became our secret weapon.

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Competing With the Big Boys

People often ask how we managed to compete with the big snack companies.

The answer is, we didn’t try to beat them at their own game.

We aren’t on supermarket shelves, and that actually works in our favour. It gives us a point of difference. Our products feel a bit more special, a bit more exclusive.

That makes it easier to justify a premium price.

Instead of being compared directly with mass-market brands, we carved out our own space. Pubs allowed us to do that.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

If there’s one piece of advice I would give to startups, it’s keep it small at first. Don’t chase large pub groups or national chains, thinking that’s where the volume is. The problem is, those accounts are hard to win and even harder to keep.

When you’re starting out, your strength is flexibility and personal service.

Focus on independent pubs. Build relationships. Create a base. Learn what works.

That’s how you grow something solid.

We only moved into larger groups once we had the scale and structure to support them. Trying to do it too early can break a business.

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How to Get Started

If someone wanted to follow the same path today, my advice would be simple.

Start by getting out there and testing the market.

Find products you believe in, go into pubs, and see what response you get. Don’t spend a fortune upfront on vans, warehouses, or stock.

Prove the concept first.

If people like it, if you can see momentum building, then you take the plunge. That way you already have a list of warm leads and you insulate yourself from over spending.

Too many people do it the other way round, and that’s where they can come unstuck.

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Why Pubs Still Matter

Despite everything that’s changed over the years, I still believe the great British pub is one of the best places in the world to build a brand.

There’s a huge network of independent and tenant-run pubs, and the barrier to entry is relatively low compared to other channels.

You can walk in, have a conversation, and start building something.

That’s rare.

Pubs are social, they’re local, and they’re full of people who are open to trying new things. For a challenger brand, that’s gold dust.

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The Winning Formula 

Looking back, pubs didn’t just help us grow, they shaped who we are as a brand.

They taught us how to sell, how to connect with people, and how to build something from the ground up.

If you’re thinking of starting your own journey, don’t overthink it. Get out there, knock on doors, talk to people, and back yourself.

That’s what Salty Dog is all about, ordinary people having a go, learning as they go, and sticking at it.

And who knows, your local pub might just be your secret weapon too. 🐾