This edition of The Ceres Edit brings together a selection of LinkedIn posts from across the Ceres team, spanning nutrition and consumer behaviour, AI and journalism, trade PR, storytelling, people-led content and the cultural moments shaping how we eat. From the UK’s fibre gap and the changing role of AI in communications to the people behind food brands, standout client work and what Les Misérables can teach us about attention, these are some of the conversations shaping our thinking lately.
Ceres on why closing the UK fibre gap needs more than one solution
The UK fibre gap isn’t about one problem. It’s about a system.
The new British Nutrition Foundation report highlights one of the UK’s most persistent nutrition challenges: only around 4% of adults are meeting the recommended 30g of fibre a day.
But the reasons behind that gap are complex:
Taste and texture perceptions
Low awareness of recommendations
Habit, convenience and cost
And, crucially, communication.
That last point matters. Because if people don’t know how much fibre they need, where to find it, or how to make higher-fibre choices feel easy and familiar, behaviour change becomes much harder.
We’re already seeing lots of innovation in this space, with increased awareness of the fibre content of fruit and veg, bread and cereal products and new retail lines, bringing fibre front-of-mind at shelf and helping make a traditionally under-communicated nutrient more visible.
For the food industry, this creates a clear opportunity:
✅ Improve everyday staples where small changes can have big impact
✅ Make fibre easier to identify, understand and choose
✅ Innovate without compromising on taste, texture or affordability
✅ Bridge the gap between good intentions and everyday behaviour.
The important point is that closing the fibre gap won’t be achieved by simply telling people to eat differently.
It will come from making higher-fibre choices more accessible, appealing and routine.
That’s where food, health and communications need to work together.
Read Ceres’ original LinkedIn post
Naomi on AI, journalism and the ‘messy middle’
There’s a lot of noise about AI in PR, but the recent PRmoment Masterclass, AI in PR: The Age of Algorithms, Predictive Analytics & AI Risk, cut through some of it.
One session I found particularly useful was Harriet Meyer’s on how newsrooms are using AI.
Her phrase: ‘We are in the messy middle’, felt like an accurate description of where newsrooms, PR teams and clients are right now. AI is no longer a future consideration, it’s part of how we work today, but best practice around its use is still evolving.
Some journalists and editorial teams are already using AI to support parts of their workflow, from document analysis and archive searches to subbing tools, new content formats and inbox triage. Others remain far more cautious or sceptical.
For PRs, that changes how stories might be found, filtered, summarised, challenged or shaped before they reach publication.
One of Harriet’s key points was that AI can now scan, stress-test, tighten and handle volume in a way humans simply cannot. But even when AI is in the workflow, the journalist still owns the story.
And I think the same should be true for PR.
AI can help us research, test our thinking, sharpen a subject line, refine a message or look at a story from a journalist’s point of view. But we still own the judgement, the reputation risk and the quality of what reaches a journalist’s inbox.
Harriet shared five areas PR and comms teams need to think about:
1️⃣ Reputation: how are we using AI without putting client trust at risk?
2️⃣ Values: what are our non-negotiables for AI-assisted content?
3️⃣ Stories: what can we bring that AI cannot simply scrape, predict or recycle?
4️⃣ Originality: where is the data, insight, human example or expert perspective that makes this worth covering?
5️⃣ Systems: where does AI genuinely add value, and where does human oversight need to be built in?
The answer isn’t “more content, faster”, but better judgement before anything goes out. A sharper subject line, a clear top line, original data, human stories, specific, well-thought-through quotes… And a reason for the journalist to care.
In the end, the best AI users won’t just be the people who know the tools. They’ll be the people who can think clearly, write sharply and ask better questions.
💡 Not AI replacing strategy, but AI supporting better strategy.
Read Naomi’s original LinkedIn post
Cat on the trade PR coverage that stays with you
There are certain pieces of coverage that stay with you.
My first piece of national news coverage in The Sun for a National Chip Week research story back in 2009 is definitely one of them.
And now, The Grocer’s latest Focus on Cheese for Lactalis UK & Ireland joins that list.
Not just because of the volume of coverage, although the feature delivered the first brand quote and 12 separate inclusions across the piece.
But because of where those inclusions landed, and for trade PR, that is often where the real value sits.
Président Whipped Cream Cheese appeared within the indulgence and versatility conversation, Galbani Burrata Minis were positioned within the growth of Italian cheese and convenient formats, and Lindahls Protein helped lead the high-protein cheese discussion.
Together, those moments did more than showcase individual products. They demonstrated how the Lactalis portfolio connects to some of the key behaviours shaping the cheese category, from everyday usage and convenience to premiumisation, protein and shopper demand for inspiration.
With commentary from Worldpanel and Heloise Le Norcy-Trott helping to frame the wider category picture, the feature showed exactly what strong trade media can do: build visibility, support credibility and place brands within the commercial conversations that matter to retailers, buyers and category audiences.
A strong result for Lactalis UK & Ireland, and one I’ll definitely be keeping hold of.
Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ewxb_mEs
Read Cat’s original LinkedIn post
Maddie on why the people behind brands are becoming part of the story
I've realised something recently... 👀
I used to follow food and drink brands. Now, I'm just as interested in following the people behind them.
A few years ago, I couldn't have told you who was developing products for some of the UK's biggest retailers. Now I find myself looking forward to Kathryn Turner's posts and videos just as much as the next M&S food launch 👏.
Not because they're polished. Not because they're trying to "go viral". But because they give you a genuine glimpse behind the curtain.
The thinking behind a new product. The excitement of bringing something to market. The reality of what goes into creating products that millions of us end up putting in our shopping baskets 🛒.
Which has resulted in over 100k followers on her TikTok 🫡👏.
It got me thinking... 💭
As marketers, we spend a lot of time asking how we can make brands feel more human. But maybe the answer isn't always another campaign.
Maybe it's giving the people behind the brand a platform.
Consumers don't just buy products anymore. They buy into the stories, expertise and personalities of the people creating them. I know I'm certainly becoming a fan of the people behind the brands, not just the brands themselves.
As someone working in digital, it's definitely changing the way I think about content strategies for food and drink brands. Are we moving towards a world where the people behind the brand become just as valuable as the brand itself? I'd love to hear if anyone else has noticed this shift 👇
Read Maddie’s original LinkedIn post
Naomi on why attention isn’t always about saying less
We talk a lot about shrinking attention spans.
Shorter content, faster hooks, simpler messages, and less time to give people a reason to care. And, yes of course, there’s some truth in that.
But a couple of weeks ago, I went to the Royal Albert Hall to see Les Misérables, and it was a real reminder that people will still give their time, focus and emotion to a story when it feels worth it.
Les Misérables is not short, it’s not light, and it really asks a lot of its audience!
And yet, more than 160 years after Victor Hugo published it, people are still filling theatres to watch the same characters, conflicts and emotions unfold. Plenty of them not for the first time, either.
I don’t think the lesson is that every story needs to be bigger, longer or more emotional. Instead, it’s that people are more likely to pay attention when they understand why the story matters to them.
The tension behind the information, the emotion behind the decision and, most of all, the reason to care.
Facts, data and proof points matter. But on their own, they rarely make people care.
Story is what gives them shape.
And in a world where everyone is competing for attention, the answer is not always to say less, but to be clearer about why people should care in the first place.
That’s my midweek sermon 👏.
Read Naomi’s original LinkedIn post
Ceres on bringing a new food brand to life in the Kitchen
One of our favourite things about the Ceres Kitchen is seeing a new brand come to life in front of the camera 📸
Earlier this month, we spent the day shooting Henry’s Deli, a new range from RH Amar | B Corp™ inspired by Mediterranean deli favourites and made for everything from everyday meals and cooking to picky bits, grazing and informal entertaining.
From plump Greek olives and slow-roasted tomatoes to colourful antipasti, we created a bank of product and lifestyle imagery designed to capture the colour, flavour and sharing occasions at the heart of the range, ready to use across PR, social, retailer materials and beyond.
Named after RH Amar’s Chairman, Henry, the brand brings together authentic ingredients, traditional preparation methods and long-standing relationships with trusted producers across the Mediterranean.
And the feedback made the day even better: “Best one yet! Everyone loves the pictures internally.”
A big thank you to everyone involved, and congratulations to the RH Amar team on the launch of Henry’s Deli 🫒🍅
Read Ceres’ original LinkedIn post
Maddie on why cultural moments influence what we eat
We made paella for the World Cup Final… mainly because we didn’t want to support Argentina 🥘😂.
It started as a slightly petty dinner choice, but it got me thinking about how much cultural moments influence what we eat.
We didn’t just watch Spain play. We wanted the whole evening to feel like we were backing Spain, and somehow, paella became part of that.
Food has an amazing way of helping us participate in an occasion. Strawberries at Wimbledon, turkey at Christmas, pancakes on Shrove Tuesday… certain foods become part of the ritual, not just something we happen to eat.
And for food and drink brands, that feels like an important distinction.
People don’t only buy products. They buy into moments, traditions and the feeling of being part of something.
The interesting opportunity isn’t always simply asking, “What season is it?” Sometimes it’s asking, “What is happening in culture, and what might people want to eat while they experience it?” 💭.
Has a sporting event or cultural moment ever influenced what you’ve cooked or bought? And most importantly… was choosing paella an acceptable level of pettiness? 😂.
Read Maddie’s original LinkedIn post
Ceres on celebrating two very well-deserved promotions
We’re delighted to share two very well-deserved promotions at Ceres this month 🎉
Rebecca Moreland, who works her magic across consumer and trade media, has been promoted to Junior Account Manager. In a short space of time, she has built relationships with key journalists, delivered a fantastic consumer event and secured exceptional coverage in gold-tier titles. Calm, positive and always smiling, she has a brilliant instinct for a story, a real understanding of what makes the media tick. She also occasionally provides the office soundtrack with an impromptu singalong 🎤
James Goodridge, our content expert and go-to for influencers and partnerships, has been promoted to Digital Account Manager. From shaping social strategies and creating standout content, to building strong creator relationships and bringing campaigns to life, he brings energy, expertise and personality to everything he does. It’s no surprise that our clients are big fans too 👏
Both Becky and James have worked incredibly hard, grown in their roles and have made a real impact across the business.
We’re very proud of you both. Huge congratulations! 🥂
Read Ceres’ original LinkedIn post
Ceres on welcoming Charlie to the team
A very warm welcome to Charlie Fuller, who has joined Ceres as Senior Account Director 👋
Charlie joins us from Waitrose, having previously worked at M&S Food, bringing a wealth of experience across some of the UK's most recognisable food brands and campaigns.
From championing British produce and sustainability stories to leading influencer programmes, food trend campaigns and even supporting a royal occasion or two, Charlie's experience combines strategic thinking with a deep understanding of the food sector.
At Ceres, she'll be leading work across accounts including Yakult, LoSalt and A.H. Worth, while contributing to strategic planning, creative communications and new business initiatives across the agency.
Charlie told us the team felt like "my kind of people" from the moment she walked through the door, and we're delighted to say the feeling was entirely mutual.
Welcome to the team, Charlie. We're thrilled to have you on board 🌱
Read Ceres’ original LinkedIn post
We’ll be back soon with the next edition of The Ceres Edit, bringing together more of the posts, perspectives and themes shaping our thinking at Ceres.
