Scott Thomas and Eden Thomas didn’t seem like the obvious choices to head up a health brand. Especially in the middle of a pandemic.
Scott was putting on parties for a living and running a PR agency – becoming a TV star in his own right via Love Island and Mancs in Mumbai – whilst Eden was jet-setting across the world in the cockpit of an airplane.
But after the world went into lockdown, the pair became the faces of fitness in Manchester.
In August 2020, Scott and Eden launched a movement called ‘Food4Thoughts’ – building a membership community that’s now 600-strong.
In the space of eight months, the company has hired 15 full-time members of staff, taken over a tannery in Stockport as an office space, and transformed the physical and mental wellbeing of hundreds of local people beyond recognition.
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The rapid progress has come as a surprise – even to the owners. But with a bespoke diet plan allowing members to enjoy their favourite guilt foods in moderation – it’s easy to understand how Food4Thoughts achieved instant popularity.
Not only do members get their own mentor, nutritionist and fitness guru supporting them every step of the way – they also enjoy access to their own bespoke plan, which flexibly fits around whatever they want to eat.
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“If you want a glass of wine every night – we’ll make it work,” Scott explains.
“Want a Maccies on the weekend? We’ll make it work.
“It’s all about finding the balance and the best plan for you.”
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After acquiring a reputation as something of a party boy in his younger days, Scott decided to go teetotal – committing himself to eating better and finding other enjoyments outside of tearing it up on the weekends.
He began streaming his fitness journey online, but was stopped in his tracks when his lifelong friend Eden spotted him tucking into ‘rabbit food’ day after day.
Eden carefully explained to Scott that a boring diet wasn’t necessarily the best way to get fitter – and the duo began working closely together on a tailored plan.
The results surpassed Scott’s expectations, and he realised they could turn it into a brand – a support service giving people a means to count calories, make smarter choices and see better results in a shorter space of time.
An idea that began in Scott’s kitchen in summer 2020 has now blossomed into a community of likeminded people who want to get themselves fitter, faster – whilst making fewer diet sacrifices.
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“With Food4Thoughts you can achieve your goals by having the foods you love,” Scott explains.
“The fad diets – keto, whatever it is – all basically bundle up same thing in a different way: Calorie deficit.
“What we do is give people the tools they need. It’s about breaking down myths and preconceptions in the diet world.
“Some of the transformations we’ve seen have been remarkable – both physically and mentally.”
With more firepower behind the brand, fresh focus will be placed on marketing planning and software in the months ahead, with Food4Thoughts preparing to move away from pure Zoom calls and set up outdoor sessions for members such as bootcamp and retreats.
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The company is also looking at building a coaching academy and getting nutritionists on board in the future.
“We’ve already a got a strong team of powerful, knowledgeable and supportive people,” Scott explains.
Watch co-founder Scott Thomas talk about Food4Thoughts on The Manc Podcast.
Style
Chanel fashion show in Manchester brought a staggering £8m boost to the city
Daisy Jackson
The total value of the massive Chanel fashion show in Manchester has been revealed, along with that the amount it cost in public money.
Early analysis of the global event, which saw Thomas Street in the Northern Quarter shut down and turned into a runway, suggests it generated a whopping £8m impact for the local economy.
And it’s estimated that the value it’s had for the city overall through national and international media coverage will be worth at least £100m.
Chanel’s Metiers d’Art fashion show was held earlier this month and had the city in a flurry of excitement, with celebrities spotted including Hugh Grant, Tilda Swinton and Kristen Stewart.
They, along with names like Aitch, Bugzy Malone and Alexa Chung, were seen leaving fancy hotels and partying at venues like Salford Lad’s Club and Victoria Baths.
And now Marketing Manchester has valued the direct impact of the 600 Chanel guests and staff for the show to be worth £8m in direct income.
That includes staying in hotels for three to four days, spending in the local economy while they were here, and other expenditure like venue hire.
The Chanel show in Manchester is expected to attract even more investment, jobs and opportunities for Mancs too.
A main criticism of the show was how much it was costing the city to shut down one of its busiest streets for the week – the answer is nothing at all.
The council has confirmed that Chanel met all the associated costs, including cleaning, road closures, and recompensing the businesses affected by the event, with no cost to Manchester’s public purse.
In addition to that, 50 fashion students from Manchester Metropolitan University were invited to work backstage at the Chanel show, dressing models and supporting rehearsals.
Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig said: “The Chanel event is one of the highlights in the global fashion calendar and the choice of Manchester as the host city received international acclaim.
“But for us it was never about the glitz and glamour – events such as this help cement Manchester’s reputation on a global stage and come with both direct benefits, through the money spent within our economy while they are here but also indirect benefits by showcasing the city and helping to capture investment, jobs, visitors and attention, all of which open up opportunities for Manchester residents and communities.”
Victoria Braddock, Managing Director of Marketing Manchester, said: “The scale of the impact of the Chanel Métiers d’art show in Manchester will be felt for years to come.
“The global media coverage of the event has put a spotlight on Manchester and its rich heritage in textiles and home of iconic music, which will drive conversations about the city and bring new visitors.
“The £8m economic impact is a welcome boost across accommodation, restaurants, and attractions, and demonstrates the importance of global events in the city.”
Sephora to open megastore at Manchester’s Trafford Centre next spring
Daisy Jackson
Beauty fans rejoice – Sephora has finally announced plans to open a store in Manchester, and soon.
The world-famous retailer, which stops luxury skincare and makeup brands as well as cult items, has secured a spot in the Trafford Centre.
This will be the third UK store for Sephora, which currently has two shops down in London.
And after a fair bit of teasing and plenty of rumours, they’ve confirmed that their next megastore will be right here in Greater Manchester.
The brand have shared an image of hoardings inside the Trafford Centre, plastered in Sephora’s black and white branding.
The signs read: “Manchester, you called it. Our first Northern store in 2024.”
Sephora says it will ‘redefine the beauty landscape in the North with an extraordinary product range that caters to the diverse needs of beauty enthusiasts’.
Cult brands stocked at Sephora include Huda Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, The Ordinary, Glossier and Makeup by Mario.
Sephora wrote on Instagram: “You heard correctly — Sephora is coming to the TRAFFORD CENTRE, MANCHESTER.
“Get your shopping baskets ready as we’re on our way up north! More to be revealed soon, see you in 2024…”
The Trafford Centre shared: “You asked, we listened! The wait is over….your @sephorauk opens late Spring 2024.”
Sarah Boyd, managing director of Sephora UK, said: “We are extremely excited to bring Sephora to Manchester, one of the most vibrant cities for beauty in the UK.
“Expanding our presence beyond London is something that consumers have been screaming out for, and we are listening hard to them when deciding where to go next.
“The Trafford Centre, known for its iconic atmosphere and diverse retail offering, is the perfect location for our third store.”
Russell Loveland, managing director at Pradera Lateral – Trafford Centre’s Asset Managers, said: “This iconic beauty giant already has a cult following, and our own social media has been blowing up with enquiries from excited customers eager for Sephora to open.
“We are very proud Sephora chose the Trafford Centre for its next location, which will be its first store in the North of England, and know it will be a fantastic success and a great addition to our strong international brand lineup.”
One person commented on Sephora’s Instagram post: “This is the best news I’ve heard all year!”
Another said: “OMG ITS HAPPENING, STAY CALM”
And someone wrote on Trafford Centre’s post: “Omg omg can’t wait.”