How Cheeky Panda Grew a £15M Sustainable Brand from a Bedroom Idea, with Chris Forbes (episode 569)
Chris Forbes is the co-founder at Cheeky Panda, leading the bamboo revolution selling toilet paper, period products, kitchen roll and more. Founded in 2016 they now sell via multiple international Shopify sites, and a plethora of wholesale and marketplace locations. Turnover is now £15,000,000 a year, and did I mention they’re a B Corp?
In this episode, Chris shares how The Cheeky Panda went from a simple idea to a household name — and the smart decisions that made it possible. From building sustainability into the business to creating fun, memorable marketing, he reveals what it really takes to grow a purpose-led brand that scales.
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Dive in:
[04:24] “Sustainable Innovation with Purpose”
[07:36] Expanding Bamboo Product Range
[12:01] Supermarkets Prioritizing Sustainable Suppliers
[13:47] Pricing and Quality Drive Success
[16:12] “Cheeky Panda: Fun & Friendly”
[21:14] Channel Strategies: Pros and Challenges
[22:36] Listen to Chris’s Top Tips!
Focus on Your Core Strengths—Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
Chris stresses the importance of keeping your business focused on what it does best. He advises that non-core functions like finance, operations, and warehousing should be managed through standard systems or outsourcing rather than built from scratch. This keeps your energy and resources focused on the most valuable parts—creating top-notch products and engaging marketing. Trying to vertically integrate too early can drain resources and create unnecessary complexity. Stick to your strengths, and let experts handle the rest.
Listen to Your Customers When Expanding Your Range
The Cheeky Panda team expanded their product range based directly on customer and retailer feedback. Chris shares how initial demand for new SKUs came from people asking for variations like facial tissues or sanitary products. They always assessed if a new product fit their brand and met a real market need, rather than chasing every idea. Not every trial worked, but the successes came from this audience-led approach. For eCommerce brands, paying close attention to customer requests can reveal the best ways to grow.
Sustainability Is Now Essential, Not Just a USP
Years ago, being eco-friendly could set your brand apart, but Chris explains that sustainability has become an expectation among half of all consumers. Certifications and strong sustainability practices are essential to access major retailers and to future-proof your business against changing legislation. However, he’s clear: you still need a great product at the right price. Today, winning in eCommerce means blending sustainable practices with quality and brand appeal, not relying on eco-credentials alone.
Omnichannel Presence Meets Customers Where They Are
Chris discusses the shift from favoring direct-to-consumer sales to seeing value in being present wherever customers shop—whether online, in supermarkets, or via other channels. He highlights that “60% of people in my category buy their toilet tissue from the grocers,” so it’s unrealistic to expect them all to buy online. Success comes from having your products available in the customer’s preferred channel. This omnichannel strategy helps build recognition and trust, rather than focusing on steering all sales to one channel.
Collaboration Beats Costly Digital Ads for Growth
With the rising cost of acquisition on platforms like Google and Meta, Chris Forbes is a fan of partnerships and affiliate marketing. He recommends audience-sharing and collaborative marketing as lower-cost, high-impact growth strategies—especially with like-minded brands targeting similar audiences. Traditional leaflet swaps and in-parcel inserts, which had fallen out of favor, are now making a comeback for direct-to-consumer engagement. This approach not only stretches your budget but also leverages mutual trust with partners’ audiences, setting your brand up for sustainable growth.
eCommerce Book Top Tip
- Predictable Revenue: Turn Your Business Into a Sales Machine with the $100 Million Best Practices of Salesforce.com by Aaron Ross and Marylou Tyler
eCommerce Traffic Top Tip
- Chris champions affiliate marketing and brand collaborations as powerful, underused traffic drivers.
Tool Top Tip
- Chris highlights Monday.com (and its CRM) as the tool his team couldn’t live without.
Carbon Top Tip
- Chris’ advice is clear — don’t just offset, take ownership. He believes offsetting is a “cheater’s way out” and urges eCommerce brands to dig into their supply chains, work with responsible partners, and ask tough questions.
Interview links
Related Episodes
- Taking a sustainable, money saving brand to £5m a year with Helen Rankin from Cheeky Wipes (episode 388)
- Loyalty Points, Referrals, and User-Generated Content with Laura Crawford from Mama Bamboo (episode 446)
- Growth Masterclass with ex-Who Gives a Crap Head of Growth Jenna Tanenbaum (episode 509)
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