Ep 79 David Ferreira: Baking Things Better - Bob & Pete’s Recipe for Leading with Purpose

Episode Summary

In this inspiring episode of the For Love & Money Podcast, Carolyn Butler-Madden speaks with David Ferreira, Head of Marketing at wholesale bakery Bob & Pete’s, about their transformative journey toward becoming a purpose-led business.

What started with one passionate junior marketer asking the tough questions—“What are we doing for our community and our planet?”—has evolved into a deeply embedded purpose strategy that permeates every part of Bob & Pete’s operations.

From waste reduction and food donations to employee engagement and redefining sustainability in the food industry, David shares the real, raw and practical story of how purpose—“Baking Things Better”—became the foundation for stronger culture, deeper customer relationships, and sustainable profit.

This episode is a must-listen for business leaders, marketers, and purpose-driven professionals seeking to integrate meaningful impact with business performance.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✔ How Bob & Pete’s uncovered and activated their business purpose: “Baking Things Better”
✔ The surprising origins of their purpose strategy—and the impact of one junior employee’s bold questions
✔ How purpose drives decision-making across safety, sustainability, and innovation
✔ The creation of the Foodbank Donut and how it's helped provide nearly 60,000 meals to Australians in need
✔ Practical insights on engaging employees and embedding values deeply into business culture
✔ The importance of measuring what matters—from waste, power and water usage to employee engagement and customer alignment
✔ How being purpose-led helped Bob & Pete’s achieve top-tier results in Gallup’s global employee engagement benchmarks

Key Themes Discussed

• Purpose in Practice: How Bob & Pete’s purpose drives everyday operational decisions, from food safety to packaging and energy use
• People First: Embedding values across the workforce, from factory floor to leadership, and measuring impact through employee engagement
• The Power of One: The ripple effect of one young employee’s purpose-fuelled initiative that sparked systemic change
• Purpose-Driven Innovation: Turning food waste into new products and repurposing bakery waste to benefit the community and environment
• Strategic Partnerships: The evolution of a deep, meaningful partnership with Foodbank that goes beyond donations
• Courage and Conviction: Navigating internal pushback to stay true to a long-term purpose-led vision
• Impact Aspirations: David’s bold vision for reaching 100,000 donated meals through the Foodbank Donut initiative

About Our Guest – David Ferreira

David Ferreira is the Head of Marketing at Bob & Pete’s, a wholesale bakery supplying quality baked goods to cafés across Australia. With a rich background in FMCG marketing and operations, David brings a deeply human, practical and strategic approach to leading purpose within the business.

Over the past seven years, he has championed Bob & Pete’s purpose journey—from guiding the articulation of their higher purpose “Baking Things Better,” to embedding it in their values, operations, and stakeholder relationships. David is a passionate advocate for businesses being a force for good, showing that purpose doesn’t just inspire—it delivers.

Connect with David and Bob & Pete's

Bob & Pete's website

David Ferreira on Linkedin