How to Turn Product Passion into Brand Power with Matthew Carver (Pick & Cheese)

What happens when you turn one product into a branded point of view?

Matthew Carver is the founder of The Cheese Bar, The Cheese Barge, and Pick & Cheese, the world’s first conveyor belt restaurant dedicated entirely to cheese. What started as a bright yellow grilled cheese truck at music festivals has evolved into an international hospitality brand with locations across the UK, Berlin, and now NYC.

Matthew shares how testing ideas in low-risk environments shaped his expansion strategy, why experience design matters as much as product quality, and how embracing opportunity (even before you feel ready) can unlock unexpected growth.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✨ How to build a brand that stands for more than the products you sell

✨ Why starting small can be the smartest way to build something big

✨ What experience-driven concepts teach us about modern consumer demand

✨ How to expand your brand strategically without losing focus or quality

✨ Why local sourcing and strong partnerships strengthen brand equity

A lesson in how specificity becomes strategy and a sneak preview of New York City’s coolest, new concept coming this spring.

Matthew’s creative inspiration:

Book: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek

Brand: Walsh shoes

Beverage: Matsu Spanish red wine

Song: “Lights Burn Dimmer” by Fred Again and Jamie T

Listen or watch HERE.