Hi! I’m Victoria Ionas, the new Digital Marketing and Content Executive here at Blenders, and I’m excited to take you behind the scenes of our latest content shoot day. As the newest addition to the team, this was my very first experience on a Blenders content day, and it offered an exciting glimpse into the artistry and effort that go into creating our recipes and brand visuals.
One of our main goals is to tell Blenders’ story through vibrant visuals and engaging moments, and this shoot was the perfect opportunity to see that process in action. From recipe creations to our new series, “Behind the Blend,” which introduces some of the incredible people who work in Blenders, it was a full, exciting day packed with creativity, teamwork, and a few laughs along the way. Let me take you behind the scenes of what was both an inspiring and delicious first content day at Blenders!
Overview of Blenders Content Days
At Blenders, we’re dedicated to bringing a little happiness to people’s lives every day—not just through our world-class sauces, but also through the engaging content we share with our customers. We keep plugged into industry trends with market visits and by conducting regular market research. Our Business Development Chefs, Aidan and Nick, constantly develop new concepts and recipes in partnership with our customers. Our marketing team ensures that our social media and website content is fresh and inspiring. That’s why our teams collaborate closely to plan our content and shoot days, ensuring we create materials that are relevant, inspirational, educational, and, hopefully, enjoyable!
We host regular shoot days to keep our content fresh and aligned with the latest trends and seasonal ingredients. Each shoot is carefully planned to capture a variety of recipes and visuals that resonate with our audience. By anticipating what our customers want—whether it’s seasonal dishes, cooking tips, product launch updates, or innovative uses for our products—we ensure that our content informs, inspires and excites our community.
Planning Stage
Our planning stage for each content shoot is a meticulous process that begins about a month in advance. For the October shoot we focused on a theme of cosy winter meals, perfect as we transition into the winter season and approach Christmas. We identified seasonal ingredients and relevant products to feature, such as our Cranberry Sauce, our new Allergen-Free Bouillon, and our Vegan Mayo, which is now available in a new 10L size. Multiple meetings were held to develop and finalise recipes with the chefs and outline the deliverables we needed from the shoot. This involved creating detailed briefs for the photographer and videographer, as well as for the chefs tasked with developing the recipes.
To prepare for our new “Behind the Blend” series, we provided notes for the chefs and staff participating in the video segments, ensuring everyone was ready for their speaking parts. We also prepared and sent some fun questions for our team members taking part in this series to answer. We carefully selected shot compositions for the videos and curated a styling brief and mood board for the food photography. A comprehensive schedule was established for the day to keep us organised. We planned which props and ingredients needed to be purchased and allocated time for the chefs to practice making some dishes, allowing them to perfect the recipes before we hit the set. This level of preparation ensures that each shoot runs smoothly and produces the high-quality content we strive for at Blenders.
Lights, Camera, Action!
On the day of the shoot, our team arrived early at the development kitchen to kick off with a quick chat and to set up the space. We arranged the kitchen to look perfect on camera, making sure everything was tidy and rearranging furniture as needed to give our team plenty of room to work efficiently. The chefs prepped in advance, ensuring all ingredients and utensils were segmented for each recipe, which helped keep things running smoothly, as we had five recipes and three “Behind the Blend” videos to complete. Our photographer and videographer set up their camera equipment and lighting, while our team members participating in “Behind the Blend” arrived on set. The chef guided us through each step of the recipes we shot, while the videographer provided input on framing and shot details before each take to ensure everything ran smoothly. Since each recipe had a unique style and format, the videographer collaborated with the chef beforehand to outline his vision and shot list, aligning everyone for a cohesive shoot.
After each video, the chefs prepared for the following recipe. Meanwhile, the photographer, videographer and I styled the completed dish and captured the necessary photos, focusing on varied angles and shot types to bring out the best in each dish. We paid close attention to the styling brief, ensuring each dish was presented in the most appetising way possible and told a unique story. I enjoyed learning more about food styling during this process, contributing my ideas, and watching the vision come to life. Styling dishes like the Boston Seafood Bisque, Chickpea and Chorizo Hotpot, and our Pork, Sausage, and Cranberry Sausage Rolls was especially fun.
Capturing Authentic Moments
Our content days are a blend of hard work, creativity, and camaraderie. The team had a great dynamic, and our chefs, Aidan and Nick, especially enjoy these sessions as a chance to collaborate and showcase the versatility of our products. Capturing authentic moments was a priority, as these reflect our brand story. We documented candid, behind-the-scenes interactions—team members sharing laughs, chefs immersed in their work, and spontaneous exchanges that add warmth and relatability to the content.
The “Behind the Blend” series was especially rewarding, providing a relaxed setting for team members to share their personalities. With natural, unscripted responses to engaging questions, each person’s unique energy came through, which will hopefully allow our customers to connect with the people and passion behind Blenders.
Overall, the content day ran seamlessly, thanks to the strong teamwork and clear communication across the team, which ensured we captured everything we needed. We also got the chance to sample, some of the dishes throughout the day, which was a delicious bonus that everyone appreciated! Surprisingly, my favourite dish of the day was the Roasted Red Pepper & Chickpea Vegan Toastie, which was our final recipe.
By the end of the day, we were all a little tired but proud of what we had accomplished together.
We can’t wait for you to see the final results of this content shoot! From cosy winter recipes to candid moments with our team, each piece of content tells a story that we’re excited to share with you. Keep an eye on our website and make sure to follow our social media channels, where we’ll be revealing these delicious recipes and behind-the-scenes glimpses over the coming weeks. Get ready for hearty, comforting dishes, creative ways to use our products, and a closer look at the amazing people behind Blenders. We think you’ll love what’s coming up— so stay tuned!
– Victoria Ionas, Digital Marketing & Content Executive
