News Year 10 Innovation and Leadership Students Meet Innocent Smoothies Co-Founder, Richard Reed 02.06.2026
On Tuesday 2 June we were delighted to welcome Richard Reed, co-founder of Innocent Drinks, who delivered a fantastic talk and question and answer session for our budding Year 10 entrepreneurs studying our Innovation and Leadership course.
Richard described how, with his two best friends, they developed the idea for the smoothie drinks business on a snowboarding holiday. Richard had promised his mother to eat fruit everyday, and there was a gap in the market and an opportunity to develop a smoothie that was both healthy and delicious. He told the story of how, with his friends, they bought £500 of fruit and made 1000 bottles of smoothie which they sold at a music festival in Parsons Green with people voting on whether the guys should give up their day jobs and follow their dreams by putting their empty bottles in a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ bin. Richard spoke candidly about the challenges of building a business, explaining that it took 18 months of hard work, persistence and resilience before Innocent became established. Along the way, they faced numerous setbacks and encountered many people who doubted the idea could succeed. He emphasised the importance of having a clear vision, creating a product that people genuinely love, and maintaining the determination to overcome obstacles.
Students were particularly interested in Richard’s reflections on teamwork. He highlighted the value of working with people whose skills and strengths complement one another, and explained how this diversity of expertise was crucial to Innocent’s success. The girls also enjoyed learning about the company’s commitment to ethical sourcing, sustainable packaging and charitable giving.
Today, Innocent is the leading smoothie brand in both the UK and Europe, and Richard has gone on to co-found JamJar Investments. He spoke about the qualities he looks for in aspiring entrepreneurs and the factors that influence investment decisions. While a strong business idea is important, he stressed that success ultimately depends on the people behind it—their vision, determination and ability to turn ideas into money-making businesses. Richard encouraged students to be ambitious, take calculated risks and not be afraid of failure, reminding them that many successful entrepreneurs experience setbacks before achieving success. It was a truly inspiring session and a wonderful opportunity for our students to gain first-hand insight into the realities of entrepreneurship from one of the UK’s most successful business founders.