S3E9: Mel Walmesley on Walking intuition, food and family

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For this episode of Sukany4 – The Podcast, I walked with Mel Walmsley along Scout Scar, just above Kendal. It is one of those walks that gently opens out, offering big skies, long views over the Lyth Valley and plenty of vistas to take in. For Mel, this walk is deeply personal. It is somewhere her grandparents, parents and now her own family have walked for years, a place of many happy memories and a go-to regular walk. It was definitely the perfect choice of walk to share with me as we reflected on the journey that brought Mel to where she is today.

Cumbrian through and through

Mel is Kendal born and bred, with a short spell away studying performing arts in Liverpool before returning home. That early decision to come back, driven by instinct rather than obligation, set the tone for much of what followed. Throughout our walk, Mel returned repeatedly to the idea of trusting your gut, even when logic or expectation might suggest otherwise.

Before founding her own business, Mel’s career took her through graphic design, hospitality, accounts and sales. Each role added a layer of skill and perspective, even if at the time it did not feel like part of a grand plan. Looking back, it is clear how those experiences quietly shaped what came next.

From a bungalow kitchen to a thriving food business

The seeds of Lakes Sandwiches were planted on a beach in Mexico in 2008, during Mel’s honeymoon. A conversation with her mum about food quality, provenance and cost sparked an idea. Why was good, locally sourced food so hard to find in workplace catering and food to go?

What began as a small operation from her parents’ bungalow kitchen quickly gathered momentum. Mel kept her full-time job initially, testing demand and learning fast. Within months, it was clear the business had legs. Taking the leap to go all in happened during the financial crisis, a big and bold move, relying on careful numbers and that deeply founded trust in instinct.

As the business grew, so did its shape. Outside catering, cafés, food to go and eventually prepacked sandwiches for local retailers all evolved organically, often in response to customers asking “could you also do this?”. Whilst growth was never forced, it was always with intent.

Navigating growth, people and responsibility

One of the biggest shifts Mel described was moving from being responsible only for herself to employing a team. Learning how to lead, support and trust others was a steep curve, especially as the business expanded into a commercial unit and took on more complex operations.

That team became crucial during the pandemic. While hospitality work stopped overnight, the food to go side of the business kept moving. Local garages and shops, suddenly dropped by national suppliers, turned to Lakes Sandwiches. What had once been a slow burn area of the business became the lifeline that carried it through COVID and out the other side stronger.