If you’ve ever tasted the sugar-free chocolate pecan muffins and chocolate brownies from the NuMe premixes, you’d probably be curious to know more about the company, and who is behind this sensational range, which also includes seed and dried fruit snacks, NuSeed.

The company is Nutriseed, and the founder is mompreneur Nadine Hardy Petzer, who kicks off the first of my “mompreneur” series here.

What did you do before Nutriseed?  

I worked at BMW in sales and to be totally frank I hated every minute of it. The job was highly pressurised and it was a very volatile and toxic environment. 

Although it was a high-paying position, it got to a point where I knew I had to get out. It became more important to follow my dreams and as a fearless risk taker with a can-do attitude I took a leap of faith. Although it was scary to leave what I knew, I have found real fulfilment in my role at Nutriseed.  

Why did you start Nutriseed? Did you feel that there was a gap in the market?  

I was too free spirited for a structured corporate life and felt unhappy and stifled in my previous job and had to feed my burning desire to create and develop. I have a passion for innovation and I am constantly trying out new things, testing and developing new recipes.

I believe that we have a generation coming that wants great tasting good foods that are not at the price of their health. I would like to be the one to pave the way for food manufacturers to start listening to the needs of the consumer. I foresee that within the next 10 years we will have a healthier version of most products on shelf. My job is to transform and develop new products that taste good – but are better for you. Food that’s not a compromise. 

So in a nutshell – my aspiration for health inspired me and Nutriseed was born. 

I have to admit I jumped in with high energy and low expectations, but once the business was established, I realised that I was a born entrepreneur. I love dancing to the beat of my own drum. Continually learning is really important to me and I get plenty of that running my own business. I am also inspired by peoples’ lives and their dietary struggles and in turn finding and developing solutions to them.   

Although I do understand needs, specifically dietary needs when I began the business it was not directly linked to detailed industry analytics and was more closely connected to my passion and my intuition. As a mother I also have an innate understanding of what it means to want to feed your family nutritious and delicious food and so the journey began.  

What is your food or health background?  

I didn’t have one when I started the business. I was just an exceptionally healthy eater and when I started playing in the food space I entrenched myself in the industry, studied and completed a Nutrition diploma.  

Describe Nutriseed in 5 words 

Flavour, nutrition, convenience, snacking, family. 

Where are your products made and packaged?  

Our full range is manufactured in our factory which is located at our Nutriseed headquarters in Northriding, Johannesburg.  

How are you involved in the development process?  

I am behind all product and recipe development at the company and as an intuitive serial innovator I am dedicated to excellence and have an uncompromising commitment to quality.

Passionate, dedicated and driven by my desire to create; I’m not afraid to execute new ideas and love to experiment with new ingredient combinations in the kitchen. 

Constantly innovating and introducing new lines, we are determined to provide more choice, more convenience and plenty of guilt-free pleasures that are good for you.  We try and help consumers to build a bridge between bad eating habits and a healthier lifestyle, without compromising on taste and convenience. 

There are no shortcuts to good health and that’s why we produce food with integrity; we believe in our products and their ability to change people’s lives. Many of our customers rely on our gluten alternatives for their wellbeing – while others recognise the benefits of clean eating and consciously choose our low carb, high protein, wholesome food.  

With that as the backdrop – I will always be involved in new product development.  

What product are you most proud of? 

That’s easy – our NuMe Not so Naughty Brownie Mix. It took a year to finalise and perfect that recipe and I baked in the region of 200 to 250 odd brownies almost daily before I was happy with my formulation. 

Made from the finest ingredients that are actually good for you, they truly are the most delicious, decadent yet healthy brownie you could hope to eat.  

What does a typical day look like for you?  

I take my six-year-old son Ethan to school before arriving at the office where I start the day with two boiled eggs and a delicious cappuccino with almond milk.  

I check my emails and tend to be in and out of meetings until 12:30 when I fetch Ethan from school. I absolutely love this part of my day. I take him home, make lunch and then head back to the office for a few more hours.  

You only have one life and your body is the vehicle through which you will experience it. For this reason, my day always includes some form of exercise and I love boxing. After a light dinner I try and get an early night because I’m normally up at 05:00 every day.  

Make sure you fill your tank with good fuel. Pay attention to your body – respect it and nurture every part of your being: body, mind and soul. 

 What are your plans for 2020?  

Nothing is ever static at Nutriseed and 2020 will be no different. Expansion is on the cards with plans to launch some new healthy beverages that support gut health; more specifically Kombucha and Kefir ranges.

This will require physical expansion too and we hope to take over the factory next door to our current premises. I am a huge believer that wellness begins with gut health which is a reality people are starting to grasp and we are really excited about these new probiotic-rich lines.  

If you know of other incredible mompreneurs who you think should be featured here, please comment below, or email me here.