BEHIND THE BRAND with Meraki Superfoods
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Well well well, let me introduce you to the women behind the brand… Steph Hughes, Steph is the founder and CEO of Meraki Superfoods and boy oh boy does she have a story for you!! So grab yourself a coffee & strap in for a wonderful read.
WHAT IS IT THAT YOUR COMPANY REPRESENTS?
We are on a mission to improve people’s health, knowledge and happiness through the power of Moringa and its SUPERFOOD friends.
HOW DID MERAKI SUPERFOODS COME TO BE? WHERE DID IT ALL START?Â
Steph: Life events created a shift that led me to a drastic change, after being unwell with symptoms presenting as extreme fatigue, hormone imbalances, lacking most vitamins, presenting deficient in most areas, adrenal fatigue, infertility (the list is endless). I realised that my current course of treatment was not working and if I continued down this road I was only going to deteriorate further. This led me to deep dive into everything health-related. I started to have a deeper understanding of the body from reading health journal after health journal and knocking up all kinds of superfood concoctions. I literally fell in love with health and wellness. This is where I truly flourished & realised how simple & easy it is to include Superfoods in our daily diet. I could not believe what I learnt, the more I learnt, the more I realised how powerful plants are for the body in particular Superfoods!
The overall nutrient density of these amazing plants is unreal, after travelling to India, spending months reclaiming my health, I learnt further about Moringa (which I claim transformed my health & my life).
I realised that making these super-powerful plants, fun and accessible to everyone would make a huge impact on so many people’s lives. Most people use products daily so why not use the products that actually work, that are 100% pure nourishment to your body and drive your body to thrive.
HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN CREATIVE?
Steph: NO, well I didn’t think I was, I’m from a corporate Business background managing Millions of dollars in business, so the complete opposite to life now. I suppose for me creativity wasn’t the pull, it was more about the ingredients and the holistic health benefits which I love. Luckily I have an awesome graphic designer!
WHAT WAS THE FIRST PRODUCT EVER MADE?Â
Steph: The first product made was Super M, it was so exciting putting what I had researched, learnt and discovered while traveling India into a product that could benefit so many people. This had been years in the making in my mind and researching before I actually launched. It was very nerve-racking, however, something was pushing me to just JUMP!
WHAT DOES YOUR DAILY LIFE LOOK LIKE AND WHERE DO YOU FIND THE TIME TO CREATE?
Steph: Daily life, well there is never a dull moment! I start my day with a workout either a run or a strength session or BOTH (depending on how energetic I feel). Then my husband and I have a coffee by the ocean and spend time watching the waves, this is where I find I am most creative & where the ideas flow. The ocean for me reaffirms some of my internal drivers, it breathes health and through our business start-up phase, one of the challenges was our packaging. Everywhere we turned we were encouraged to create plastic packaging due to price, however, our love for the ocean made choosing home compostable packaging a non-negotiable. It is now & always will be one of our core commitments.
WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU IN YOUR COMPANY?
Transparency, we want our customers to know and feel confident that anything they buy from us is made from 100% clean, natural ingredients with no toxins or any hidden nasties including our packaging. We believe health is both inside and out, what you put on skin should be as clean as what you put inside your body.
WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR MATERIALS?Â
Steph: We source our main ingredients direct from a native farm.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THE SUNSHINE COAST COLLECTIVE MARKETS?Â
Steph: There are so many awesome people, one-off creative products and ideas that are made and sourced locally it’s a fantastic place.
IF YOU HAD ONE PIECE OF ADVICE TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?Â
Steph: It’s going to be a full-on ride so always make time in your day for yourself to breathe, find space and take a moment, like a few minutes by the ocean watching the waves. The biggest thing I learnt is to not act emotionally even when you want to but to react with facts. Learning this has been huge now I make much better, clear, smarter business decisions and lastly celebrate successes don’t get too caught up that you miss your wins.
TELL ME ABOUT A TIME WHEN…
Steph: There are so many stories, you make so many silly mistakes that you look back and laugh at. From ridiculous small packaging turning up that honestly couldn’t fit a pea. To making my husband sick with some of our recipes (do not worry it’s delicious now) but yes there are so many where you have to laugh or you would cry.
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