The idea for the Nut Mill was created from our home in Melbourne as we used freshly milled natural nut butters daily as a part of our whole-foods-war on my late husband’s cancer. On our return to South Africa, we invested in a Nut Butter Mill with the strong desire to create a brand of nut butters, free from any added oils, sugars or preservatives, gaining the maximum nutritional benefits from pure nuts. Initially from our kitchen for the well-known brand Wedgewood, we soon needed a bigger workspace and converted our barn into a beautiful working space and named it… the Nut Mill.
Our brand grew from there using bright, colourful labels to fill shelf spaces with fun (inspired by my favourite tea brand Pukka, and the vibrancy of our more contemporary shwe shwe fabrics) and encourage people to make the correct choices for their health. The creative ideas flowed with different flavours, some by accident, some trying to replicate favourites from Melbourne.
The challenge of getting others to see the benefits of using nut butters as a great plant-based protein and healthy fat is harder than we thought it would be. We sell at festivals and markets allowing people to taste and explain at length the differences between a healthy nut butter and one off the shelf packed with sugar and preservatives. We rely on our community for support and with the help of some key mentors our brand has gained traction and customers have started to come to us. Our strong conscience of supporting local and growing our brand organically has led us to where we are today, a small health-focused business where quality in small batches is key.
Along with our beautiful herd of Nguni, the Nut Mill keeps me grounded, keeps me creative and keeps me learning about how to engage with people and run a small business. We hope to slowly expand into other regions with like-minded people who can appreciate paying a little more for a quality artisanal product. The next goal for the Nut Mill is to get the mills into stores so people can buy freshly milled nut butter the way we used to. So, watch this space!
Loving all things natural…
Contact us:
hi@thenutmill.co.za | www.thenutmill.co.za
WhatsApp: 0833883513
Instagram: thenutmill (follow us!)
