Full Interview: Everymite

Product: natural nutritious organic superspread alternative to vegemite

Creator: Cinnamon

Can you tell us a bit about your brand and products and what inspired you to create it?

I created EveryMite- the allergy friendly superspead. It is a raw, organic, clean vegemite- like alternative.

I created EveryMite quite a few years ago however only took it to market about a year ago. There are now 3 versions of EveryMite now as it has been so popular. "The Original", "Low Aussie Salt" and "Fodmap Friendly".

I made it as I had a small child with food intolerances to yeast, soy, gluten, eggs, dairy, nuts, melons and potato. These food intolerances were causing him ongoing gut issues. Eating Vegemite, for example, would make him sick. There were no alternatives to Vegemite that my son could safely eat so over a few years I created one.

Once our family, neighbours, friends and friends of friends tasted EveryMite, it was in demand. Its demand has continued to escalate from my local community, to my state and now throughout Australia as people with food intolerances learn there is a Vegemite alternative they can eat. There is huge demand from even more people who don’t have food intolerances yet love EveryMite because it gives them a healthier spread – one that is preservative-free and nutrient dense

What roadblocks and challenges have you encountered while creating your brand and products?

How have you juggled mum life, working and developing products at the same time?

It has been tricky and I have had to make a lot of sacrifices. I was working a lot at the start of starting my business to fund it. I then have had to stop working so much as EveryMite has gotten busier as I cannot manage everything,

I have been lucky to lean on friends and family for support when needed. My middle son, 19years old, was about to go to Uni when I started EveryMite. Unknowingly, and unprepared for the interest, EveryMite grew and my son deferred his studies to help me. He worked alongside me for almost a year. Without him there was no way I would be where I am today. He has now left home to joining the army and he still asks me all the time how EveryMite is going as he is so interested.

As I was making manufacturing and distributing EveryMite myself, some friends and family would assist when we had lots of orders which was invaluable support. My husband would help me pack orders at night. My Mother in law even came over from New Zealand for a couple weeks to assist me in the business when I was busy.

With my son leaving for the army I knew that I could not sustain doing every job myself. As such I worked quite hard to find a manufacturer that could continue to make it by hand for me and a distributor that could sell it to the shops for me. With these now in place it has given my a little bit of breathing space and has enabled me to start planning more for the business as well as be able to spend more time at home with my son.

What’s your biggest motivation for continuing to work on your brand and products?

Having food intolerances is tough. Really tough. I had no idea until I had a son who got terribly sick from eating food that did not agree with him. It is very difficult to find foods that you don’t have to always make. It is also difficult to travel, eat out, and just do normal things like everyone else. To have numerous food allergies or intolerances can be debilitating and isolating for many people.

To bring just one product to the market that can make life easier for these people, people like us, is what motivates me every day. I receive so many emails and messages to say thank you. I have had Mothers call me to thank me as their son can not eat a vegemite like spread. Women that have said that they now take it with them in their bag and on holidays as it assists them with food options. People that tell me that they haven't eaten Vegemite in years however loved it...and now that there is EveryMite they are in heaven.

We personally eat EveryMite everyday. We take it on holidays with us. If we are going out to the park, school, a café...It is usually with us then also due to the large number of foods my son can't eat. It makes our life easier and I love knowing that it does the same for other families also.

You obviously have amazing work ethic and strive to deliver quality in your brand, what is the biggest lesson you’d like your kids to learn from you?

To be honest, real, caring and hard working.

My children have always seen me work hard. It's important that they know that things don’t just happen, and that we have to work hard to make them happen.

I have always been real and honest with them. This is the only way. Some people like this and some people don’t. Everyone is different. Don’t be discouraged if someone attacks who you are...if you know you are alright, just keep going.

I have shown them how to care for others and why this is important. Engaging with and caring for others in society is something I have always role modelled to my children. In my business I have set up a small charity and community engagement section also and even though I am a small start up business I always give back when I can.

What would you tell others who are also looking to create their own product line and brand?

I would tell them to take small steps. Do the research. Try different things. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but make them small ones you can recover from. Do believe in yourself, and be positive about what you can achieve. I would also say to be flexible, and be prepared that there are going to be challenges, but that’s okay as that’s part of the journey.

I make a large number of products myself as I need to as my son eats organic nutrient dense allergy friendly. We are also low tox. I make my own milks, bread, crackers, deodorant, body lotions, cleaning products...many things. I actually started trying to bring my body products to market first. These were beautiful and popular however it was a hard market to get into and making the lotions is very time consuming. I spent a bit of money developing these first and taking them to market. I didn’t last long with this, and because I started small I was able to then easily shift my focus to EveryMite without losing too much time and money or motivation. I still make these things, however for ourselves. EveryMite was a needed product as there was a gap in the market, and it is something I knew I could have made by someone else at some stage also.

webpage: https://www.everymite.com.au/