Meet the Maker: Raww & Bloom

We have a super exciting guest on the blog today, and if you are a parent, you will definitely want to stick around - especially if you are dealing with picky eaters and the daily battle of hitting that 5-a-day goal.

Today, we are chatting with the founder of Raww & Bloom, an innovative brand that is making everyday nutrition simple and stress-free. Their expert-formulated Strawberry Swirl vitamin powder mixes perfectly into smoothies, yoghurts, milk, breakfast bowls, or whatever your little ones like best! Turning ordinary meals into a nutrient-packed treat that kids actually love - all without any artificial nasties or hidden sugars.

We sat down with the inspiring busy mum behind the brand to talk about what makes Raww & Bloom different, what vitamins children need most, and what it really looks like running an award-winning business from the ground up. So be sure to stick around!

Hi Stacey, and a big welcome to the blog!

To kick things off, we’d love to hear a bit about you! Where does your massive passion for health and nutrition come from, and how did Raww & Bloom actually come to life? 

My passion for health and nutrition really grew from my own journey. Growing up in the 80’s food was often about convenience and as I got older I found myself becoming much more interested in what I was putting into my body and how food could genuinely nourish and support us. I moved to Australia where I lived for 4 years and I would say this had a big impact on me as I started to discover healthier, more natural ways of creating food that was both nutritious and delicious.

My passion became even more important to me when I became a mum. I became increasingly conscious of the foods I was giving them and wanted to create healthy nutritious options that they would enjoy. 

As they got older and started to become pickier with foods I found a lot of products, even items you would expect to be ‘healthy’ like strawberry yoghurt, contained a lot of sugar. I remember thinking, wouldn't it be nice if there was a product which could give you the flavour and added vitamins which you can just add to the basic natural version, this is how Raww & Bloom started.

That is so true. Your product definitely fills a big gap in the market! Building a brand from the ground up takes serious work though, what has been your single favourite highlight so far? And on the flip side, what has been the biggest hurdle you have had to overcome? 

My highlight has been seeing my children enjoy the product and want to share it with their friends, seeing them proud of you and what you have created has been a highlight for sure. A hurdle I have had to face is getting myself out there and known, which I am still in the process of doing. I know I have a good product. The challenge is communicating that value effectively and helping parents recognise what makes Raww & Bloom different.

Absolutely, and with so many kids' vitamins falling short of your clean standards, getting Raww & Bloom into parents' hands is crucial.

It’s actually pretty shocking how many vitamins aimed at children are secretly packed with sugar and nasty fillers. What are the major red flags parents should look out for when scanning ingredient lists? 

A lot of multivitamins have a widespread of vitamins but if children are getting a balanced diet they might not need all those vitamins and could be overdosing without you knowing. This is why the vitamins chosen for Raww & Bloom are all water soluble vitamins meaning the body will use what it needs and excrete the rest. In multivitamins there can also be lots of sugar under different names and artificial colours or flavours and preservatives.

Yes exactly, but thankfully not Raww & Bloom! Instead, you've committed to using only clean, safe, and wholesome ingredients. Can you take us behind the scenes of your formulation process? Let's Talk Strawberry Swirl! 

Yes of course, so while the original idea for Strawberry Swirl came from me, I knew that developing a product specifically for children required specialist knowledge and expertise. I therefore hired a reputable specialist supplement manufacturer, working alongside my dedicated food scientist to bring the concept to life. I was clear I wanted a product that was natural, no added sugar, dairy free, gluten free, needed to taste great and be able to blend into a range of different food products.

We went through a number of samples and refinements testing everything from flavour to texture and how easily the powder mixed into different milks and everyday foods. It was important to me that Strawberry Swirl was not simply something that looked good on paper, it needed to be something that children would genuinely enjoy.

It is without a doubt something the whole family will love! While on the topic of formulation, the children's supplement market is dominated by gummies, you chose to go the powder route. What drove that decision? 

I chose a powder because creating a truly natural gummy without relying on processed ingredients can be challenging. More importantly, I wanted to create something that could easily fit into a family’s existing routine. Rather than children having to eat a specific gummy, parents can simply add Strawberry Swirl to everyday staples such as milk, yoghurt, smoothies or cereal. It makes adding extra nutritional goodness much more flexible and effortless.

It really does. Getting children to take vitamins is usually a battle, but your Strawberry Swirl powder tastes just like a treat. How did you make it so delicious without adding any nasty ingredients? Tell us about what's inside. 

I think this is where I have to give a special shout out to Gabriel, the food scientist who worked closely with me throughout the formulation process. He had the expertise to know which fruit powders would work best together to create the right flavour profile and then it was a case of fine tuning the formulation until we found the perfect balance.

For me, it was really important that the natural strawberry flavour was the star of the show, without needing to rely on unnecessary ingredients to make it taste good.

Totally! Following that, out of all the flavours you could have started with, what made you pick strawberry? 

I know, as a chocolate lover I was tempted to go with chocolate. However, a lot of children like strawberry flavour foods and the strawberry flavour means I can achieve a lovely fruity flavour which can go a lot better in more of a variety of foods. I would love to add more flavours but as a starter flavour, strawberry was definitely our first choice.

Yes, it goes great with so much! We are obsessed with the muffin and bliss ball recipes on your site! What is your absolute favourite way to use the powder at home? 

Our favourite way to use the powder for my children is to add it into porridge or Weetabix.  A spoonful added in at the end with a spoonful of honey and they get strawberry flavoured breakfast easy and without extra artificial ingredients from strawberry flavoured cereals.

Delicious!

So, it tastes great, but family life is always non-stop. How can busy parents easily fit this powder into their kids' daily routines without adding extra stress?

So easily, with a powder it is so versatile, we have even taken it on holiday with us to help when eating abroad. It can be mixed easily into anything, just one spoonful (depending on recommended serving size) mixed into milk for a milkshake, yoghurt for strawberry flavoured yoghurt, porridge at the end of cooking, smoothies, muffins. The good thing about Raww & Bloom’s Strawberry Swirl is children can do it themselves. I have come down to my children sprinkling it onto their pancakes my son has made as he’s a bit older now, or making up a milkshake or yoghurt. Having something so easy that children can do it themselves definitely helps us parents out.

Oh that is amazing! Speaking of helping parents out, let's talk about picky eating. Beyond using your powder, what’s your number-one tip for helping parents hit that "5-a-day" fruit and veggie goal? 

A smoothie bowl, so easy to do just shove everything in your blender and done. You can hide spinach, lettuce and other fruit or vegetables so by the end of the morning they have hit that 5 a day. You can add in a spoonful of Raww and Bloom’s Strawberry Swirl for a strawberry flavour and added vitamins.

Brilliant idea! And, for parents who are new to vitamin powders, what are the standout nutrients in this blend that really help children bloom? 

The Vitamins in Strawberry Swirl were carefully selected with children’s everyday nutritional needs in mind. The blend contains vitamin C alongside a range of essential B vitamins, all of which are water soluble.

One of the stand out nutrients is vitamin C. our bodies cannot produce vitamin C themselves, so we need to obtain it through our diet. It plays an important role in supporting the normal function of the immune system, as well as contributing to a number of other important functions within the body.

As any parent knows, children are constantly sharing bugs and picking up the latest cold and so for me, vitamin C was a natural choice for the blend. 

100%, vitamin C is a must!

Moving on, we would love to know more about your routine as a working parent. What does a typical day look like at the Raww and Bloom HQ?

A typical day at Raww & Bloom HQ starts with getting my children ready for school, making sure they have a healthy breakfast and packing a nutritious lunchbox.

I then like to take an hour for myself to move my body. I find that prioritising exercise first thing really sets me up mentally and physically for the day ahead.

I will then work through emails, business administration before focusing on my weekly business plan. A big part of my role is developing our marketing strategy- creating ads, planning video content and finding new ways to communicate what makes Raww & Bloom different. No two days are really the same though, as a small growing business I’m involved in everything from the product development and marketing to operations and planning for the future. I think that’s one of the things I love most about being a founder- there’s always something new to learn, create or improve. 

Yes, and we are so excited to see Raww & Bloom grow and support more families. What would you say is the most heartwarming feedback or success story you’ve received from a parent since launching? 

Our first ever review. Their review was literally the reason why we started Raww and Bloom and to see that it was being used in the way intended and helping parents was a moment when you realise I’m helping other parents and that is such a good feeling.

It must feel amazing to help other parents as a mum yourself! How has your firsthand experience as a parent influenced your product development and the overall mission of the brand? Are your children the official chief flavour testers? 

Being a parent meant I had ready and willing taste testers from the start! But it also meant I had a whole community of mums through 2 different stages of schooling (high school and primary school) whose concerns I understood and wanted to try and create a product for. A couple of my friend’s children struggle with gluten free foods and so when creating this product I knew it had to be gluten free to help those parents and to offer them more variety of food options.

The inclusivity is awesome. We love that it works for vegan families, too! 

Right, before we wrap up, we know our readers will be eager to try this for themselves. Where can they find you?

Our website www.rawwandbloom.com is our only platform for purchasing at this present point in time. First time buyers can receive a 15% discount using the code W3LCOM315. However, we would love readers to engage with our socials for healthy recipes and future promotions.

A huge thank you to the founder of Raww & Bloom for chatting with us!

Be sure to head over to their website to make the most of their discount code for first-time buyers - it is the perfect time to stock up! Also, make sure to follow their socials for fun inspiration, and a sneak peek at what is coming next.

Thanks for reading!