Babies & Business
I had a 6-month-old baby boy when the penny dropped on the idea to create a chilled veggie + fruit bar. I'd experienced post-natal depression and was coming to terms with a melanoma diagnosis at 37 weeks pregnant. It felt like I could count on one hand the hours of sleep I'd had in those 6 months. My mind had never been foggier. Yet the clarity I got when the idea for the bars came to me was life-changing.
It took 8 months of home kitchen experiments to come up with something that somewhat resembled the veggie bar I had in my head. I experimented with different veggie + fruit puree combinations for my son and used the leftovers to mix with dry ingredients for the bars. The taste was great, but the mouthfeel was mush. How do I get it to bind more easily?
I tried adding more dry ingredients, but this pushed the fresh veggies + fruits down the ingredient list, and I wanted them at the top. I tried baking and dehydrating to remove some moisture, but that took away my unique selling point – a fresh, chilled veggie + fruit bar. I played around with natural preservatives and concentrates, but that meant an unrecognisable ingredient in a list of otherwise whole, real foods.
I had non-negotiables, but I knew I had to compromise on some things. For instance, the bars were initially going to be called The Ugly Bar. I wanted to use "ugly" produce, but sourcing was unreliable. I wanted it to be made from 100% Australian ingredients, but finding a consistent supply at an affordable price was unachievable. I wanted this product to reach as many mouths as possible because everyone can do with an extra serving of fruit and vegetables. But I knew I couldn't make this myself and needed to find someone who could.
One day, I was in my local grocer when I picked up a cold-pressed juice and noticed it had a longer shelf life than most. I looked into it and discovered those juices go through HPP or cold pressurisation to retain the nutrients and extend the shelf life. The juices are submerged in cold water and pressurised to kill off harmful bacteria. I'd never heard of HPP before, but the more I researched, the more convinced I was that this technology could work on the bars.
For HPP to be effective, the bars had to meet certain requirements—a high water activity level, a low pH, and packaging that could withstand extreme levels of pressure and water. I knew a bit, but I took the bars to someone who knew a lot.
He sampled the bars, connected me with a manufacturer, food scientist, packaging company, and retail expert, and left the door open for me to contact him with any questions. He was my guardian angel, connecting the dots when I couldn't. He never took a cent off me but gratefully appreciated the food hampers and thank you cards as payment. He showed me that with unwavering perseverance, you can create something from nothing, and I will never forget his and generosity in doing so.
So, that's how Bar None came to be. A little slice of innovation, a whole lot of determination, and a sprinkle of kitchen magic. It's not just a snack bar; it's a testament to the power of perseverance and the joy of creating something truly extraordinary.
