Crowdfunding unlocks export markets

Hawkes Bay babyfood manufacturer Norish is using equity crowdfunding to help it take its healthy baby food to offshore markets.

Hawkes Bay clinical nutritionist and mother of four Gina Urlich is on a mission to feed Kiwi babies nutritious food, saying too much of it is working against, not for their health.

She has developed a range of quick, easy, nutritious baby foods, in puree sachets, under the brand name Norish that are currently available in 35 stores around New Zealand.

The foods are freeze-dried, to capture nutrition and taste.

“New research says 67% of baby and toddler foods in New Zealand and Australian supermarkets fail to meet seven nutrition recommendations set by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) European office,” says Gina (pictured).

“Foods for toddlers performed worst, with a shocking nine in 10 toddler foods failing nutrition recommendations.

“Our purpose is to decrease diet-related diseases by enriching families’ lives through nutrient-dense whole foods.”

Gina has a background in nursing and spent over a decade working in the gynaecology, oncology and maternity ward at the Mater Mothers Hospital in South Brisbane. She holds a Bachelor of Health Science in Nutritional Medicine and has been running a busy private practice for the past 10 years specialising in women’s health and infant nutrition.

Norish is currently equity crowdfunding on PledgeMe. Gina and her team are seeking to raise a minimum of $350,000 to help them expand into Australia, followed by Asia.

The fact that their product is freeze-dried makes it especially suitable for export, as removing the water makes it lighter and easier to transport.

Investors will get shares in Norish, the benefits of which include discounts on their product, being part of early product development and in some cases, voting rights.

Co-founder of PledgeMe Anna Guenther says “We love supporting founders who are solving big problems in the world – just like Gina trying to address the lack of nutrition in current baby foods. It’s so great to see her crowd getting on board to support, with almost half the goal pledged in the first few days.”

Since launching their campaign, Norish have also seen an increase in sales, as potential investors buy their product. They are working to get their sold-out items back in stock.

The equity crowdfunding campaign is here: https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/investments/557-norish-limited