Interview with Ineke Nugteren, founder of Nourish

Inspiration

Snacking is an institution in the UK, a food trend that is benefitting from increasingly packed diaries, longer working hours and ever growing ‘on the move’ commitments.’

However, the parameters regarding what qualifies as a great snack are increasingly laser focused as growing numbers of consumers want snacks that boost their nutritional intake and offer real health benefits whilst still tasting fantastic natural ingredients.

Find out why and how Ineke Nugteren founded Nourish, indulgent snacks that care for your gut and balance your blood sugar, backed by nutritionists.

What was the thinking behind Nourish?

Nourish is an ambitious custodian of the noble coconut, a superfood that has slipped under the ‘healthier living’ radar, a well-balanced functional snacking range that seeks to support good gut and hormonal health by supporting those who struggle with debilitating energy spikes, blood sugar imbalances and poor digestion.

This is a well-rounded range of goodies (high fibre brownies, coconut bites & macaroons, chilled dessert bars, cookies and macaroons), that proactively support a gluten-free, refined sugar free and dairy-free agenda that mirror Ineke’s own dietary priorities.

‘In a healthier snacking fixture where date and cereal themed propositions rule the roost, I wanted to bring something very different to the healthy but indulgent debateWe’re 100% committed to only sourcing ingredients from trusted UK co-operatives, never dabbling with seed oils, cheap grains and lazy fillersMuch of our range is organic but not exclusively!

When did you first suspect that you were onto something special?

There have many clues that we are treading an interesting path, from a very ‘early doors’ distribution win in Selfridges through to enviable alliances with Abel & Cole, Fortnum & Mason, Daylesford and WholefoodsIn more recent times our growing presence within prestige meta offices, a proud alliance with Virgin Upper Classes and an enviable repeat purchase rate in Ocado were all telling clues.

What’s the favourite product within your entire range?

Never easy to have favourites, but I’d say our cacao macaroons was the first product launch when the sheer scale of public response alerted us to the fact that we were onto something really specialSimilarly, our high fibre brownies have a momentum all of their own, with a capacity to take our business to the next level.

Most recently our collaboration with OMGTEA and their AA-grade Japanese matcha has not only highlighted the benefits of working with like-minded partners, but the scope to visit tired, staple categories (e.g. biscuits) and bring something very bold and moreish to the party.

What’s your career background?

I initially trained as a nurse in New Zealand and specialized in intensive careAfter a short stint in Africa working at an orphanage as a nurse and teacher and started working within Practice Health CareMy key fields of expertise were travel medicine, respiratory health and nutrition & wellbeing.

Moving back to the UK I worked for the Voluntary Service Overseas as a nurse advisor and studied functional medicine whilst working in a private clinic and bedding down the role of full-time CEO of my fledgling Nourish business. 

What are your Nourish career highlights?

You never tire of an upbeat customer review, a new listing breakthrough or the very moment a new chapter of product innovation starts making waves amongst current prospective client base, but if you’re talking about a few aspects that differentiate us from the pack I’d say:

• We manufacture a lion’s share of our range, which not only highlights how important a regular stream of innovation is to us, but also that we are beholden to no-one in terms of the ingredients we source, the processes we deploy and consistency of quality that we insist  upon.
• We are very proud of our long-standing ties with the Water for Good charity who we donate 10% of our net profits toNot only are we big admirers of their tireless effortsThe charity also ties in with Ineke’s past experiences in Africa working in an orphanage as both a nurse and a teacher.
• Water access is key for communities to thrive and grow and develop business. It is a necessity that no one should go without, one of the reasons we work with them. They empower communities rather than just give.
• We’re also very proud of our BuyWomenBuilt links that shine a much-needed light on the fantastic work of so many hard-working female founders and the extra barriers to entry so many face.

What major obstacles have you had to overcome? 

Cashflow is of course the curse of most SMEs coupled with a cluttered ‘healthier snacking’ fixture that includes a number of mass-produced, ultra-processed offerings that can muddy the waters when it comes to distilling the nutritional hype from the ingredient integrity reality.

There’s a little surprise surrounding coconut’s versatility and far-reaching health benefits albeit the popular fruit’s deliciously distinct taste credentials enjoy broadbrush recognition.

How do you balance work and family?

It’s a juggle, and I’m honest about the fact that I don’t think there’s a magic solution. I started this business while I had one child, then went through fertility treatment in the middle of juggling entrepreneurship, further study, nursing and parenting. It hasn’t been a smooth road by any measure.

But here’s what I’ve learned: children are a huge gift in that they often sharpen and strengthen your why – your reason for doing what you do. That clarity has been invaluable. On the flip side, there are many (most) days where guilt creeps in. Guilt that I’m not fully present at work because I’m thinking about a school run. Guilt that I’m not fully present at home because I’m solving a business problem in my head. That tension is real and I have to remember to not apologize for acknowledging it.

What I’ve found to be essential is being intentional about the time I do have with my children. It’s not about the number of hours – it’s about the quality. Making specific time that counts: phones away, real conversations, undivided attention. Protecting those moments as fiercely as I protect client meetings. That discipline has made all the difference (and I often still get this wrong), both for them and for my own sense of balance.

What’s the food or drink brand you admire most and why?

There are a couple!  Hunter & Gather for the sheer passion of the founders and the conviction with which they created a category at pace from scratch.

I love the ‘real purpose’ backstory to OMGTEA and their gritty insistence to only champion the very best matcha on offer (AA-grade Japanese matcha).

Bold Bean seems to have the perfect brand ambassador in Amelia Christie-Miller who treads the perfect pathway between humility and brand passion.

What wise learnings would you share with up and coming brand owners and entrepreneurs?

No mistake is bad on the proviso that you learn from it.  Be brave and bold and never let your capacity to dream big diminish.   

The first thing I’d say is this: a failure is only a failure if you don’t learn from it. Full stop. There are no dead ends, just corners and curves in the road. Every setback, every wrong turn, every decision that didn’t pan out the way you hoped – that’s not the end of the journey. It’s a redirect. I’ve had plenty of those moments, and the ones that felt catastrophic at the time often became the most valuable turning points. You learn what doesn’t work, you adjust, you keep moving. The businesses that fail are the ones that hit a curve and stop. The ones that thrive are the ones that see it as navigation, not termination.

And here’s something that pairs with that: always anticipate the unexpected. I know that sounds paradoxical, but what I mean is, build flexibility into everything. Your plans, your team, your finances. Assume that something will go sideways -not out of pessimism, but out of realism. When you’re mentally prepared for curveballs, they hurt less. You move faster. You’re not shocked; you’re responsive. That resilience becomes your competitive advantage.

Beyond that: be brave and bold. And I don’t mean reckless. I mean willing to stand by your convictions even when the path isn’t obvious. Be willing to say no to opportunities that don’t align with your vision. Be willing to invest in people you believe in before you can prove it on a spreadsheet. Be willing to try something no one else in your industry is trying. The businesses that stand out aren’t the ones playing it safe – they’re the ones that took a genuine risk on an idea or a person.

And finally, never let your capacity to dream big diminish. It’s easy to get caught up in the operational grind – the day-to-day management, the problem-solving, the firefighting. But that’s when you need to most fiercely protect your vision of what’s possible. Your dreams are what pull your team forward, what attract the right customers, what keep you going when things get hard. The moment you stop dreaming bigger than where you are now, you’ve already capped your potential. Keep one eye on the horizon, always.

Find out more about Nourish.