Tell me about you and your families

Helen: We both moved into the area at the start of 2016, but I grew up around here before moving to London when I went to university. The Bel and the Dragon has always been my favourite pub!

Kate: I moved here with my family when I returned from living in Australia for five and a half years. I am a mum of two – William, who is two and a half, and Alice, who is nine months.

Helen: I am mum to Artie, who is three and a half. We both love living in such a family-friendly community with so many wonderful

places to eat and such amazing schools!

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How do you know each other?

Helen: We met in Ockwells Park!! We both still can't believe our luck at meeting that day – Kate was on maternity leave with her second child and had come up with a business idea…

Kate: …and Helen had quit her job in Government to set up a business in

children's nutrition, but wasn't sure exactly what....

Helen: …until meeting Kate! 

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Tell me about your new business that launches today. Congratulations!

Helen: Little Cooks Co is the UK's first ever monthly cooking kit for kids. Each month it is delivered to your door addressed to your little cook bursting with vibrant healthy recipes, cooking utensils, science experiments, family dinner table games and more. Our mission is
to teach kids to love cooking and eating healthy food with

lots of family fun along the way.

Kate: We both love cooking with our kids but it’s not always easy finding the time or inspiration. I found this particularly when I was working four days a week. I wanted to make the most of my Friday’s off with William but often hadn’t managed to get organised to do the things I wanted to do. The idea was born that with a monthly kit you’d have all the inspiration you need at your fingertips and if it was addressed to the kids, you can guarantee you’d make the time to do it with them.

Helen: We are both passionate about helping the next generation of children to be as healthy and happy as possible and believe that teaching them to cook is one of the most powerful gifts you can give them as it sets them up for a healthy future. We believe this is especially applicable now with the soaring rates of childhood obesity and the related diseases such as diabetes.

   We are currently based from home, we develop the recipes in our kitchens and pack boxes in Kate’s spare room.

 

Have you always been interested in doing this?

Kate: I always knew I wanted to set up my own business. I have worked

in innovation for big business for over 10 years, but always had a niggling feeling I wanted to do something myself and something that would make a difference to people’s lives. Combining both my love of food with my love of spending quality time with my kids is the perfect combination.

Helen: My career was in central Government and I never really thought of

owning my own business! But I have always been incredibly passionate about the power of food to make us well, and after having Artie, I knew my future lay in food and nutrition.

   We love that our boxes will help kids learn to cook and eat healthy food, create opportunities for fun in the kitchen and help families enjoy meal times together. It has been so exciting seeing friends' reactions when their kids have cooked and eaten the recipes, often they have eaten things they would never have eaten before! We also hope it makes it easier for mums who are less confident in the kitchen to get in there with their kids. The stats on childhood obesity and diabetes are terrifying, and if we can help contribute to a shift away from that then we will be forever happy.

Kate: We believe lots of families want to cook with their kids but we also know that it’s hard to find the time and inspiration. We hope this will put the inspiration at their fingertips and that by delivering to the kids they provide the pester power to get them in the kitchen.

   Our kits are aimed at families with children aged 3–8, but to be honest, anyone with kids of any age would enjoy them. William is two and a half and loves to help develop the recipes!

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What did you do before?

Kate: I'm a senior marketer at Diageo. I have most recently been working in their Futures Team, which works on cutting edge business innovation to help the company stay competitive.

Helen: I spent 10 years in central government in a number of departments, working on policy and strategy, and was heading up the strategy team when I left in March 2016. 

 

Did you have to do any business courses or training for your business?

Helen: I started a three-year nutrition course in 2015, which finishes in October (wish me luck in my finals!). 

Kate: I am drawing on 10 years of business and innovation

experience.

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What is the best part of having your own business?

Kate: It sounds cliche but building something that we are truly passionate about could not be more fulfilling. And we are so happy to be doing it together because that helps enormously with some of the worst bits! The moments of self-doubt; the huge workload while juggling family life; the fear! We understand it like no one else can because we are going through it together, so we are each others best support.

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What's going to be your best-seller? Or are all the boxes the same?

Helen: Each month will have a new theme and we will also cook with seasonal produce. We love our first rainbow box, but have plenty of treats in store! We think parents will especially love our sugar-free breakfast and snack recipes each month as we know these are meals that people struggle to find healthy alternatives for. We also hope they will love all our tips on how to get fussy eaters to eat their vegetables!

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What's the long-term goal?

Kate: Again, it sounds a bit cliched, but honestly it is to help as many children to love cooking and eating healthy food as possible. Though we do also hope to be successful enough to be able to pay someone to pack the boxes for us at some point! 

 

Who is your idol/inspiration?

Helen: Jamie Oliver for all his work on sugar, school meals and encouraging kids to cook. Deliciously Ella has also been inspirational in her natural approach to food.

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