Fresh in style and substance
Manildra Group Director Caroline Honan (pictured above with daughter Laila, in the family kitchen) sat down with The Cultivator to talk about a history – and future – of firsts for The Healthy Baker, as the premium flour brand launches a fresh look and enhanced range.
Why did Manildra launch The Healthy Baker brand?
Since 1952, our family business has supplied premier industrial flour and bakery ingredients to bakeries, restaurants and cafes across Australia. There was an opportunity to launch a retail brand that had key innovative differences to other flour products in Australia.
Two key innovations were important to The Healthy Baker securing shelf space with the major retailers.
The packaging innovation was integral to the launch of The Healthy Baker. I had seen similar PET plastic containers in the supermarkets in North America. They’re perfect for our flour brand because of the environmentally friendly container (reusable and produced from PET plastic) and ideal for flour, as it saves time decanting the product and keeps it fresher for optimum health.
We were also the first in Australia to develop vitamin and nutrient fortification in our flours, including calcium and folate – great for mums and bubs.
What challenges were there in launching the brand?
One was sourcing the right supplier to produce the reusable container – a first for flour on Australian retail shelves. We now proudly manufacture our own PET containers at our flagship mill in Manildra, Central West NSW.
What can you reuse the containers for?
My whole pantry is solely The Healthy Baker containers – now full of rice, breadcrumbs, pasta, sugar, nuts, coconut and chocolate. But quirkier container uses have been for planting tomato seedlings and herbs, or storing nuts and bolts
in the shed. My friends use them to store Lego, paint, stationery or arts and crafts.
Why did you freshen up The Healthy Baker labels?
It was time to give the brand a more contemporary look – including updating Holly the baker. We felt it was important to maintain the home baking, family-oriented feeling of the brand, so we slightly refreshed the graphics and colours.
What’s next for the brand?
In coming months, we are looking at launching some exciting new product extensions here and overseas. We’re so proud to be announcing The Healthy Baker Low FODMAP Plain Flour range into Woolworths. We feel our brand can play a significant role in the wellbeing and health space. I would like to continue to inspire people to bake delicious, healthy meals with The Healthy Baker flour.
Tell us your favourite things to bake with The Healthy Baker flour.
The Mill House blog is my go-to for quick, seasonal and delicious recipes. My kids – Lachlan and Laila
– love the chocolate chip biscuits, great as an afternoon snack. There are also two recipes from The Healthy Baker website: the chocolate chip Thermomix cookies, which my kids love as an after-school snack, and (whenever I ask my son Lachlan what he would like for dinner, his response is always) the beef casserole with dumplings!
Back to news