A nutritionist and mum of two based in Melbourne’s north, Cinta Rymer started Just Nourish to provide families with the service that she needed as a new mum returning to work after her first baby: a meal delivery service that provides wholesome family-friendly meals, taking away the mental and physical load of meal planning and prepping. Their team consists of a nutritionist and a chef who work together to create delicious meals that are also backed by evidence-based nutrition. With an emphasis on wholefood ingredients including an array of plant foods, they aim to make eating well more accessible and convenient for everyone. They are here to support your parenting journey and to help your little ones grow into confident, adventurous eaters. Here Cinta talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the passion behind what she does, the challenges she has overcome, and the pros and cons of running her own business.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
Returning to work in my corporate job after my first round of parental leave made me acutely aware of the sacrifices that working parents make to juggle the demands of balancing career with home life. Getting a nutritious dinner on the table at the end of the day was an eternal struggle. My husband and I really valued family mealtimes and so looked for a meal delivery service that could help us reduce the time spent in the kitchen, but we struggled to find something that replicated that home-cooked taste.
2 years later, and I was again on parental leave after having my son. I found myself increasingly anxious about returning to work, and additionally began to suffer quite intense health anxiety, which led me to undertake postgraduate study in Human Nutrition. Despite my questionable motivation for undertaking further study, I fell in love with the science of health and nutrition and decided to put my learnings to use by filling the gap I had observed in the market for nutritious and family-friendly meals.
I must say that now that I’m in the industry, I am aware of so many businesses doing wonderful food in this space that just weren’t on my radar at the time. I’m so grateful to be a part of this industry and think it’s wonderful that there are so many high-quality options available for families.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
Gosh, it feels like a lifetime ago, but was only a few short months ago! We set up in a shared commercial kitchen with a small freezer to store our food. Our chef, Deb, has been working with me right from the get-go and I owe her so much for helping the business to get to where it is today. She is a phenomenal cook!
After about 2 months of operating, we came to the very quick realisation that we needed additional freezer storage and were fortunate that a place opened up at a local commercial kitchen right near our home.
I’m still making some of the deliveries myself, so you might get lucky enough to see me on your doorstep if you’re a Melbourne local. I absolutely love meeting our customers – it’s my favourite day of the week!
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
There’ve been so many ah-ha moments – most of them born out of a mistake if I’m being completely honest. Relatively early, I decided to focus our attention on the postpartum market and it meant that I could put the few marketing dollars that we do have to work in a more efficient way. That’s been a wonderful way to grow the business and build some brand awareness on a shoestring budget. It’s also been so rewarding to contribute to creating a positive postpartum experience for so many women.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
To be honest, it’s still a work in progress. With such a fledgling business, there’s a lot that falls to me and I don’t have a whole lot of backup who can step in when the need arises. Earlier in my journey, I really struggled being able to switch off from work and be present with my family, however I’m managing to find my balance here – I feel there’s a learned skill associated with setting boundaries for work as a small business owner. This is something I still need to work on, however I’m making improvements every day.
