In our latest What’s Cooking, we talk to Monica Meldrum, Founder of Whole Kids. Find out how Monica runs a very successful purpose driven business that is so much more than just the food they produce.

Your name: Monica Meldrum

Your business’ name: Whole Kids

Where are you based: Melbourne, Victoria

How would you describe the business you are in? Creating happy healthy lives for kids so it’s beyond food to making a difference to kids lives and the environment.

What do you love about your job? I really do love that we’re doing things differently and going up against the big guys. I love we engage closely with our customers and we’re creating a community. Feedback we receive daily from parents and that reminder we’re really making a difference. We have a great team at the moment and it’s building a team who are on the journey with us.

What part of your job would you gladly give away? Admin, day-to-day I get drawn into. There’s a process when you start a business you need to know. I learnt warehouse and logistics and because I did it in the beginning I could direct our full time employee [in this area] when we recruited one. Surround yourself with people who know more than you but it’s important to do the hard yards and then bring in specialists.

Who or what has been the biggest influence on your career? James (husband). He’s provided really good strategy and insight and we bounce off each other really well.

James introduced me to the notion that this business could be something more than a food business.

From a female perspective my mother and sister. When I was 16 I heard my mother speak and I was blown away. I heard a strong and confident woman. I think I get a lot of my strength from her.

If you were starting out in business again today, what advice would you give the younger you? Get a mentor much earlier on. Try not to figure out everything myself. I probably didn’t get a mentor because of my ego, trust and confidence.

You do reach a place where you know everything will be okay. I ask myself, what is the worst thing that can happen?!

Tea or Coffee

Tea

Sweet or Savoury

Savoury

Sunnyside Up or Down

Sunnyside Up

Red or White (meat or wine)

Red

Well Done or Rare

Rare (somewhere in the middle!)

Your go-to snack

A Whole Kids barefoot bar – a raw chocolate bar

Monica spoke at our Melbourne networking luncheon and brought many of us to tears with her story of triumph over big business and commitment to building local communities. Click here to see photos of that event.

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We’d love to hear of your experience building your business or what inspires you about Monica’s story. Leave us a comment below.

The Females in Food team