F&D Heroes Issue 1

Food & Drink Hero:
Simplyseedz
Cathryn Zielinksi was out on a walk with her dogs one morning, and started
investigating whether it was possible to start producing and selling her
breakfast and snacks commercially. It was a redundancy project, little did she
know that this would become her full-time occupation.
My entrepreneur journey wasn’t something I’d
planned to do, and truly was a kitchen table
project while I applied for jobs. The idea had
sparked from talking with a neighbour while
walking my dogs.
Simplyseedz really began from the need to
change my lifestyle and eating habits. I had
got used to skipping breakfast and snacking
while out on the road travelling to customer
meetings. Having survived a pulmonary
embolism, I started making my own breakfast
cereals and toasting seeds purely for my own
and family’s health because I couldn’t find
what I wanted in the supermarket.
Following redundancy, and not knowing how
long it would take to get another job back in
the corporate world, Simplyseedz became a
project to keep the grey matter from going
any greyer. Little did I know, that this would
become a full-time job and occupation!
At Simplyseedz, we’ve set out to create
truly healthy, easy-to-prepare aprepare and
enjoyable breakfast meals and snacks that
have not been compromised by hidden
nasties and low grade ingredients.
We’re passionate about more transparency in
the food industry. There are many supposedly
‘good for you’ labelled products out there,
which when you delve a little deeper into
the ingredients decks, are shockingly full of
sugar and salt. Simplyseedz is challenging
the supermarket brand cereal aisle to be more
open and honest.
With big oats and pumpkin and sunflower
seeds, our fruity porridge is high in fibre, very
low in sugar content and especially heart
healthy, which comes from a maximum of
five ingredients.
Our very first customers included friends
and family, and I also participated in farmer’s
markets in Worcestershire.
Packaging was also reassuringly
uncomplicated and simple, with a handprinted
label that smudged if it got wet!
I started approaching local farm
shops and delis and production began
to increase in my home kitchen.
Everything was mixed by hand which
made my arm ache, which I often
referred to as my ‘porridge elbow.’
The biggest single challenge any small
business faces is cashflow. Keeping
on top of suppliers, orders, stock,
warehousing, deliveries, packaging,
labelling, administration, accounting
and sales keeps me very busy.
Once production moved out of my
home, it released some time and
welcome space.
www.simplyseedz.co.uk
@SimplySeedZ
@simplyseedz
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