BETTER WITH LESS
When Mylk Made was launched nearly a year ago, founder Jemma Turner couldn’t have predicted the crazy ride she was about to embark on. This journey started with an overseas trip, which inspired the idea of Mylk Made.
“I spent 11 months based in Lombok, Indonesia, across 2018 and 2019, living a full-time surf bum life. My partner Max and I both truly embraced Indonesian culture during our time there, committing to a slower pace of life and eating a more wholefood, organic diet.”
As soon as the pair came home, the planning began. Jemma kindly asked her parents if builder Max could construct a commercial kitchen in their shed in Rangiora. Before they knew it, Mylk Made was officially in production.
But what exactly is Mylk? It’s six different flavours of nut/seed mylk bases, offered in a super smooth paste. A stone grinding method achieves this. The core range comes in 300ml glass jars, with each jar making seven litres of fresh ‘mylk’. Just add water, and blend. Jemma says you make what you need when you need it. They use the best certified organic ingredients and New Zealand grown nuts and seeds whenever possible.
Jemma and her mother Corinne work as a team on all aspects of the business. And with over 50 stockists nationwide and a team of seven sales representatives working alongside them, the day to day of Mylk Made is a pretty smooth operation, according to Jemma.
“I absolutely love it. I’m so happy I have taken the plunge in starting a business. It doesn’t really feel like ‘work’ when it’s something I’m so passionate about, you know?”
Jemma views mylks as a cleaner and greener alternative, with sustainability a cornerstone of the business.
“We truly believe mylk bases are the way forward. You do not need any unnatural additives or preservatives like gums or binders in your plant mylk for it to taste good. In fact, we stand by it tasting better with less. We are big believers in making the world a better place and living a life with less waste. Swapping out seven plant mylk cartons for one reusable glass jar of mylk base is a pretty great way to act on this.”
There are definitely some clear standouts in the range. A current popular option is Nutty Oat, which is a mix of macadamia, brazil nuts, and oat flour, and the Absolute Almond. There are also sample packs that include all six flavours in small jars for those who are keen to trial all the flavours or even just to test out the mylk base concept.
The goal is for Mylk Made to be a household name. Jemma says she would love for mylk bases to be the ‘new normal’.
“Instead of going to the supermarket and buying a carton of almond milk, you can buy a concentrated mylk base that is essentially waste-free.” With a new range in development that is specifically aimed at baristas and cafés, Jemma and Corinne are projecting a swift decrease in waste from cafés if they stopped using plant mylk cartons.