Food Groupie - An interview with Kate Willbourn-Trevett, Wild Bee Ambassador 2021.

To say that Kate Willbourn-Trevett is a busy woman would be more than an understatement. Over the past few years, the Northern Beaches native has gone from strength to strength, penning a popular food blog before founding Foodies Collective – a gourmet food box delivery company. As an advocate of responsible consumption, she partners with sustainability initiatives such as Love Food, Hate Waste. She does all of this while raising two children (or three if you count her 11-year-old Boston Terrier, Harley) alongside her husband, Nathan. 

We sat down with Kate to hear about her life, her work, her partnership with Wild Bee, and how she keeps all those plates spinning. 

 What’s the last film or television show you watched?

Ted Lasso. We’re really enjoying it.

 

I would say Autumn. You’ve still got the warmth in the ocean and the sunshine. And the food, well, I like my comfort food. So, I’d say the cusp of Summer and Autumn.  

 

It might sound quite indulgent, but truffle oil. I’ve been using it a lot lately, as we included it in one of our food boxes. A drizzle here and there can completely elevate a meal. Adding it to mac ‘n’ cheese, in mash potatoes, on top of a pizza… I can’t stop at the moment!

 Have you ever been to Tasmania?

Yes. When I was 10. I can still vividly remember wandering through the Salamanca markets and loving the food scene.

 

I find it hard to go past anything with pork crackling, so I’d say a dish featuring pork belly.

 

If I’m entertaining, then a Mexican spread. As a family, we eat a lot of pasta. 

 

It’s always a chorizo and haloumi salad . 

 

Madonna. It would have been awesome to see her in her heyday.

 

Do you remember your first word? 

No. My memory isn’t my finest quality!

This morning. 

 

I was pregnant with my first child, and becoming a mum changed me in a way I didn’t expect. The plan was always that she (though I didn’t yet know that I was having a girl) would go to childcare while I went back to work full-time at my media job at Twitter.  

Instead, I decided to take a chance and turn my blog into a business. I did this for a few reasons. One, it’s something flexible that I could do from home while I was raising a newborn. Two, it was me following my passion and what I’d always truly loved – food. 

My husband is from the UK, and when I was living there, I kept seeing all these subscription boxes – one in particular was food-related. That little seed grew in my mind and I thought “Australia has such incredible produce and products. How about I create a subscription box that really focuses on our food and help people all across the country discover the best foods out there?”

It was a passion project and definitely a leap of faith, as not only had I never run a business before, but I’d never worked in the food industry. 

Luckily, it grew and continues to grow. I thought it’d reach a point where I’d run out of new products to bring to people and that is definitely not the case. I’m very grateful for the people I get to work with. It’s hard work, but everybody is very passionate so it’s that much more rewarding.

 Speaking of those that you work with; can you tell us a bit about the artisans and growers that provide their products to Foodies Collective boxes?

Within the business, we have the core value of only working with real people, not big organisations. We only choose products that contain real ingredients. No artificial additives or preservatives. And they have to be Australian made and owned. 

In the early days, it was literally me doing my own research and going into local farmers markets in the Sydney region and approaching people. But over the years, thanks to the relationships I’d built, I would be put in touch with so-and-so down the road that produces amazing olives, or chilli sauce , or whatever. People in the know would recommend other people in the know. Now, we have access to a vast network of producers and we actually get people coming to us, to ask if they can send samples of their food. 

 

[Laughs] Yes, that’s definitely one of the perks of the job. I have a pantry full of strange and wonderful food products. 

We plan our boxes around each season. We ask ourselves what meals do we like to eat in autumn and turn to producers that offer those sorts of ingredients, whether through our existing network  or seeking out new contacts.

 

Multiple reasons. A, it supports small business and families (as well as the economy). B, the food quality control in Australia is as good as you can get. Then there’s the sustainability-related benefits like reducing food miles. So, in a nutshell, it’s the economy, quality, and sustainability.

I also think it’s about heart and people. There’s something so lovely and fulfilling about supporting small, local producers and small-batch artisans.

It’s NSW-specific and my role is to help with the educational aspect of reducing waste. We do that through the blog content we put out, the messaging in our social media. The idea behind the slogan is to not only be more thoughtful and considerate when purchasing food, but also using it wisely once you have it. 

 

I’m still searching for the perfect way to do that [chuckles]. It’s definitely a juggle, but luckily, I’ve got a really supportive family unit. My husband is very supportive of me and the business and is an active parent. 

It’s definitely not me on my own, it’s an all-hands-in approach. My mum and dad help out with our two girls and the business.. 

When it comes to getting a clear head, I definitely do need the odd timeout. If I don’t take the time to recharge my batteries, I don’t perform. Usually, outside of COVID, that would be going to a hot yoga class a couple of times a week. Or even just listening to podcasts when I come into the office. I wish I could read more, but podcasts fill my cup. 

In business I think it’s really important to find like-minded people to connect with, to share the highs & lows. To create a sort of support group. 

 

I listen to lots of business and eCommerce podcasts. Also, some on health. A really good one is Seize the Yay – which is interviews from people of all backgrounds about letting go of expectations, living your best life and being true to yourself. 

 

You mentioned hot yoga. It’s interesting you turn to that to recharge your batteries since it’s quite intense. 

I know, that must be the Aries in me. There’s also Sunday, which is the day I love to cook. It’s my creative cooking day where I bake, slow cook, glass of wine in hand.

Now, onto skincare. Can you tell us a bit about your routine?

In the morning, I use a Wild Bee Foaming Facial Cleanser – which unlike other similar products, leaves my skin feeling moisturised as opposed to dry. Then, I use a vitamin c serum, then a facial oil, then a daily moisturiser. Then, I always apply sun cream on top, before my light makeup routine begins. 

In the evening, it’s the same Wild Bee foam cleanser, then a more intense serum, then a richer moisturiser. Oh, I just remembered, I also use a vitamin c eye cream in the morning and kind of like an oil eye serum at night. And then twice a week I use a pink clay mask. I actually find my skincare routine quite therapeutic, probably because it’s when I usually have a few mins to myself [chuckles].

 

We share many similar values, including supporting Australian – for them, beekeepers and for us, producers and growers. We both work with natural products, not artificial. And I also love that they work with native ingredients. 

The people at Wild Bee are very passionate and I love working and aligning with people who believe in what they are doing. Partnering with them was a bit of a no-brainer. They make beautiful products that work but also do so under the right values.

I think we all struggle with self-doubt and sometimes you think you’re alone in that, but you’re not. I think it’s important to firstly understand what success means for you, not what you think is expected of yourself.  In general I have a pretty positive mindset and having some personal self-belief-type mantras helps. If you work on your self-belief and focus on being the best person you can be, and truly look after yourself, you can get on the path to success in everything that you do. You can set and run your own race.

Investing in yourself is important, and that’s not only when it comes to self-care, it also includes being okay to ask for help. If you feel you’re lacking in an area, turn to others with expertise, go out and do the research, do a workshop. Learning more builds your confidence. 

When it comes to “having it all”, you have to go easy on yourself. Don’t be afraid to outsource. Whether that’s delegating at work, or asking friends and family for help at home – there’s nothing wrong with turning to support in either world. 

Raising a family while running a business requires a constant shift in focus, but just know that you can achieve great things.

 

Check out Foodies Collective here. Learn about Love Food, Hate Waste here. Browse Kate’s Instagram here.