Certified Organic Inspiration — Chatting with Ceres Organics

Nicky Moltschaniwskyj from Ceres Organics shares the story of this brand’s growth from concept to certified organic inspiration.

What is the heritage story of your brand?

Ceres Organics is a New Zealand company which is a little bit obsessed with enabling organics to be a part of everyday life for everyone. Right from the start we knew our future was organic. It all began in the early 80s, when a forward-thinking mother passionate about organics set about on a social mission to heal the world. Starting with a stand at a school fair, Juliet met local organic farmers with the same passion, which led to the start of a co-op.

However, nurturing the planet and its people required help. Juliet was joined by a group of like-minded friends who shared this vision, including Noel Josephson and Rodnie Whitlock, who are still in the business today.

The business grew and led to a store opening a few years later, and by 2001 Ceres Organics became the first BioGro-certified organic distributor in New Zealand. We have continued our growth, organically of course, expanding into Australia and offering certified organic products for virtually all consumption occasions.

From wholeheartedly supporting the welfare of growers to making conscious choices in packaging, we carry our ethos from farm to table. Our food is real and never genetically modified. No artificial chemicals enter the food chain at any stage of the journey. Every nut, seed and superfood is traceable from planting to purchase … and even to plate via the beauty of Instagram.

Nearly 40 years on from inception, our mission has not changed. In fact, our belief in what we are doing has only become stronger and the urgency greater. We believe our future is organic, and this is what we live and breathe.

What has been the highlight of your brand story?

It has taken time and there have been setbacks along the way, but with determination, we have grown from a small collective of what some might call idealists to a company that has been able to make a real impact in the food industry across Australasia. We have taken organics mainstream.

We are the leading organic brand in New Zealand with the widest breadth of range, and have a growing presence in Australia where we’re available in independent supermarkets, health food stores and Woolworths. This all supports our mission of making organics available to everyone.

We attribute our successes in part to the increasing number of consumers embracing organic produce and all that it has to offer. Even choosing just one organic option in your next grocery shop is a great start. It really is amazing the collective good we can do. We are incredibly proud of the progress we have made, and it is amazing to see more and more people join us on our journey to create a better future for everyone.

What has been the most challenging part of the journey?

There are so many layers to organics, and it is challenging to communicate the true value of buying organic versus non-organicfoods. There is so much more value than people often realise.

Organic does not just mean products free from chemicals. It extends to caring for our growing partners, protecting our wildlife and caring for our planet by protecting the health of the soils, waterways and air. These are big concepts and can feel overwhelming, but collectively we can all make such a huge difference to ourselves, our families and our planet just by taking small steps.

We need to consider the true impact of our purchases. Ultimately, the more people who choose organic, the better it is for all of us.

Why is being certified organic important to your brand?

We go to a lot of effort sourcing the best organic ingredients, and being certified means you can trace every product right back to the farm it came from. We want to give our consumers the assurance that our products have been independently verified to back up our claims. Where can we buy your product? Woolworths, Health Food Stores and Independent Supermarkets.

For more information visit ceresorganics.com.au or phone 1800 625 161