Startup Story
Recognizing that many families have increasingly busy lifestyles with limited time, entrepreneur Louisa Gibbons, founder of Little Foodease, is providing parents with solutions. A range of nutritious meals, fun mealtimes and stimulating playtimes that equip parents to fulfil their child’s developmental and nutritional needs, while giving them peace of mind to spend more quality time with their families.
LoA met the passion driven founder of Little Foodease, Louisa Gibbons to find out more.
When life did not turn out peachy having a new-born with feeding difficulties, Louisa Gibbons, now a mom of two, was determined to keep her daughter alive and healthy against all odds. Her tireless efforts to create the most nutritious food combinations were not in vain, and they led to the establishment of Little Foodease. Today, Little Foodease is a small family business making natural food in four stages from beginner eaters to toddlers. With a packaging design background, a passion for nutrition and some very valuable experience with a ‘special needs’ child, Louisa has found a solution for easier, happier mealtimes!
Focusing on innovative baby and toddler feeding, Louisa began by launching the silicone place mat. It sticks to the table, encourages fussy eaters to explore new tastes and textures, is a breeze to clean and, most of all, is FUN! Cute characters are brought to life to keep parents and kids inspired. As Lousia began recognizing more and more needs, she found that she could meet these too. And the silicone range started growing adding universal sippy cup lids, as well as suction bowls and wipe-clean bibs, making parents’ lives a little easier and little peoples’ more hands-on.
She says, “Dealing with childhood anxiety and sensory regulation is not for the faint-hearted. You cannot just sit back while your little person battles to cope with life! A plan had to be made, and this was the beginning of our sensory boxes. Through play, we practiced fine motor skills and crossing the midline, learnt how to roll-play, developed imagination and, most important of all, created a calm and safe environment to just be. And this is only the start. For every developmental need, there is a solution.”
“Little Foodease focuses on early childhood development in 3 sections: Nutrition, Positive Mealtimes, and Brain Development Through Play.”
What does your company do?
Little Foodease focuses on early childhood development in 3 sections:
NUTRITION
FACT: Nutrition is fundamental for good health and development during the early years of life. Optimal nutrition and correction of nutritional deficiencies during the early years are of particular significance because reversal may become very difficult beyond two years of age. Therefore we are committed to helping children develop healthy eating habits. We believe that introducing your baby to natural flavours and textures of nutritious food, early in life, promotes a lifetime of healthy eating.
POSITIVE MEALTIMES
Solutions to mess-free, stress-free mealtimes! We’re all about innovative baby and toddler feeding, and we aim to solve mealtime battles for the whole family. In our busy lifestyles, dinnertime is often the only time a family has in which they can connect and share in the day’s happenings, making it so important to make it a positive experience where little ones can learn to communicate and socialise.
BRAIN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PLAY
FACT: Sensory play is the basis for everything you do as an adult. Sensory play is crucial for brain development.
We are committed to providing endless opportunities for experimenting and learning, encouraging open-ended play. The aim is to stimulate the senses while developing fine motor skills, visual perception, sorting and sequencing, pincer grip, hand-eye coordination and role-play while reducing tactile defensiveness and providing a calming experience that greatly benefits anxious children. Each time a child uses one of their senses to discover and learn, they are building new neural pathways in their brain and strengthening pathways that are already established.
What inspired you to start your company?
I never pictured myself being a business owner, but 10 years later, I can clearly see that the difficult path I walked was meant to be. My daughter was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder. A disorder that neither Drs around us nor myself were familiar with. As a mom, I had to be an advocate for my child and tried everything I could. Research was key and to improvise was my best bet...finding solutions to help her. And today that is exactly what we do. Find solutions to help other children and their families. Being a natural foodie and a creative, has been a fantastic asset, and I am excited to persist the next steps.
“We are committed to providing endless opportunities for experimenting and learning, encouraging open-ended play.”
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Being a mom, having first-hand experience with feeding difficulties, picky eating and sensory processing issues, puts me in a valuable position to really understand what other parents go through and I am able to relate on a personal level. To have someone that understands your situation and struggles is sometimes the only hope an exhausted parent has. That is why we focus on solving problems with clever fun products, making it easier for the whole family.
Tell us a little about your team
Since registering the business in December 2014, Little Foodease has grown to a small family business, utilizing our skills wherever we can. Meet our team:
Louisa Gibbons | CEO
Responsibilities: Recipe development, Product innovation, Market & trend research, Photography, Blog, Videos, Advertisements
Michelle Hamman | Production Manager
Responsibilities: Kitchen management, Food production schedule, Health & safety management, Ingredient and material buying,
Process & dispatch orders, Client communication
Grant Gibbons | Logistics & Delivery
Responsibilities: Deliveries, Supplier collections, Expo setup
Stephan Basson | IT, Technical Manager
Responsibilities: Website development, Website updates, Play tray manufacturing, Social media analytics, International purchases, Shipping & customs, Expo setup
Louisa Hamman | Production Assistant
Responsibilities: Kitchen assistant, Food prep, Dishing up, Labelling, Deliveries
“Being a mom, having first-hand experience with feeding difficulties, picky eating and sensory processing issues, puts me in a valuable position to really understand what other parents go through and I am able to relate on a personal level.”
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
Building up a business has taken quite some time, and it's been quite a journey. With no business or marketing background, but instead a passion for natural food and creativity, it shows that it is possible. Identifying gaps in the market and coming up with practical solutions is the fun part, which creates a to-do-list that is way longer than the hours in a day! I trust that I will be able to focus solely on my business soon.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
To become a trusted brand that educates parents about the importance of childhood development and its life-long effects, focusing on nutrition and brain development through play. For every developmental need, there is a solution...And this is only the start.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Knowing that we make a difference in children and their families lives, is the most rewarding feeling! Healthy happy children will become well-adjusted adults. For they are our future.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
It seldomly is an easy ride, but NEVER quit. Pursue your passion, and it would never feel like work.
Contact or follow Little Foodease
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | YOUTUBE | EMAIL littlefoodease@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it….
Often, the most successful entrepreneurs are those who have first hand experience of dealing with a key challenge or problem, and know that they are best placed to try and find the solution. In the case of Louisa Gibbons, having a new-born with feeding difficulties was the motivation and inspiration for her to find the best solution for easier, happier mealtimes, and that led to the creation of a business to help other parents in similar positions. Today, Little Foodease is making a real difference to the lives of parents and children alike - inspirational! — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo of Lionesses of Africa