Who says you can’t start a business during as pandemic? Brad and Lorraine from Noo Moo Foods and The Hemp Soft Serve Company did just that; starting Noo Moo Foods just before COVID and The Hemp Soft Serve in the middle of it.
With the help of their family, Brad and Lorraine have started their all-vegan businesses here in Melbourne and they’re thriving. Their restaurant in Heidelberg West is serving up tasty burgers, loaded fries and hemp soft-serve in take-home tubs, while their new location in Kensington has just opened as a virtual kitchen. Not only that, The Hemp Soft Serve Company is now being stocked in independent supermarket IGA and the business has expanded to Western Australia.
Brad and Lorraine took time out of their busy schedules to chat to Fire & Tea about their two businesses, how veganism is exploding in popularity and how their foods are meeting the demand.
Brad and Lorraine, how long have you been vegan for and what made you decide to go vegan?
“It was really hard initially, but my health had to be the priority. My brother passed away eight years ago from complications due to diabetes. I was having similar symptoms to the ones he had like ulcers on my legs. It was serious. The doctor told me: “Mate, we’re going to be cutting your leg off or you’ll be dead”. Talk about a wake-up call. My wife first suggested a vegan diet. She was already pretty knowledgeable about the vegan world. I’m lucky to have someone who already knew about vegan food and eating.”
You both wanted to make vegan food that was tasty and inexpensive. Plus, Brad, you’re a chef by trade. What drew you to become a chef in the first place? How did your cheffing skills help you to make vegan food so tasty?
“I grew up in the hospitality industry. My dear mum was a chef and my sister is also a chef so it was just natural for me and an easy fit. When it comes to cooking, it was an easy turn-around. By using my knowledge base as a cook, vegan food was easy and it’s not complicated. The best thing is that no animals are harmed!”
According to your website, the Nonno of your family’s response to you both starting a vegan food truck was “fugetaboutit”. How did you harness the power of those naysayers to help push you on with your vision for a vegan food business? Was it daunting at first when people were saying this?
“My Nonno aka my father-in-law (Santo) has always been great support with his hard work getting my business set up. Sam built everything – our kitchen, etc – and now he is seeing the fruits of our success and embraces the vegan movement.”
There is a real family vibe to your approach to your vegan business. How do you achieve this, considering many vegans in Melbourne may feel isolated from family because they are vegan?
“Vegan food cooked well can change everyone’s view, just like our hemp soft serve. People are really surprised that it is vegan and we get asked all the time, “you sure this is vegan?” It’s that good!
The Family vibe comes from our large family. Everyone embraces the plant-based adventure and when our customers come and see us it’s always me and the team.”
What sets Noo Moo Foods apart from everyone else on the Melbourne vegan food scene?
“The best part about being a vegan business in Melbourne is all vegan businesses support each other. That’s great but what sets us apart is that we make all of our plant-based meat onsite; we are always pushing ahead with new product development.”
Noo Moo Foods’ menu is fast and tasty. For someone who hasn’t tried your food, what would you both recommend?
“We recommended our Mac & Cheese Bites made onsite. We sell about 400 per week, and of course our hemp soft serve.”
There is a wholesale section on the Noo Moo Foods website that’s ‘coming soon’. Can you share a little bit about what you both have planned for the near future?
“Well, the wholesale is up and running thanks to Wonder Pies and Baketico when Ray Capaldi tasted our vegan meat. He told us it’s a game changer and they released the Plantico vegan pie and meal range thanks to our unique product.”
As you’ve mentioned, you both have a second vegan food business – The Hemp Soft Serve Company. Why soft serve?
“We wanted to offer a 100% vegan gluten-free ice cream soft serve – no animals harmed concept – and it’s working for us. We have released it in IGA Brunswick this week and hopefully more IGA stores are coming on board.”
Why did you decide to make soft serve icecream out of hemp instead of coconut milk?
“We wanted to be different because we feel that there is so much coconut icecream on the market and we wanted to stand out in the crowd with our unique blend of hemp and soy milk. Plus, our soft serve tray system is environmentally friendly that breaks down in your compost. Even the taper-proof film is plant-based and breaks down fast, causing no suffering (no animals choking on plastics).”
There are some yummy icecream flavours like Wild Timor Coffee, Lemon Custard and Choc Berry. What is your favourite flavour and what would you both recommend to others?
“Hands down, Apple Pie! For me and my wife Lorraine, hands down our new flavour Choc Pineapple.”
Noo Moo Foods and The Hemp Soft Serve Company were started just before and in the middle of the COVID pandemic respectively. What inspired you to start two businesses when retail and food businesses were forced to close? How did both businesses manage to survive and thrive?
“We had a captive audience sitting at home so that’s why we are always posting on the net and that’s how we grew engaging with our customers all the time. Takeaway is a huge part of the business we offered during the height of lockdown and everything was online available for pickup or delivery. We were even baking fresh bread at one stage!”
In a video on the Noo Moo Foods website, you both hope to expand your business vision across Australia and overseas. Can you tell me what that vision looks like and what you ultimately want to achieve?
“Well, we are truly on our way with the Hemp Soft Serve Company. We have opened our second location in Kensington (a virtual kitchen) which is a totally all-online business. You place your order with our deliver partners UberEats, doordash, easi, Deliveroo and Menulog, and your hemp soft serve will be delivered in greater Melbourne. Brisbane and Sydney locations will also open in the New Year, totally all online (not a traditional store front), but you can pick up your order from the locations. More info coming soon.
The big move is Western Australia – Dunsborough in the southwest of WA. We have just sent our first pallet of soft serve equipment to WA to start making the hemp soft serve in this great coastal town with our great friend and the chef that trained me, Greig Olsen. Greig will be representing the brand in WA for us and growing the brand hand in hand with us.
Vegan food is fast becoming mainstream. Where do you see vegan food, in general, in the future?
“Vegan plant-based food is growing and it’s not a fad; it’s here to stay as a traditional hospitality business. If you don’t have more than three plant-based or vegan options on your menu you are going to be overlooked as everyone is changing their eating habits. You don’t need to be vegan to eat great vegan plant-based food.”
Do you have any parting thoughts, comments or anything else you’d like to add?
“Vegan plant-based is here to stay and that’s a great thing for the community, the animals and the environment.”
Visit Noo Moo Foods and check out their menu for a full list of options as well as hemp soft serve flavours to take home. Order your hemp soft serve direct from The Hemp Soft Company or find your nearest stockist here. You can also order for dine-in, takeaway or home delivery. 20 Culverlands Street, Heidelberg West Victoria Australia 3081.
