Five Facts: International Women's Day Edit
To celebrate International Women’s Day we invite you into the world of four female founders, as they share five facts about their natural and organic businesses.
Fliss Newland
Five facts about brand-new vegan and organic sweets label Wild Thingz, launched in Q1 by Fliss Newland.
‘Less junk, more punk’
Fliss Newland has created a range or organic, plant-based and gluten-free gummies that ‘ditch the artificial junk while keeping the fun’. The sweets boast bold flavours and wacky insect shapes, yet contain half the sugar of traditional brands, making it ‘easy for parents to say yes to sweets again’.
From Cadbury to creepy crawlies
Newland’s journey to better confectionery took her from multinational to start-up. "After nearly a decade at Mondelez working on brands like Cadbury and Maynards Bassetts, I saw a gap in the market for sweets that delivered on both taste and health. My own shift to a plant-based diet in 2016 inspired me to create Wild Thingz, a rebellious brand proving that sweets can be both delicious and better for you."
Acting against additives
The founder strongly believes that additives ‘don’t belong in kids’ sweets’. "Our research with YouGov found that 64% of parents hesitate to buy sweets because of concerns about sugar and additives. That’s why Wild Thingz keeps it simple — no artificials, no weird chemicals; just organic, plant-based ingredients that taste amazing."
The future of the sweet aisle
Newland — also the owner of vegan heritage brand Just Wholefoods — says that today’s consumers are increasingly demanding ‘better choices’ for their children, and the days of animal-based sweets are numbered. "Gelatine-based sweets are falling out of favour.”
Why insects?
"Because kids love them — and they deserve sweets as wild as their imagination! Our gummies come in fun, creepy-crawly shapes like Cherry Spiders and Cola Snails. They tap into kids' natural curiosity while giving parents peace of mind with clean, organic ingredients. Who said better-for-you sweets had to be boring?"
Daisy Hillier
Five facts about Loveday Distilling, an organic rum and craft gin distillery in Falmouth, co-founded by Daisy Hillier and her business partner, Chloe Gillat.
From lockdown to Loveday
Loveday Distilling was founded during lockdown by Daisy Hillier and Chloe Gillat, best friends, former chefs and regular Great Taste judges; one with a deep understanding of flavour and the other with a flair for contemporary design. First to be launched was a gin, using locally foraged ingredients from the Cornish coastline; next came barrel-aged organic rum.
A shared culture
The pair have been friends since childhood and Hillier attributes their business success to their ‘shared culture’, their ability to speak in shorthand and their ‘complementary, if slightly different, skillsets’. “It’s a bit like a relationship — you share some of the same goals and aspirations. There are a lot of things that you understand that are unspoken. We’re able to move at quite a speedy pace with things because we have a shared understanding of each other. It works really well.”
Shaking up the spirits sector
Hillier and Gillat believe it’s time to shake up the male-dominated spirits sector. “We’ve always wanted to be disruptive in quite a male space … to create a brand that looks and feels different because it’s created by women — by female chefs.” Tired of the ‘sailors’ drink’ or ‘boys’ club’ mentality of rum and the female-centred ‘gin o’clock’ messaging, chose a route which bucked those traditions. “Loveday is very modern, clean, paired back. Women respond really well to really classic, simple, timeless design.”
Treading lightly
Caring for the planet has always been important to the founders, but as the business evolves ‘treading lightly’ has become more central to how they operate. With their rum certified organic and their gin soon to gain the same mark, Loveday is also careful to repurpose its post-production waste, sending smoked, boozy figs across the road to a chocolate company, and its ‘rum dunder’ to a local regenerative farmer to use as pig feed.
Interlinking businesses
Loveday is heavily involved in its local community, hosting workshops and tastings at its distillery, and supporting events led by nearby businesses. “There’s a great interlinking of businesses [in Cornwall]. We did a Women in Coffee event with Yallah, up the road, where we made a signature cocktail from their coffee waste — coffee that was female-produced. It was really interesting listening to them talk about what it’s like to be a woman in the coffee world.”
Catherine Farrant
Five facts about Ossa Organic — a brand born out of South African entrepreneur Catherine Farrant’s personal discovery of the benefits of bone both.
Traditions, not trends
Ossa Organic was founded in 2015 by Catherine Farrant, after she experienced firsthand how nutrient-rich bone broth transformed her health and wellbeing. She set out on a path to share the power of traditional, healing foods with the world, advocating that food is medicine. Ossa Organic was built on a foundation of ancestral nutrition, with products designed to support gut health and immunity. Farrant believes in time-honoured ingredients which have sustained generations, over fleeting dietary trends.
Striving for sustainability
Beyond personal health, Ossa Organic has a deep commitment to the health of the planet. As a certified B Corp, it upholds the highest standards of environmental responsibility, transparency and ethical sourcing. Recognized as a ‘Best for Environment’ honoree in 2018 and 2019, the brand operates an all-sustainable supply chain, ensuring that every product is crafted with premium, local, organic ingredients.
Going for grass-fed
Ossa Organic’s collagen supplement is a reflection of its commitment to quality and integrity. Certified 100% grass-fed, halal and kosher, its collagen is ethically sourced from free-range cattle that spend their entire lifetime on pasture. This ensures a pure, highly bioavailable protein source that aligns with the brand’s natural-first philosophy.
From the land, not a lab
Farrant’s dedication to ancestral wisdom extends beyond food with a sister brand, Fierce Nature — a non-toxic, tallow-based skincare range. Rooted in the same values of sustainability and purity, Fierce Nature’s products harness the deeply nourishing properties of grass-fed tallow, providing a clean, effective alternative to conventional skincare.
Empowering choices
At its core, Ossa Organic exists to empower people to make informed, health-conscious choices that nourish their bodies and respect the planet. Through restorative bone broth, clean collagen and ethical skincare, the company remains unwavering in its mission: to reconnect people with real, healing foods that support longevity and vitality.
Saman Ali
Five facts about ubtan — a traditional Ayurvedic skincare paste made using natural ingredients — from Saman Ali, founder of Beauty Cleanse Skincare.
An introduction to ubtan
“This timeless skincare practice, rooted in Ayurveda, was made from turmeric, chickpea flour, herbs and botanicals to exfoliate, cleanse and nourish the skin. Ubtan [is] traditionally used by brides for a radiant glow. This practice became a cherished tradition, passed down through generations from grandmothers to granddaughters … in several parts of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh,” explains Saman Ali.
Pink Ubtan: a modern twist
“Inspired by this time-honored tradition, we’ve reimagined ubtan with a modern twist on the ancient South Asian beauty ritual. Reimagined with a 21st century millennial pink touch, our formula swaps traditional yellow with pink — thanks to organic hibiscus and rose petals, rich in antioxidants to brighten and soothe the skin. Pink Ubtan is customizable and eco-friendly, empowering consumers to mix it with oils, yogurt or milk, making it a conscious, zero-waste self-care ritual. We believe whether it’s your wedding day or just a regular Tuesday, every skin tone deserves to celebrate its natural glow — every single day. No wedding required.”
Sustainable beauty before it was a trend
“Before commercial skincare, ubtan has been used by generations as a natural cleanser and gentle exfoliator — a zero-waste, eco-friendly beauty ritual, long before sustainability became a buzzword,” says Ali, who created Pink Ubtan Vegan Powder Cleanser & Mask with the mission to consider impact and circularity at all stages. “Every decision, from ingredient sourcing to packaging, was made with one goal: to prove that beauty can be circular, high-performance and truly sustainable.”
‘Ugly aesthetics’
The rice component of the cleanser not only strengthens the skin barrier but reduces food waste, since the grains used in the formulation had been previously discarded due to ‘ugly aesthetics’.
Waste reduction
Also reducing water wastage, the brand’s multipurpose formula cuts overconsumption; for every 1,000 jars of Pink Ubtan sold, 48 litres of water are saved (equivalent to running a dishwasher for six full cycles). Additionally, Beauty Cleanse Skincare donates 1% of all sales revenue from Pink Ubtan to The Felix Project, aiding efforts to turn surplus food into nutritious meals for children and those in need across London.
By Rosie Greenaway, editor