Pedro & Zoe’s vegan nut sauces are created in Bargara, inspired by local produce and a love for good food with “huge flavour”.
Creators Zoe-Marie Hudson and Pete Mullins have travelled extensively and with it developed a love for food which brings back many happy memories of experiences shared.
So when their 13-year-old daughter Harriet adopted a vegan diet they were determined to ensure that didn’t mean she would miss out on nutrition or flavour.
Zoe said the business had been launched with their main product vegan nut sauce.
“The original one is our best on a pizza,” Zoe said.
“Because everybody needs pizza in their world!”
But Zoe said you didn’t have to be vegan to enjoy them.
“It’s accidentally a really cool product that non-vegans love.
“We’re not about converting people we just want people to know that vegan food doesn’t have to be bland.
“It’s all about getting the taste and loving the taste, supporting huge flavours.”
The nut sauces are described with creative flair and a bit of fun which is indicative of Zoe and Pete’s personalities.
Between Dave, Ricardo and Pierre there are a range of flavours to suit different applications.
Zoe said Dave’s was the original creamy sauce that tasted great on pizza, Pierre’s had a herb and garlic twist that was delicious on toast or bruschetta and Riccardo’s had a spicy kick best enjoyed on a steak sandwich.
In the New Year Zoe hopes to develop a range of cheeses using local produce rather than the traditional cashews.
“My way of life is buy local – you think on a global scale, but you buy local.
“I thought holy crackers we’ve got macadamias coming out of our ears here so why not make a local product from macadamias.”
As a French teacher with a love for food and in particular cheese Zoe said she was working on developing an entire range to make sure Harriet wouldn’t miss out.
“I also wanted her to experience all these lovely smells and flavours.
“That’s the aim is to get a camembert a brie and a lovely stinky Roquefort or stilton made from macadamias.”
Other Pedro & Zoe vegan products include, pies, sausage rolls and cinnamon scrolls which Zoe said can be hard products to find.
Their products are stocked at The Planetarian Food Co. and Lettuce Patch and sold at the Paradise Markets which are held on Hughes Road from 8 am – 1 pm every Sunday.
The nut sauces are currently produced out of the Bargara Berries kitchen but they will be looking for a new commercial kitchen soon.
“We only have our kitchen until Bargara Berries come back in the strawberry season.
“We’re going to have to really work at getting this product out there so we can invest in a kitchen,” Zoe said.
Another of Zoe’s creations inspired by local flavours is her Bundy Christmas cakes which feature Bundaberg Rum, Bundaberg sugar, lime and macadamias.
