Committed to offering the best products, Healthy Tummies Pantry sells a vast range of high-quality, and most importantly yummy, gluten free protein products.
From whey protein powder and protein powder banana bread mixes to protein cookies and bone broth — business owner Debi Kitt said there was truly something for everyone.
“Our protein products are really popular with women,” Debi said.
“As well as gluten-free, we do also provide dairy free, FODMAP friendly and vegan options.”
Healthy Tummies Pantry was borne out of the pandemic after Debi’s other business — Boomerang Travel Centre — began to suffer after travel restrictions were imposed.
This motivated Debi to find opportunities that would keep their business afloat and enable staff to keep earning an income.
Taking a leap of faith, she decided to create Healthy Tummies — a store dedicated to selling gluten-free food products.
Diagnosed as coeliac more than 20 years ago, Debi said she really struggled with finding gluten-free food during the initial stages of the pandemic.
“I used to drive to Melbourne every month or so to stock up on all my gluten-free food items but obviously with travel restrictions I couldn’t drive around,” she said.
“I was very overwhelmed at the start of the pandemic because everyone was panic buying and clearing the shelves, which meant that people had started taking gluten-free items like pasta and bread.
“We don’t eat gluten-free by choice, so that was very frustrating.”
Healthy Tummies Pantry has evolved from being an experimental business to a booming one.
As well as a physical store, they have an online store and a café.
Debi said she never dreamed the business would gain as much traction as it had and never realised there were so many gluten-free people in Kyabram and surrounding communities.
“The thing that’s surprised me is that we have customers coming from everywhere and that is because a lot of other shops are not 100 per cent gluten-free,” she said.
“Often you will still have to use an app to check whether something has gluten in it but with our store, it’s guaranteed. People can walk in without having to check every little thing and we have a lot of variety, so, they don’t have to go from one health food store to the next.”
Healthy Tummies Pantry, located at 210 Allan St, Kyabram, is open seven days a week, from 8am until 5pm, Monday to Friday, and between 9am and 1pm on Saturday and Sunday (during winter).
To view the Healthy Tummies range, visit https://healthy-tummies-pantry-pty-ltd.square.site/s/shop
