3 years ago I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, after a long debilitating flare up, a 3 week hospital visit and surgery to remove my large intestine, I was finally on the road to recovery.

I am very healthy now 2 1/2 years later but food and what I eat can still be a challenge, partly because of the disease and partly the physical aspects of having no large intestine.  I am happy to say I have not had a flare up since and mostly manage my illness with diet and lifestyle.

As a result of my experience and being a trained chef I started a business, Cape Wholefoods, in November 2013, initially selling whole foods specialising in gluten and grain free ingredients at the local markets.  I had developed a few products which I had been making for many years and so we evolved into a food manufacturing business specialising in gluten, grain and dairy free pantry items.

I manufacture a range of organic raw chocolate which is tempered and shelf stable.  This chocolate has my name on it and is beautiful, shiny and most importantly nourishing for the body and spirit. Currently there are no other raw chocolate manufacturers in WA tempering chocolate.  We launched this chocolate range at the Margaret River Gourmet Escape in 2014.



We are currently producing a beautiful cacao raspberry granola and a cinnamon apple musesli, both are soaked and activated nuts, gluten and grain free and dehydrated at 40C, maintaining maximum nutrition.  

These products are currently under the Cape Wholefoods label, but as we finish the packaging and labels, I intend to change the brand Cape Wholefoods to Maree Wilkinson to tie it in with the organic chocolate range.





We recently obtained the distribution rights to Natural Evolution green banana flour in WA, and as I had already been working with it for 2 years I have developed a range of recipes using this amazing nutritive product.  I have decided to produce a range of packet cake mixes and pancake mixes.  

This is currently a first for Australia, there is no one else producing any convenience packet mixes with organic green banana flour.  I am currently WA's leading expert on this amazing raw material, possibly Australia, next only to the producers.  I wholeheartedly believe a BIG aspect to my current good health and remission is because of this flour.  

Unlike other gluten and grain free flours it is highly nutritive.  It acts as a prebiotic in the large intestine, is resistant to digestion so therefore lowers blood sugar and is classified as a resistant starch.  The by-product of the probiotics in the gut then feed the cells in the colon which in turn reduces inflammation, promotes a healthy bowel and promotes weight loss.  It is also the only gluten free flour I have discovered that bakes as close to wheat flour as possible.  You can quite literally transfer your favourite chocolate cake recipe by substituting 30% less banana flour and adding 1 tbs chia seeds.  Nothing more!  No need for 5 different gluten free flours.



My goal has been to reach customers struggling to understand the confusing messages surrounding food and how to live a healthy life without sacrificing flavour or spending too much time in the kitchen, and at the same time setting realistic goals.  Life is busy, we are busy and we put so much pressure on ourselves.

We have had the packaging designed and has just been sent off for print.



The chocolate cake packaging is still being finalised and we will fund the first 200 units.



We intend to fund the first print run of packaging and everything involved in the pancake mix and chocolate cake mix ourselves, including the testing in a lab for gluten.

We are also asking for the funds for a shelf ready display box for the chocolate.  We have a lot of success selling the chocolate to stores, but as it does not have a box to sit in, it can sometimes get lost on the shelf amongst other chocolates.  And as with anything that needs to be manufactured and printed the more you purchase the cheaper it becomes.  We have chosen an Australian company that manufactures here in Australia, which is very rare as most send to China.  I prefer to support local businesses where possible.  They will also print directly onto the boxes.



We have recently negotiated with a new distributor and they sold 120 bars in 4 days.  I am expecting to be able to produce and sell 1200 bars per month over the next 6 months.

We are also asking for the funds for the raw materials, for the chocolate.  We will be purchasing 75kg of organic raw cacao butter and organic raw cacao paste which will allow us to reach a positive cash-flow quickly and still be able to produce products for sale.  We will be able to produce 2300 bars with this order.

Funds Breakdown

$1100 - 1000 units of pancake mix packaging                       

$3000 - 1000 units of chocolate shelf ready shippers

$600 - 500 units of chocolate cake mix packaging

$1225 - Chocolate Ingredients

$975  - Pozible fees and Rewards

I have been a single mum for 6 years and have overcome many obstacles in that time. The juggle between being a working parent and accessible for my children is a daily battle for me.  I made the decision not to put my children in daycare and slowly build my business.  The illness was another battle, relying on family assistance to survive but again we overcame that.  I became a Christian 6 years ago and not a day goes by that I do not thank God for everything He has provided for me.  So obviously I have personal obstacles to overcome, the lack of personal funds and the need to juggle a working life and family life.

I have a scripture verse on all of my products.
Psam 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

As with any business there are always obstacles and challenges, there doesn't seem to be a day goes by without a minor hiccup or decision to make.  Probably my biggest challenge is the chocolate production as I have a high standard and every process is done by hand, from cutting the 25kg organic cacao paste and butter, to tempering, moulding and polishing the polycarbonate chocolate moulds.  I tend to work late at night to maintain the chocolate production.

My main challenge is breaking even as we are still in negative cash-flow, however our wholesale customer base has doubled in the last 2 months.