Founder of organic baby food brand Mamamade talks us through her journey.
Author Sophie BaronWhat’s it like balancing a successful career and new business with the everyday challenges that being a mother throws at you? Sophie Baron started her career in the tech world – now, she’s the founder of organic baby food and weaning brand Mamamade – the company making mealtimes easy.
The Edit caught up with Sophie on all things business, and how Mamamade is supporting its parenting community through more ways than its delicious dishes.
Welcome to the Edit! What inspired you to start your own baby food business?
Thanks for having me! I had such a shock when I first had my daughter. The identity shift that accompanied her arrival left me feeling under-supported and overwhelmed. Traditional baby food brands seemed out of touch with the realities of modern parenting. I wanted something that would serve as a support system – convenient food I could feel good about using. So, I set to work to create it. And what started from my kitchen is now a bustling community and brand, helping thousands of parents each week!
You began making meals from your kitchen table and delivering them yourself. How was that?
I still can’t actually believe I did that. I was just so desperate to connect with other mothers like myself, who felt like they needed support but also didn’t want convenience to mean compromise. For a while it was just something I was trying out. I still had a full-time job, but we also had around 6 or 7 deep-chest freezers in our spare room. Each step forward felt like such a risk. I remember saying to myself, "If it all fails, at least we’ll have veg to eat!" I had no idea when I started Mamamade that it would become what it is now – and I still can’t, really.
How do you balance work and family life?
My work and family life are so integrated – I work with my husband and I feed my children our food – so I don’t know if I have achieved balance! But I feel extremely fulfilled, which I’m very grateful for.
You describe Mamamade as changing the face of baby food – how are you doing this?
Most baby foods on the market are found on the shelf – so they are long-life, and have been processed at a very high temperature, compromising both on taste and nutritional-density.
Mamamade provides food that’s as good as homemade, all organic and made by hand, and flash-frozen to avoid any unnecessary processing. We’re providing convenience without compromise.
Your mission is to “share the load and the love.” How do you support your parenting community?
It’s always been about so much more than the food. We’re here to support parents throughout the journey, and we do that with really high quality and relevant resources across our blog, newsletter and podcast. We know just how overwhelming feeding a small child can be, so we also offer free 1:1 coaching for all customers to answer any questions that will inevitably come up.
Any advice for parents about to start the weaning journey?
It’s easier said than done but try not to compare yourself with other parents or babies. Each baby really is different. Eating solids is a developmental skill like reading, walking, crawling – some babies take to it quicker than others. And yet, for some reason, we put so much pressure on ourselves that our babies must be eating perfectly by 6 months. Let’s all agree to stop!
What’s next for Mamamade?
So much! We’re coming out with new and improved recipes and more products across different ranges to continue supporting parents. We’re really excited!
Mamamade founder and CEO, Sophie Baron started her career in the tech industry originally. But after returning to work following the arrival of her daughter, and struggling to balance work and home life, Sophie created Mamamade – an organic baby food and weaning brand. Now, Mamamade creates nutritious and delicious meals to keep babies happy and healthy throughout their weaning journeys.
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