Gilly’s muesli, made with love

GILLIAN Fraser has always enjoyed sitting down for a bowl of muesli, but she found store-bought varieties tasted sweeter than they needed to be.

Researching different recipes, she decided to explore the idea of creating her own blend.

“I found a recipe I kind-of liked, modified it, and swapped ingredients over. It’s healthier if you make your own,” she said.

“When I was happy with it, I made it into gifts for friends and family, and quite a few people said to me, ‘this is great, you should be selling it.’”

One evening on Sussex Street, Ms Fraser ran into the owner of the town’s latest café, Linton Larder. This encounter linked her with the perfect, exclusive sales platform.

“I dropped off a packet for them to try, and they phoned a week later to say they loved it and wanted to put it on the menu, and on the shelves.”

The café has been open for just over a month, and Gilly’s Toasted Muesli is already a hit with locals and visitors passing through the town.

Ms Fraser hopes her made-in-Linton blend can put the town on the map.

But although she’s discovered this new market, there’s still a demand amongst her supportive, original fans, who are close-by and much further afield.

“A friend was out shopping at the supermarket with her very young son once, and when she asked what breakfast cereal they should buy, he said, ‘I want Gill’s muesli,’ so it’s very popular with my friends,” she laughed.

“I have a friend in Germany that wants me to send her some too.”

In each 500-gram packet, there is an extra special ingredient. It might not be obvious to every muesli consumer, but it’s a very important element for Ms Fraser.

“I have a rule with my muesli, to make sure it is made with love.

“I will never make it if I’m feeling anxious or sad. I always make sure I am in the right frame of mind because I think a lot of your energy can go into food,” she said.