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<\/p>\nThe 2023 Women in Business and Regional Development and Mount Gambier Chamber of Commerce Awards were reimagined in their return after a three year hiatus. That hiatus coincided with COVID and the significant challenges that presented to the business community across all sectors so when the awards scheme was revamped \u2013 resilience and growth were at the heart of the criteria for the award winners.<\/p>\n
Gym Challenge Meals was one of those award winners \u2013 taking out the Small Business category of the Business Growth and Resilience Awards \u2013 and owner Alex Marlow and his team epitomise both traits in spades.<\/p>\n
Timing is everything in life and Alex had only just embarked on this exciting new venture of providing health, delicious meals when COVID hit.<\/p>\n
As a business, Gym Challenge Meals (GCM) had to be resilient right from the start.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were forced to close GCM because of COVID after just six weeks – we opened in January 2020 and had to shut the doors along with most other business in March 202,\u201d Alex said.<\/p>\n
Hardly the start he was looking for and as a new business, GCM didn\u2019t qualify for any of the job keeper support that was handed out by the government so they had to battle to stay afloat.<\/p>\n
Still running the Mount Gambier Hospital Caf\u00e9 at the time, Alex faced challenges he could hever have anticipated and hard decisions had to be made.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a difficult time and it wasn\u2019t really viable to continue,\u201d Alex said. \u201cI went into significant debt to keep the doors open when perhaps it might have been easier to walk away. There is no real secret to how we overcame this other than have a steadfast belief in what we are doing and to just keep showing up, keep producing the best quality pre-prepared meals on the market and ensure our coffee and experience for our customers at HQ is first class.\u201d<\/p>\n
Navigating those unprecedented challenges was only compounded by Alex working through what was a complicated economic bottom line \u2013 making his meals quality but affordable while still being able to pay the bills.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have the same high overheads, food costs and wage costs as other food business but we don\u2019t have the luxury of selling our product for the price per portion like cafes or restaurant can,\u201d Alex said. \u201cWe have to focus on selling a high volume of meals at a lower cost and run the kitchen as efficiently as possible to keep wages and costs to a minimum.\u201d<\/p>\n
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And then there was the need to invest in better packaging to ensure the business model \u2013 customers ordering a week\u2019s worth of meals at a time \u2013 the shelf life is now vastly improved after that investment, as well as being biodegradable and therefore more sustainable.<\/p>\n
What started as a strictly pick up service in Mount Gambier has grown \u2013 incorporating delivery, sourcing stockists, establishing the Montebello headquarters and extending throughout the Limestone Coast and South West Victoria.<\/p>\n
\u201cWord of mouth has ensured that just like in Mount Gambier, our food is being enjoyed by more than just gym goers, but anyone who wants access to quality healthy preprepared meals,\u201d Alex said. \u201cThis expansion has shown that there is an appetite for GCM outside of Mount Gambier and if this concept can work here then it really can work anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Alex hasn\u2019t finishing building the GCM empire \u2013 he has big plans afoot.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe next big horizon for GCM is to franchise the concept,\u201d he said..\u201d We are currently documenting all of the systems we have in place so we can replicate how the business operates and build a franchise operations manual. We are hoping that some hard working franchisees can see our concept and be excited to open their own GCM in their own town or suburb. They can own and operate their own thriving business and build their own customer base and community just like we have done here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alex, who has believed in his concept all along, can\u2019t wait to instil that confidence in others. \u201cIn my gut I always knew there was something to this concept,\u201d he said \u201cThe plan has always been to build the concept, fine tune the procedures and then to replicate through franchise. I truly believe GCM can become a brand in multiple states and territories and the thought of helping franchisees open their own GCM excites me. That\u2019s the plan, I have no reason to believe it won\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gym Challlenge Meals epitomises growth and resilience to secure business award The 2023 Women in Business and Regional Development and Mount Gambier Chamber of Commerce Awards were reimagined in their return after a three year hiatus. That hiatus coincided with COVID and the significant challenges that presented to the business community across all sectors so […]<\/p>\n