Making grocery shopping affordable and sustainable

AT 27 and in the midst of a pandemic, Lisa Newton founded Dusty’s Bulk Foods in Torquay.

More than just a business, Lisa built a community-focused store that makes sustainable shopping accessible and affordable.

Lisa’s journey to entrepreneurship wasn’t conventional. Initially studying nursing, she quickly realised it wasn’t the right fit.

A self-proclaimed foodie, her passion for health and food led her to study nutritional medicine and dietetics, but she found that working in a clinical or office setting didn’t appeal to her.

While juggling retail work with her studies, Lisa sought bigger challenges. After seven years, when her request for a promotion was turned down, she knew it was time to carve her own path.

A pivotal moment came in 2016 when Lisa watched a documentary about plastic pollution in the ocean. “Seeing our human impact on the environment made me rethink my own shopping habits,” she said.

This led her to shop at bulk food stores and reduce her waste. A trip to Koh Samui further solidified her mission as she watched resort staff clean plastic waste from the beaches.

“Cleaning up our coastlines seemed like a Band-Aid solution to me,” she recalls. This was her wake-up call. She wanted to prevent unnecessary plastics in everyday life.

Without formal business education, Lisa relied on hands-on experience and mentorship from strong female leaders in business. “My bosses and managers were predominantly female,” she said. She learned invaluable lessons from women like Samantha Sleigh, Letitia Lillis and Jo Hand, who thrived in male-dominated industries.

“Their resilience and self-belief taught me that success is about the drive to learn and grow, not knowing everything. I’m grateful for their impact on my journey,” Lisa said.

Launching Dusty’s Bulk Foods was no easy task. Lisa opened the business during a pandemic while raising a one-year-old and managing a full-scale store fit-out during lockdowns. From the start, Dusty’s was more than just a store – it became a community hub where locals could reconnect, shop mindfully, and rediscover the joy of food.

Being a young woman in business brought its own challenges. “Many assumed Dusty’s was a franchise or owned by a larger corporation,” Lisa explained. Sales reps were often surprised when she identified as the owner. Like many women, Lisa also faced the struggle of balancing work and motherhood – a challenge many working mums can relate to.

Lisa’s mission remains clear: to eliminate single-use plastics from grocery shopping and offer sustainable alternatives. Dusty’s Bulk Foods stocks no single-use plastics, and Lisa turns down suppliers whose products don’t align with her values.

Now 30, Lisa is raising a four-year-old and preparing to welcome another baby. She hopes to inspire her team of six female staff through resilience, self-belief and the drive to learn and grow, knowing that her business wouldn’t be what it is without them.

Her advice to women considering entrepreneurship? “Surround yourself with supportive mentors, peers and other female entrepreneurs who can offer guidance and opportunities.”

This International Women’s Day, Lisa Newton stands as a testament to what’s possible when passion meets perseverance, proving that women belong in business, leadership and at the forefront of change.

For more information, head to dustysbulkfoods.com