We chatted with Jordyn Evans from Mingle Seasoning
Tell us about Mingle Seasoning
Mingle Seasoning started 4 years ago in my kitchen when I was cleaning out my pantry. I discovered the seasonings that I had been using contained a whole lot of nasty ingredients: Sugar, high amounts of salt, vegetable oils, emulsifiers numbers, and colours. I no longer felt comfortable using these products and went to the supermarket to find a healthier alternative. When I got to the spice aisle I realised there wasn’t a healthy range of seasonings and went home empty-handed.
That’s when I had my light bulb moment and had the vision to shake things up in the spice aisle with a healthy seasoning product that was also fun, colourful and made me excited to cook. For a category that’s all about flavour, this aisle was pretty damn bland when it came to packaging and branding too. I knew I wanted to create the demand outside the retail store first though and so I launched an e-commerce website initially and had a strong social media presence to build that direct relationship with my customer. That made it easier to transition into retail 2 years later, knowing I had a strong customer base and demand for the product.
Where does the name Mingle Seasoning originate?
I wanted a short and punchy name and honestly went through the dictionary to find the right name.
The word mingle has 2 meanings.
- To mix together which is what we do with our spices to create tasty seasonings/ spice blends
- To be social and engage with others which is a huge part of our brand and what we stand for. Cooking is one of the most social things and brings us together. This is something our brand is very passionate to embrace.
What kind of products do you sell? How do you use the seasonings in your home cooking?
We sell a range of seasonings and spice blends. We have divided the range up into 2 ranges:
- Our seasoning range in shaker bottles: These are great to shake on any protein or vegetable. Used for everyday cooking on everything. You can use them when you stir fry, grill, bake or fry. Just simply shake the seasoning on before cooking for maximum flavour! The flavours include: All-Purpose, Smokey, Garlic and Herb, Spicy Mexican, Garlic and Dill and Moroccan
- Our spice blend range in single-serve sachets: These are great for one-pot wonders and help you create healthy, all-natural meals packed with flavour and ready in under 30 minutes. These all-natural healthy meal spice blends take the effort out of cooking. The flavours include Curry in a Hurry, Spag Bol, Taco and Butter Chicken.
Tell us about the Mingle Talking Cards?
The Mingle talking cards were launched in honour of my Grandma and the campaign “Phones down, it’s time to Mingle.” My last memory of my nan before she passed was around the dinner table. Before that night I hadn’t seen her for about 6 months as I used “busy” as an excuse. That specific night I remember telling my sister that Nan was going to be the Queen at the table. We decided rather than Nan asking all the questions, this night was going to be different and we were going to get interested in her.
I think more often than not, we get comfortable with the closest to us and lose that curiosity to ask people questions. The Mingle talking cards were designed to prompt engaging dinnertime conversations and get to know those around you newly, just like what my sister and I did with my Nan before she passed. We want to reframe the dinnertime conversation and rather than seeing dinnertime as a chore or something to dread, we want people to see it as an opportunity to connect and create with loved ones.
Do you have any predictions for the food industry?
The plant-based category is growing incredibly and I anticipate Meat-Free Mondays is going to extend further into Tues, Wed, Thurs and Friday.
At the moments Millenials are spending way too much money on food delivery options (about $100 a week)! I am committed for a shift to happen in this behaviour where this generation reconnects back to the love of cooking. Bring back the dinner parties I say!
What do you love most about you do?
Two things:
- My team! I work with incredible people that inspire me every day. These guys work so damn hard and a really passionate with what they do. We try our best to have a team lunch once a week which is cooked in the office kitchen and its something I look forward to every week to connect with them.
- My customers! The emails we get from our customers confirms why I do what I do. I love when Mums email me saying “my kids now eat veggies because of your products” or “my hubby now cooks once a week because of Mingle.” This inspires me and makes me hungry to continue to build Mingle.
Who or what inspires you?
My customers, my team, my family, my friends, cooking on a Sunday and travelling fill my soul.
Do you have any plans for the future?
Mingle is about to launch a pop-up store on 445 Swanston Street for three months that we’re really pumped about. Getting our customers excited about creating and cooking is a huge focus for Mingle. We’re about to take our online shopping experience into a physical space and run a 3-month program full of interactive workshops.
We also have a range of new products in the pipeline so watch this space!
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