Most parents with a fussy eater try a few different things, maybe hide a bit of zucchini in the spag bol, then give up and think, ‘well, there are probably some nutrients in chips and tomato sauce…’.  Then there are the other parents. The ones who not only solve the problem, but accidentally birth a business empire while they’re at it.

Cinzia started started making smoothie boosters in response to her teenage daughter’s picky eating and breakfast skipping habits. The word quickly spread that these things were, well, the bomb, and Smoothie Bombs was born. Cut forward a decade and Cinzia’s enterprise is thriving. Not only that, her daughter Lana has come full circle and now works alongside her.

‘It’s awesome to be able to go through the highs and lows of small business together,’ Cinzia says. ‘We have learnt so much over the years.’

And that’s not all:

‘We made the switch to home compostable wrappers on our Smoothie Bombs back in 2018 and since then we’ve prevented almost 1.3 million plastic wrappers from going into landfill! We also use compostable shipping mailers and are always looking for innovative packaging solutions that are better for the planet. Oh and we offer our customers the option to carbon offset their orders on our website.’

To this end Smoothie Bombs has partnered with Fifteen Trees to plant 100 trees for this financial year.

Smoothie Bomb trees were planted in the Murrindindi District of the Upper Goulburn.

Over time the natural vegetation and animal corridors have been dominated by pastures and human productivity. We want to provide the opportunity for chunks of our land to regenerate.

Thanks to Fifteen Trees supporters such as the Smoothie Bombs, we gain more wildlife and nature in our backyard.

More importantly wildlife can now safely travel from the Murrindindi River without crossing open pasture. Native bees flourish. Birds are singing. Working with Landcare ensures that what is planted is regionally indigenous and this is extremely important to the sustainability of the project.

Brett Williams | Landcare Member | Upper Goulburn Landcare Network

1. I love that you’re a mother/daughter team!! What’s the best thing about working together? 

We have so much fun! Just watch our packing order reels on Instagram @thesmoothiebombs. Smoothie Bombs came about because of my fussy eater and now she runs the business with me. It’s awesome to be able to go through the highs and lows of small business together and we have learnt so much over the years.

2. What got you thinking about planting trees with Fifteen Trees? How does it fit into your philosophy?

As a small Aussie business, we know we need to do our bit for the planet and this is always in the back of our minds when making decisions. Fifteen Trees is run by a lovely customer of ours, Colleen, so we were excited to be able to support her and plant trees too!

3. We love the fact that we are planting trees on your behalf. Are there any other ways you’ve integrated sustainability principles into your business model?

We made the switch to home compostable wrappers on our Smoothie Bombs back in 2018 and since then we’ve prevented almost 1.3 million plastic wrappers from going into landfill! We also use compostable shipping mailers and are always looking for innovative packaging solutions that are better for the planet. Oh and we offer our customers the option to carbon offset their orders on our website :)

4. What does the future look like for Smoothie Bombs?

It’s our 10th year in business and we are still as passionate as ever to help our community whizz up delicious smoothies that make them feel great. We have lots of new smoothie booster flavours in the pipeline as well as some new exciting products. Stay tuned!

5. And finally, if you had to pick a favourite, what would your favourite flavour be and why?

Iced Coffee! It’s like your morning coffee & breakfast in one – so yummy and gives you an energy boost.

Highs and lows aside, the business’s core values have remained consistent, including their eco-friendly approach: ‘As a small Aussie business, we know we need to do our bit for the planet and this is always in the back of our minds when making decisions.’

What can you do for your bit for the planet?

Interview and article by Sarah Hart.

Sarah is an artist whose passions include the stories and experiences of women and narrative driven work. Her aim is to delight, to reveal glimpses of everyday beauty and to celebrate flights of the ordinary. Sarah works across a range of media, with an abiding interest in pen and ink, mixed media and the human form. You can find Sarah here.