Pioneer series: A Nutcessity of Life. Meet Mike Duckworth, Founder of Nutcessity

Pioneer series: A Nutcessity of Life. Meet Mike Duckworth, Founder of Nutcessity

Pioneer series: A Nutcessity of Life. Meet Mike Duckworth, Founder of Nutcessity

Written by Racheal Smith.
Posted on February 24, 2021.

What is a man with a peanut allergy doing setting up a nut-based food company? To completely blow your mind, the peanut is not a nut at all but a legume related to chickpeas and lentils. We will wait while you shake your head in disbelief at the foolishness of the English language.

Then, we will ask again: why a nut-based food company?

Mike Duckworth, Founder of Nutcessity, is a man with a clear vision and inspired imagination. As someone who eats only a plant-based diet, nuts were an essential food for substituting proteins. Yet, the marketplace lacked that brand to offer the peanut-free and organic products required for a vegan with an allergy.

He had also fallen in love with the taste of nut butter in Australia in 2013, calling it a "revelation".

While travelling with a friend through Tanzania, the idea of Nutcessity was born. After his role as a team leader with the voluntary charity Raleigh Tanzania came to an end in August 2016, he started his own treenut butter-making business – obviously with no peanut.

Mike notes that "running a small food business can be stressful, but I have my freedom." He graduated with a business degree in 2014 and started work in a restaurant. He felt constrained in someone else's company.

The initial product was an organic brazil nut butter. He made the butter himself from home, jarring and labelling the product too. Such was the demand for the product; he spent three days making the butter and three days selling it in Bristol. Since these first beginnings, the product range has been slowly developing. "I've now found that all-important niche in the marketplace: speciality, peanut-free and organic nut butters that have no added sugar."

The demand was such that Mike moved to work with a specialist manufacturer in February 2020, supporting him in developing his ever-growing stockists' list.

But why, when you have an international business degree, would you choose to focus on foods? The simple answer is that it was where Mike felt he "belonged." As an emotional response to the question, this is the perfect reasoning to make this your life's work. He also has a clear intellectual plan to support his business strategy.

"Most of us eat three times today; in a world where we seem to be working harder and finding less time for each other, food is that all-important binding mechanism. (Also) when we buy a particular food, we are voting, and consequently increasing demand for particular products. It is worth taking an interest in different brands and products and choosing the one you feel comfortable supporting."

Nutcessity nut butters do not add sugar or syrups and nor do they use palm oils. Mike is offering wholesome food that tastes great. He shows loyalty to those companies that have stood with him from the beginning. Businesses such as The Better Food Company in Bristol became his first retail stockist. Mike worked for them part-time when he was first setting up the business, and this relationship has been vital to his onward growth. In March, Nutcessity is running a promotion with The Better Food Company. There will be three A-boards outside all three stores. Mike notes that when he worked at the company, he "used to write the A-boards for one of the sites." He goes on to add, "it feels really amazing to be 'big enough' that I have that support from them."

From the small beginnings of organic brazil nut butter, Nutcessity now has a range of products, including Date and Walnut, Choc Haz Braz, Caromel Cashew, Coffee and Walnut Butter, and Gingerbread Almond. You can even buy a five-pack of "Try Me!" jars to find your favourite.

Mike has plans to build something big from this strong foundation. Being interested in business, he believes it is all about creating a supply of something slowly and consistently. Demand is growing for Nutcessity's treenut butters, and he has plans to enter new markets in the next year. He is continually looking to develop new products to add to the range and constantly learn and think about the next step.

There are facets of Mike's approach that really stand out. First, he is not rushing to expand his business before he is ready. When he employs people, he wants the role to be secure. Second, he is working from a place of passion; Mike freely admits if he stops feeling like he is thinking and learning, he "would have to walk away."

Finally, and most importantly, for his business model, he is a man of values who works within a strong ethical framework. He seeks to provide the most delicious nut butter, but there is no palm oil used, and the product is plastic-free. All the labels are certified plastic-free by A Plastic Planet, recyclable paper bags are given at markets, bamboo spatulas are used for samples, and each product is Soil Association Organic Certified. Hence, the nut butter ingredients are free from environmentally damaging pesticides.

While some companies pump additives into nut butter to make them easy to spread, Nutcessity suggest stirring their treenut butter with a fork. Those big companies that depress us with their low values will offer a butter that is good to go at any temperature; Nutcessity thinks there is no harm in bringing the product to room temperature to get those natural oils flowing. In short, while corporates may offer convenience, Nutcessity offers taste, health and respect for our environment.

Written by

Racheal Smith

Racheal Smith
Written by

Racheal Smith

Racheal Smith is a freelance writer and teacher.  She has taught for 24 years, 19 in schools and the last four in children’s homes. She runs her own freelance writing business and enjoys writing about food. As a lover of all finely crafted items, she feels a great passion for writing about the creativity of others.

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