A Q&A with Katarina Heath from Melrose Health

We speak with Katarina Heath, the Head of Marketing at Melrose Health. Australian owned, Melrose Health create natural and organic foods (from nut butters to delicious oils) and health products with the aim of encouraging optimal health in their customers.

What was the initial vision for Melrose and when was it founded?

At Melrose, we have been producing products to support whole body health for 40 years.

Back in the mid-70s, our founder, a chemist working in the pharmaceutical industry at the time started hearing about alternative medicine and the emerging ‘health food’ category. The idea of healthier food and natural products as preventative medicine rather than treating symptoms instantly appealed to him. He set out to create a manufacturing business to produce quality health foods to support the health of Australians and he did just that! Melrose has now grown to be one of Australia’s leading and most trusted health food brands.

What is the Melrose philosophy?

We live for healthier people, the world over, every day. We believe in eating your way to health, and that health can and should taste great. We believe that health doesn’t have to be a chore, it doesn’t have to be a bad tasting experience and it isn’t a pill that you pop and you’re done. We believe in helping people by offering healthier alternatives and great tasting products to support their wellbeing. We are proudly 100% Australian owned.

Where did the name Melrose come from?

Our founder grew up in a leafy suburb of Melbourne and Melrose was the name of the street he lived on.

What is your personal definition of wellness?

Wellness is about creating healthy habits in your daily life for maintaining balance regardless of what comes up in your day or what stresses the week brings. The smallest changes in your everyday can make the biggest difference. Substituting with clean ingredients and healthy pantry staples is one of the most simple and beneficial things you can do for your health.

Where do you source your ingredients?

We believe in using the best possible ingredients and, wherever possible, that’s Australian organic. We also know that some ingredients with certain origins are best sourced in different regions of the world. We’re committed to giving our customers access to the best possible ingredients worldwide.

What are your favourite Melrose products to cook with and how?

I love experimenting with all the healthy kitchen oils. Introducing Ghee into my cooking has been a game-changer. It’s a once of the most nutrient rich healthy fats and is so delicious, I now use it instead of butter in all my cooking. I’ve also been using the Melrose Australian Macadamia oil for high-heat cooking, like pan-frying the dukkha crusted chicken or baking sweet potato fries. The Melrose Sacha Inchi Oil is my go-to for drizzling over salads because it’s so high in omega-3s.

Wellness is about creating healthy habits in your daily life for maintaining balance regardless of what comes up in your day or what stresses the week brings.

My new favourites have to be the new Melrose nut butters range. My pantry is full of the new varieties including Chocolate Hazelnut, Coconut Cashew and Almond Chai. They’re so delicious, I mostly eat them straight from the jar or as a nutritious afternoon snack with fruit. I also plan on making the new Buckwheat Protein Pancakes recipe as a weekend treat with my family.

There has been a lot of buzz around your MCT oil. What is it and how can it benefit our health?

Melrose was the first to introduce MCT oil to Australia in 1995. Originally popular with athletes and body builders as a sports supplement, this ‘superfat’ has a wide range of health benefits that are beginning to be understood and enjoyed by increasingly health-aware consumers.

MCTs are absorbed quickly by the body, providing an instant boost of clean energy and promote feelings of fullness. MCTs assist the body in using fats as fuel rather than carbohydrates which can support exercise performance and endurance. They also support cognitive performance by providing fuel for the brain.

What is one simple thing that everybody can do right now for glowing health?

Eat real food and make sure you’re consuming enough of the good fats.

What’s next for Melrose? Following the launch of our new vitamin C powders and nut butter range, we will continue to update all our packaging to be consistent with the new Melrose brand. We have a lot of exciting innovation to share over the next couple of years, stay tuned.

For more, visit melrosehealth.com.au