From Primary School Teacher To New World Supermarket Success
About this episode
Allie Hemmings shares her journey from primary school teacher to successful entrepreneur with her nut-free product, Oaty Butter.
Have you ever thought about quitting your secure day job to become your own boss? This week, I yarn with Allie Hemmings, the former primary school teacher who did exactly that. Allie created ButterLuxe Co and won the 2025 New World Emerge startup award. After discovering her son had a nut allergy, Allie set out to create a delicious, nut-free alternative. Through plenty of kitchen trials and sheer determination, Oaty Butter was born. Allie shares her open and honest journey as a neurodivergent founder, explaining how her ability to hyperfocus helped her master the complex science of food technology and commercial manufacturing. She shares how she built a nut-free oaty spread for her son and what it takes to get onto supermarket shelves. This episode was brought to you by New World Emerge. New World Emerge is a national initiative, backed by Foodstuffs, to support new and emerging suppliers onto supermarket shelves. Find out more at newworld.co.nz/who-we-are/foodstuffs-emerge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sponsors
New World Emerge
More episodes of Kiwi Yarns
- Samantha Hayes On Surviving Redundancy And Finding Gutsy News
- Reflecting on Life at 40: Brodie Kane's Birthday Special
- Witi Ihimaera on Te Reo, Learning Purpose and Personal Legacy
- Kiwi Yarns and Friends LIVE! The Christchurch Show with Jason Gunn and Lana Searle
- Sustainable Farming in Aotearoa: Inside The Little Ardroy Beef Company's Success
- Grammy-Winning Songwriter Joel Little Thought Career Had Peaked After Royals. Spoiler: It Had Not
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Kiwi Yarns podcast page.