‘Oatrepreneur’ Kathryn develops new Nuttin’ But to help her IBS

Kathryn Dando’s search for a solution to her own digestive health problems has resulted in a range of original foods that could benefit those with similar issues.

The busy mum of one in Lisburn has created Nuttin’ But, a small enterprise specialising in convenient oat-based and gluten-free breakfast pots and immune cereal bars with a unique bio-culture to promote digestive health.

The natural products are also now on the shelves of retailers here and in Britain including WH Smyth.

“I began to suffer in my teens from a range of symptoms including bloating, indigestion and cramps,” explains Kathryn, a mother of one-year old Ellen, who is a qualified in financial planning from Queen’s University, Belfast. She is married to Lee, an accountant.

Frequent visits to her doctors and specialists led to extensive investigations which pinpointed her problem as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), an often chronic abdominal condition which can be extremely painful and affects many people here. It’s also a depressing condition which negatively impacts quality of life.

“While IBS is fairly common and often undiagnosed, it can be severe and debilitating,” Kathryn continues. She was able to draw on the experience of her mother, a long-time sufferer from the stressful condition.

“There’s no known cure for the condition, and I was determined not allow it to impact my life. I wasn’t going to let it to beat me without a fight,” she says. “The situation forced me to take matters into my own hands and to see what I could to take control of my own gut health, naturally. I started by researching the condition on the internet and from other sources and found out about the importance of gut health and the need to strengthen the gut microbiome and reinforce my immune system with healthier food.”

The in-depth research led Kathryn to realise the importance of the gut in overall health.

“It showed that the majority of our immune cells are found in the gut wall,” Kathryn explains. She saw the potential of oats in overall health and especially in tackling gut problems.

Encouraged and assisted by husband Lee and family members with knowledge of the local food industry especially in sales and marketing, the talented entrepreneur, who describes herself as an “oatrepreneur”, began harnessing the power of oats and a bio-culture to improve gut health.

“We wanted natural products which could support the immune system and contribute to an overall sense of wellbeing,” she continues. “This is how we came up with the concept of ‘Nuttin’ But’, a small business specialising in products with oats which are natural and simple – nothing but oats, fruit, nuts and our unique bio-culture, which has been scientifically validated and EU approved.”

The first product under the new brand was a 250ml healthy drink which won best new cold-pressed drink at the prestigious Quality Awards in London in 2019.

“However, we then realised the best and most convenient way to bring our idea to market was as a breakfast product and so we came up with the idea of pots with oats, fruits and nuts and unique bio cultures. The pots are much more convenient than the plastic bottles,” she added.

A first-time mum with a very busy lifestyle and a lover of porridge, Kathryn reckoned the oats and bio culture were more versatile especially for mothers at breakfast.

“We carried this forward into an instant healthy breakfast pot, a great way to start the day and also to promote gut health.”

An extension of the approach led to the recent introduction of a range of three Immune branded individual snack bars - chocolate and hazelnut; apple and white chocolate and red berries.

Kathryn explains that all the products are “plant based with all the goodness of nature harnessed to support the immune system and boost digestive health. Nuttin’ But comes from a simple idea – eating naturally. We passionately believe in the power of eating well to feel better.”

The oat and bio pots are currently available in three tasty flavours – apple and pecan; blueberry and almond; and cranberry and cashew.

The small and progressive business is now seeking to develop sales here, in Britain and the Republic of Ireland. This has involved joining Invest NI trade stands at major food shows in Britain including the big Speciality Food Fair at London’s Olympia and Lunch! at ExCel, also in London, the most important event for food-on-the-go producers from across the UK and Ireland.

“Taking part in these shows was a great learning experience for us,” Kathryn continues. “Both events gave us opportunities to pitch directly on a face-to-face basis and to gain feedback from key buyers. We were delighted by the very positive response from those who visited our stand at both events and will be following up as quickly as practicable with our limited resources.”

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