Eureka

Product: Probiotic yoghurt smoothies Company: Kid Me Not Launch date: January 2007



Goats' milk is making breakfast-time more fun for youngsters who have an intolerance to cows' milk.

A range of probiotic yoghurt smoothies in two varieties: Fruits of the Forest, and Garden Fruits - a mix of plum, rhubarb and apple - is the latest idea from Kid Me Not, which is based on a small Welsh dairy goat farm.

Kid Me Not makes the chilled drinks with pasteurised milk from its herd of goats, adding fruit conserve without any of the 'nasties' such as colours, flavourings or sugar.

Former secretary Loraine Makowski-Heaton first devised a goats' milk fudge recipe to give her two eczema-prone younger children a treat. By changing to a goat's milk diet, she found their skin condition could be kept under control, but they missed ice cream and fudge.

Makowski-Heaton started making the sweets in her kitchen in Talley, near Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire, two years ago. The family venture has now expanded to include 13 different flavours and there are other confectionery plans in the pipeline. The company has also branched out into retailing its own milk from the dairy goat farm where Makowski-Heaton's parents help with the day-to-day running of the business, along with three other members of staff.

Kid Me Not prides itself on listening to customers, she says. "The smoothies came about by talking to trade and retail customers and it felt like a natural progression for our business. We are concerned about allergies and health and, although we are interested in the treat side, we felt this would also be a mainstream product that would be available for everyone."

The smoothies, which come in 250ml bottles, are being listed by Castell Howell Foods in Wales and the company is negotiating with further distributors in England. Kid Me Not also goes to as many trade and public food fairs as it can, such as the BBC Good Food Show and IFE.

"We are looking to market the smoothies in health shops, delis and sandwich shops throughout mainland UK but we have received enquiries internationally," she adds. Not content with her forays into food, Makowski-Heaton is also a published author of the children's book Monty Gets Stuck, which was inspired by her own goats.