Thursday, August 24, 2023

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

Airlie Health Hub Celebrates One Year

One couple’s journey to bringing natural and organic produce to the Whitsundays while simultaneously reducing single-use plastic has come a long way since they first opened the doors of Airlie Health Hub a year ago.

During this time, Hayley and Paul Moran have challenged and transformed the daily habits of many local residents by gently educating them on the merits of new shopping methods than can easily be adopted by household.

By supplying bulk goods, their customers can buy as little or as much of any product they choose.

This gives them complete flexibility and freedom to either invest in a staple or buy the tiniest amount for a single recipe.

Every item in-store is also either natural or organic and sourced as locally as possible.  

With over 300 products in stock, you can choose from pantry staple items, dried fruits, nuts, pulses, superfoods, spices, flours, rice pastas and dairy products.

They also stock locally baked artisan sough dough bread, fresh eggs direct from local farms, a range of other pantry items and completely natural cleaning products.

“You don’t need to know a lot about organic produce to find something you will like here,” said Hayley.

“We have so many items that almost anyone could benefit from – simply come in and have a chat with us – it can be a bit overwhelming at first because it’s new – but we can explain everything and together we can find out how it suits your lifestyle.”

Saving The Environment, Protecting The Future

At Health Hub they are not only concerned with what you put into your body, they are also concerned with how it gets onto your plate.

Every time you purchase a natural or organic item from Health Hub you will also be helping the environment by using a recycled jar or bottle with which to transport your produce home.

Wicker shopping baskets are available to borrow in-store and they supply a collection of donated jars and bottles that can be used to store your purchased goodies.

Over the past year Health Hub are proud to have saved 22,573 one-litre bottles from being used thanks to their natural cleaning products and personal care range.

During this time, a total of 724 bottles of local honey has been purchased.

In addition, 4,620 kilograms of local produce has been sold without using a single piece of plastic.

Hayley and Paul have also saved thousands of jars and bottle from reaching landfill through their jar donation program which encourages anyone to drop in their used items for re-use in store.

“We believe this cycle is very important,” said Hayley.

“It protects our future and by also using organic products we can help encourage better farming practices, protecting the biodiversity of our environment.”

Here’s what we did this year:

• 22,573 one litre plastic bottles

• Sold 724 Litres of local honey

• Sold 4620 kilograms of produce without using plastic

Find Food Freedom Again

With an increasing number of people living with food intolerances, Airlie Health Hub are pleased to offer practical and affordable solutions that can give you back your food freedom.

From gluten free pasta and other alternatives designed to suit special dietary requirements, such as sialic and keto, Airlie Health Hub has a wide range of produce for you to browse.

“In a world where so many people have food intolerances, it’s wonderful to help!” said Hayley.

“We had one mum come in who said that her family can finally eat pasta again and that made my day!

“People are also welcome to come in and ask about hard to source items and we’ll do our best to get them for you.”

From special orders to bulk buys, Airlie Health Hub can help.

Healthy Food, Heathy Kids

Local families are increasingly looking to Airlie Health Hub for advice on how to reduce artificial preservatives, colours and other chemicals from their children’s diets.

With many studies now linking preservatives to behavioural issues and other health concerns in children, many parents are choosing to opt for organic, natural produce.

“It’s highly damaging putting preservatives into our bodies and a world without them would be a lot better,” said Hayley.

Preservatives have also been linked to fertility issues and skin conditions.

Airlie Health Hub can help you live a preservative free life by replacing your favourite family food items with equally delicious alternatives.

From peanut butter to confectionary and cereals, they offer organic goodness with taste satisfaction every time.

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