Long time Mornington Peninsula residents Jodie and Peter began making homemade muesli in 1993 on a borrowed kitchen table because they’d never been able to find a really good muesli and they craved a healthy breakfast.

Starting out they began making trial batches, experimenting with different ingredients until they came up with the right mix they’d been searching for.

More than twenty years on, Jodie and Peter have left their day jobs and are producing 60,000+ bags of Muesli each year from their property in Red Hill where they began their journey all those years ago.

We caught up with the team from Red Hill Muesli to find out more.

Who are the team behind Red Hill Muesli and what made you launch?

We –  Jodie and Peter – launched the Red Hill Muesli Company in 1993 at the local Red Hill market as we were offered a stall by one of the market’s founders and we wanted to earn some extra money for travel. As we weren’t able to find a tasty and wholesome muesli on the supermarket shelves, we decided to come up with a blend of our own. Before launching, Red Hill Muesli, Peter was a teacher and Jodie a writer and social worker.

Our muesli business grew slowly but steadily over the years so that we both eventually gave up our jobs to keep up with demand. We have a team of half a dozen fantastic staff, some of whom have been with us for decades.

What was involved in developing Red Hill Muesli and do you have any plans to add to the range in the future?

We developed four different muesli varieties at the outset, as we felt they would cater for a wide variety of tastes. Our ‘Roasted Almond’ variety was introduced when we weren’t able to source hazelnuts one season. It proved so popular that when we were able to re-source hazelnuts, we felt obliged to keep making it.

We always have plans to expand our range of mueslis but we are so busy making the stuff that we haven’t had time to turn those dreams into reality. We will be launching our new, smarter bag designs by mid-year. But rest assured that our original recipes and commitment to quality will remain the same.

Can you tell us more about the nutritional benefits of Red Hill Muesli?

The health benefits of natural muesli can’t be underestimated. Muesli is high in fibre and antioxidants and low in saturated fats, meaning it is great for heart health. It reduces cholesterol levels and blood pressure. And it will keep you regular!

What sets Red Hill Muesli apart from other muesli’s currently available?

Our muesli is a cut above all the others on the market because:

• we only use the best quality fruit, nuts, grains and oats
• our percentage of dried fruit and nuts is higher than other brands, giving customers natural sweetness and the crunchiness of lightly roasted nuts. A taste sensation!
• unlike most muesli brands, we don’t add sugar, so our muesli is really healthy. (except for the Wicked variety, which has choc bits)
• we make it the same week that it is delivered to shops, supermarkets and cafes, thus ensuring optimal freshness.
• the majority of our ingredients come from Australia

Based in Red Hill, what do you like to do in your spare time and do you have any tips for anyone visiting Red Hill?

In our spare time, when we’re not gardening or working on our rather old house in Red Hill, we enjoy travelling, hiking, playing tennis, doing cryptic crosswords, reading, cooking. (We used to be keen cyclists until Jodie had a cycling accident.) Red Hill is renowned for its wineries, restaurants and proximity to beaches. It’s a beautiful place to visit but the increasing number of tourists make us glad when the summer holidays are over as it becomes quiet again.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take three things, what would they be?

Stranded on a desert island, we would take Red Hill Muesli, milk and fruit.