WHO: KAI CARRIER

What: Reusable food pouches with a feeding spout. How: Four years ago when Kylie Matthews couldn’t find a convenient container for homemade baby food she fashioned her own chemical-free plastic pouches with a zip-lock opening and a user-friendly spout. “Pouches filled with baby food were a newish thing in the supermarkets but if you wanted to feed your children homemade food, free from additives, preservatives and sugars, in a convenient way, anywhere, anytime, there was no easy answer,” says the 33-year-old from Te Atatū Peninsula. Manufactured in China by an approved producer and distributed from Kylie’s home-

based head office, Kai Carrier was launched in 2013. Its range of microwavable and dishwasher-proof pouches is now sold at more than 50 outlets nationwide including The Warehouse and New World. Business has burgeoned 120 per cent in the past year. A former social worker, Kylie has built social enterprise into her business model with a fundraising package that boosts finances for schools and early childhood centres and encourages awareness of reusable rather than single-use packaging. “I’m proud that Kai Carrier provides families with a convenient cost-effective solution to feeding kids the foods they choose while also helping people to reduce their carbon footprint.” Kai Carrier has recently achieved carbon neutral status for its business operations. kaicarrier.co.nz