Now employing 5 people, Bodymatter supplies independent retailers like us with crunchy granola, using mainly British and always organic ingredients. We love it, which is why we’ve chosen to promote it during this year’s Wake Up To Organic* campaign (from 8am on Wednesday 14th June 2017).

We asked Founder/Owner Dympna Fitzpatrick about how it all came about.

Tell us a bit about your background and how Bodymatter began.

I’m from Dublin but have lived in Bristol for a long time and had my three girls here. I started Bodymatter when they were very young and as a result of a health concern; I experienced early menopause, putting me at greater risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. With three toddlers at an age where they were influenced by food marketing I became focused on our diet and food labelling. I was shocked by the levels of sugar and fat in foods, particularly in toasted cereals. So I started making my own. The challenge was to make a cereal with a nutritional profile rich in vitamins and minerals with the same calories as porridge. A tall order, which took me two years to refine.

Why did you decide to be an organic granola-maker?

I became aware that organic meant less use of pesticides and herbicides, and that animals and insects were treated with more care. There was full traceability from farm to plate. It seemed a more holistic and sustainable approach.

What’s special about your granola?

Lots of granolas are very calorific or high in sugar and/or fat. Ours is neither. We also have the same main health claim as porridge – that it is cholesterol-lowering. This means every serving has a certain proportion of beta-glucans and it is low in saturated fat.

Has there been anyone in the organic/food/nutrition world who has inspired you?

Dr Marilyn Glenville, who advocates alternative options to conventional medicine and promotes a balanced approach. I also love Yeo Valley [we’re also featuring their natural yogurt as part of our Wake Up* breakfast mix – Ed] because it is local, and has stuck to its organic principles. Yeo Valley produces delicious products and has regular farm open days where you can see how well they take care of their animals and the land.

If you could get people to change one thing about their shopping habits, what would it be?

I’d like people to realise that not all the best choices or deals can be found in the supermarkets.

Apart from in a bowl for breakfast, what’s your favourite granola-based recipe?

It’s delicious with a blob of natural yoghurt and some berries on top. It also goes brilliantly as a topping for an apple crumble! You can draw inspiration from the recipes on our website.

You can buy Bodymatter cereal in all three Better Food stores.

*Wake Up To Organic is a national campaign to show how easy it is to switch to an organic breakfast, and to showcase the fabulous range of organic food and drink that local independent stores like ours can offer. For more, see www.wakeuptoorganic.co.uk.