Entrepreneurs, Sam Bridgewater and Maia Royal, the founders of The Pure Food Co have won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year – Services category in New Zealand.
The award winning entrepreneurs are changing the way food is approached in the aged care sector to help solve one of the major problems in society – safe nutrition for the elderly.
“We’re using food science and innovation to make nutrition commercially accessible to every resident in an aged care facility,” says Bridgewater.
“This is not just a healthcare issue but a social responsibility we can no longer afford to overlook.”
Bridgewater says when aged care residents receive proper nourishment despite complex dietary needs, the risks of malnutrition, weight loss and challenges with eating are reduced.
“Older people require almost twice as much protein as elite athletes, yet most get as little as 60% of what they need,” he says.
“Meal times are among the most anticipated moments in a resident’s day so it’s important that we get the food right.”
Director of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year, New Zealand, Jason Macgregor, said he noticed an increased awareness of social issues shared by the finalists.
“These phenomenal entrepreneurs have shown how they addressed a problem in society, found their niche, tackled hardship, and ultimately combined passion, purpose and profitability in their path to success.”
Bridgewater and Royal are using their pioneering work in the textured modified food space to solve critical issues related to elderly nutrition and have set new benchmarks for quality care.
The business the entrepreneurs started 11 years ago is now the largest supplier of textured-modified foods to age care facilities in Australia, New Zealand and France.
It’s a solution to a growing issue in aged care that’s been recognised, with the entrepreneurs winning the EY Entrepreneur of the Year – Services category.
Bridgewater says innovation in aged care isn’t just about developing new foods or menus, it’s about tailoring these innovations to help solve the real-world challenges faced by facilities, staff, and residents.
“We’ve seen positive impacts on the mandatory aged care quality indicators such as improvements in unplanned weight loss, reduced falls and a reduction in pressure injuries through the increase in protein intake, which has led to a drop in supplement costs and work care complaints.”
The entrepreneur’s mission to nourish the world’s seniors began after Bridgewater witnessed his stepdad’s battle with cancer, where he struggled to access the food he wanted and the nutrition he needed. The experience highlighted a critical gap in healthcare, inspiring him to explore how proper nutrition could improve health outcomes for seniors.
“It’s about changing the way aged care facilities approach food and nutrition, making it a key factor in improving long-term health outcomes, particularly for residents with dysphagia and other swallowing issues.”
“By reshaping pureed and textured modified fortified foods to look like regular meals, Bridgewater says they’ve overcome one of the key barriers in aged care nutrition, the reluctance of residents to eat when the meal looks unappetising or unrecognisable.
“We know that to prepare flavoursome and aesthetically appealing and nutritionally fortified foods that comply with IDDSI textures, is a challenge that’s moved to a medical space.”
Bridgewater and Royal have successfully built partnerships with aged care networks and hospitals offering training, implementation and menu development support, which has been key to facilities meeting aged care guidelines, reducing costs and easing the burden on their kitchen staff.
“When we work with facilities we see outcomes of satisfaction go up and plate waste goes down.”
Bridgewater says by outsourcing one of the most complex and time-consuming aspects of food preparation, facilities meet IDDSI standards, reduce compliance risks and free up chefs and kitchen staff to focus on more personal aspects of the dining experience.
It’s a mission shared by Janet Anderson, Commissioner of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, who echoed this sentiment in her most recent quarterly report, stating, “when you get the food right many clinical risks are reduced, and a person’s quality of life is improved.”