Born and raised in England, Hayley Loomes, then an art teacher, moved to Muscat in 2014. After a year in the Middle East, she found that she had gained weight, felt sluggish and unhappy. She had been eating all the wrong things and barely moving her body. In the summer of 2015, she decided to make a change; she began by cutting out the bad stuff from her diet and adding extra portions of vegetables to her dinners. She also rekindled her love for healthier home-baked treats. The big change happened when she joined a Crossfit box (Crossfit Tempo). To ensure her efforts at the box didn’t go to waste, she studied nutrition online and made bigger changes to her lifestyle. Owing to her own progress, she launched Nourish Kitchen, a healthy meal preparation service that brings wholesome food to homes across Muscat. Read on to know more about Hayley’s tryst with healthy food and fitness…
How did Nourish Kitchen Oman come to be?
Those around me noticed the results achieved in my own fitness journey and asked for advice. I provided healthy dinners for friends, shared my recipes and gave them tips on how to make healthy food that was delicious. An idea was born and I trialled the meal prep service for two weeks while still teaching full-time. It was crunch time, and I had a matter of days to decide whether I would sign my contract for the next year. I declined and took the leap of faith to start Nourish Kitchen.
Why did you decide to launch a prepared meal service in Oman?
I identified gaps in the local market, and planned a solution that is healthy, convenient and exciting. Compared to other areas of the world, Muscat has almost nothing to offer in terms of convenient healthy food. There are fast-food chains everywhere, but the new generation is becoming aware that these are not viable options if they wish to sustain a healthy lifestyle. There are many young working people who do not have the time or energy to commit to shopping, preparing and cooking their own food yet still want to maintain health and wellness.
What were the challenges you faced when setting up Nourish Kitchen?
I built Nourish from scratch. For some time, I was a one-woman show – chef, delivery driver, marketer, accountant and customer service rep. I’ve had to show dedication and passion for my vision along the way, even when it felt like an impossible dream. Opening our our kitchen and shop in April 2018 was a milestone, and I have enjoyed all the challenges that have come my way since!
How do you ensure your meals are of great quality always?
We have created varied and nutritious menus made from whole, fresh foods. We buy the freshest fish, meat, eggs, greens, root vegetables, whole grains and seeds we can find. Whenever possible, we buy local produce and use fresh herbs and spices in our dishes. We also choose ingredients for their functional role, as well as their taste, look and feel. For example, the pomegranate seeds we use to garnish a salad are pretty, but they’re also full of antioxidants and the crushed almonds on top of our Moroccan inspired dinner not only add crunch but up the vitamin, mineral and fibre content.
How does the meal delivery service work?
Our clients choose a package from our range of plans – Burn, Balance, Build, Vegetarian, Vegan and Keto. They conveniently order via WhatsApp and let us take care of the planning, shopping and cooking, which gives them the time to enjoy the other important things in life.
With breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options, we provide any combination to suit busy lifestyles. Clients can sign up for a few days, a week, a month or a six-week plan. They can collect in-store or have it delivered to their home/office at various time slots throughout the day.
What are your future plans for Nourish Kitchen?
We currently have a food-to-go range in two large branches of Al Meera supermarkets and are now planning to develop a larger range, to include heat-able meals and a possible frozen ready-meal range.
Most recently we had the opportunity to develop a range of meals for young children, focussing on balanced lunches and snacks which we are currently supplying to a small group of nurseries.
We also attend events, selling meals and promoting our packages at races, wellness and activity days. The Nourish philosophy will always remain the same, but I look forward to developing the business further, educating others on the core benefits of healthy eating and bringing delicious food to many more in Muscat.
