How did you come up with the concept behind BSKT?

I’ve always been involved with health food and sports nutrition. I got to the point where I wanted to do something more around Wholefoods rather than powders but also do something that would be still present on retail shelves. I ran the idea by my business partner Danny Bogatie, who also had a label printing business. We then got to working on both the cafe and Wholefoods range of retail products.

What is the story behind the name ‘BSKT’?

I’m from Africa and there is a traditional story of when you are going through a significant journey to the afterlife, chiefs would pack biscuits in the tombs to help give energy and health during their loved ones journey. I really liked the story and then abbreviated Biscuit to BSKT, as I wanted something a bit more catchy and also a 4 letter logo is a lot easier to work with!

How does BSKT differ from other cafes and restaurants?

We essentially look at the all aspects of health. Whether that is in the form of Vegan, Paleo or just simple, clean food. Our idea is to make this not a bland experience but taste just as good, if not better than traditional cafes. We also look at other aspects of health in the form of yoga, health events and community support of local businesses

Is there a particular item on the menu that you would consider a ‘must have’ for anyone dining at BSKT?

We are about to release our raw pad thai that I think is one of the best dishes we’ve come up with!

You guys are truly at the forefront of health and wellness, what trends do you predict we will be seeing more of in 2016?

I think there will be a significant growth in the vegan diet and sustainable eating. I believe more and more people are becoming aware of not only what excess meat consumption is doing to their body but also the environment.

How and what made you come up with the concept behind ‘Coco Whip’?

Coco Whip came about from Danny’s thought process of wanting a healthy soft serve, rather than a traditional ice-cream and my obsession with Coconut water. We saw there wasn’t anything in the way of a Vegan, healthy soft serve and took things from there.

How does ‘Coco Whip’ differentiate itself from other popular ‘healthy treats’ in the market?

Coco Whip is based on Coconut water and also fermented coconut, creating really healthy probiotics. There isn’t any other product out there that combines the health benefits of coconuts into a healthy treat the way Coco Whip does. This is also combined with the fact is hypoallergenic, making it suitable for almost all dietary types, whilst being super tasty.

If there was one piece of advice you could pass onto other health and wellness entrepreneurs, what would it be?

Stick to your guns and if you believe it is for the better of the health industry don’t conform to what people say you should. Ultimately you got into the industry to make a difference and there will be a lot of people telling ‘you don’t do this or that’ or ‘that won’t make you any money’. As long as you are making a difference in making people healthier, that is the most important thing at the end of the day.

 “Stick to your guns and if you believe it is for the better of the health industry don’t conform to what people say you should.”