Whitney McIlfatrick of Greenhill Vegan Bakery
From the green hills over looking the mountain of Slemish, Whitney McIlfatrick and her family are bringing a revolutionary concept of baked goods to the people of Ballymena and beyond.
The appropriately named business, Greenhill Vegan Bakery, is pioneering the sale of fresh plant based, nut free and dairy free sweet treats to the growing market of people choosing a plant based lifestyle.
With independent product allergen testing planned in the near future, it will also mean that those people who struggle to find products free of allergens can enjoy a tasty treat as well.
Working from a hygiene rated catering trailer, which has been converted to a bakery by engineer husband Mark, and with her children aged 2 and 5 pitching in with the taste testing aspect of recipe development, Whitney has already started to deliver regular orders to local businesses.
Whitney said:
“When my elder daughter was a newborn, she had cow’s milk protein allergy, a very common allergy among infants. Because I was breastfeeding her, I had to give up all dairy myself in order to control her allergy.
"Suddenly, outings like meeting a friend at a cafe, or going to the beach and trying to find lunch, became rather difficult because I often couldn’t eat anything!
And of course, it isn’t just mothers of CMPA babies; there are plenty of people of all ages with allergies to dairy, egg or nuts, all of whom want to dine out without risking a reaction. Add to that the growing number of people following a plant based diet for ethical or health reasons, and the market for cafe-style vegan and nut free options seemed sizable.
"Fast forward 4 years–and a few lockdowns in which to reinvent menus–and nearly all cafes and venues now try to cater for those dietary needs. I aim to bridge the gap for dining outlets and event organisers looking for fresh, locally made baked goods, with many locally sourced ingredients to go with those oat milk flat whites.
"So far, taste testing has proved that people genuinely can’t tell the difference in the plant based items!”
There is a growing market for vegan dining options, with over 12 million people across the UK following a plant based lifestyle.
The next step for Greenhill Vegan Bakery is selling directly to individual customers as a retailer. Whitney has recently received a Gallagher Trust Seed Fund grant to enable the purchase of food labelling equipment, packaging and credit card payment facilities. She adds:
“I am really looking forward to taking the Greenhill goodies to a broader market at festivals and fairs, as well as providing people with vegan treats for their special events, like birthday parties and baby showers. I love being a small part of making event catering as inclusive as possible.”
If anyone would like to connect with Whitney, you can contact her at greenhillveganbakery@gmail.com or by phone 07707874908.