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A former marketing manager turned business owner has developed a ‘healthy’ gravy that’s now stocked in Coles, selling more than 17,000 tins in the first month alone.
Jordyn Evans, from Melbourne, started Mingle Seasoning from her family’s kitchen at 24 after she quit her job, sold her car and put all of her life savings into the business.
Since then the now 30-year-old told FEMAIL the brand has expanded from the spice category and launched a delicious gravy that’s free of ‘nasty’ ingredients.
In 2020, Jordyn landed a huge $1million deal with Coles followed by a $2million deal with Woolworths the next year, with the seasoning products now stocked in more than 2,000 supermarkets across Australia.
Mingle also sold more than $76,000 worth of the gravy in Coles in its first month of launch.
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Jordyn Evans (pictured) from Melbourne, built a multi-million dollar seasoning empire after she moved back in with her parents to pursue her dream business
Since then the now 30-year-old told FEMAIL the brand has expanded from the spice category and launched a delicious gravy that’s free of ‘nasty’ ingredients. Jordyn said her dad Glenn (right) inspired her to develop the latest product
The young food entrepreneur dubbed Australia’s ‘spice girl’ said her father Glenn was her biggest inspiration when developing the gravy.
‘Dad is the biggest gravy fan, he smothers it on everything – even his salad!’ she said with a laugh, adding how a gravy pot was always on the family dinner table.
A few years ago when Jordyn went to buy gravy from the supermarket, she noticed a range of ‘unnecessary’ ingredients were used and acted swiftly to create a better alternative.
‘Other brands contain unnecessary ingredients like milk proteins, vegetable oil and beverage whitener, and I said to myself “why do you need to use this?”‘
With a multitude of other products already stocked on shelves, Jordyn had to develop the perfect recipe in order to stand out – and fair to say it worked.
The gravy is currently only available at Coles and all the seasonings are available in Coles and Woolworths.
A few years ago when Jordyn went to buy gravy from the supermarket, she noticed a range of ‘unnecessary’ ingredients were used and acted swiftly to create a better alternative. The Mingle Seasoning gravy (right) is dairy free, gluten free and vegan friendly
The idea to start her own range of seasoning started five years ago when she noticed the high levels of salt and sugar, preservatives, and hidden artificial ingredients labelled on the supermarket products while she was in the middle of cooking.
‘I discovered the Moroccan seasoning I was using contained a whole range of questionable nasty ingredients so I chucked it in the bin,’ she said.
‘I went to the supermarket to find a better seasoning alternative, but I couldn’t. I stood in the herbs and spice aisle and noticed all the brands looked the same and to me were bland and with no personality.
‘This was my light bulb moment where I had the vision to create a new healthy flavour brand that was fun, had personality and got people excited to cook again.’
She moved back in with her parents so she could work on her brand in their kitchen. Eventually, she moved into a commercial kitchen – and as the business grew, they found a Melbourne manufacturer who now does all the spice blending.
Jordyn said she wanted to create a ‘healthy, all-natural’ range of seasoning without compromising on flavour.
With a multitude of other products already stocked on shelves, Jordyn had to develop the perfect recipe in order to stand out – and fair to say it worked. ‘Dad was my biggest inspiration and biggest fan – he smothers gravy on everything!’ Jordyn said (pictured: gravy cans in production and being packed)
The idea to start her own range of seasoning started five years ago when she noticed the high levels of salt and sugar, preservatives, and hidden artificial ingredients labelled on the supermarket products while she was in the middle of cooking
Another new product that has quickly become a favourite among customers is the ‘Everything Bagel’ seasoning – inspired by the US bagel and contains key ingredients such as onion, garlic, and toasted sesame.
‘I posted a TikTok video about the product and it instantly kicked off, which was a huge shock,’ Jordyn said.
‘Sales went up 85 per cent and stores sold out all from posting one video – it was remarkable.’
She also recalled the moment she received a phone call from a Coles buyer in 2020 to discuss the huge supermarket deal.
‘I started crying because a lot of sacrifice goes into running a small business and it was nice to know people were believing in the brand,’ Jordyn said.
Jordyn recalled the moment she received a phone call from a Coles buyer in 2020 to discuss the huge supermarket deal. ‘I started crying because a lot of sacrifice goes into running a small business and it was nice to know people were believing in the brand,’ Jordyn said
For the first three years of her business, Jordyn delivered all of her stock to stores in a van
But the brand wasn’t an instant success, as she didn’t pay herself a salary during the first three excruciating years of starting her business.
‘It certainly got tough at the end of those three years as money got tighter and my stress levels grew,’ she said.
‘I put everything into this little spice business while my friends were buying houses.’
As she worked endlessly to lift the business off the ground after investing $40,000 out of her own pocket, Jordyn started as a one-man band.
‘I was the delivery driver to stores, the promotional girl in-store giving samples away and everything in between… I was struggling to switch off and have a life outside of Mingle,’ she said.
As she worked endlessly to lift the business off the ground after investing $40,000 out of her own pocket, Jordyn started as a one-man band. She used to deliver her own stock to the stores from her van (pictured in 2018)
Jordyn said she wanted to create a ‘healthy, all-natural’ range of seasoning without compromising on flavour
Today Mingle now has six workers and Jordyn has learnt to ‘set boundaries’ for herself so she’s not working around the clock.
‘I take weekends off and still see my friends but not as often as I used to. Dating is also a challenge because my focus is solely on the brand,’ she said.
She’s also recently moved out of home at the age of 30 to live closer to the warehouse.
Today Mingle now has six workers and Jordyn has learnt to ‘set boundaries’ for herself so she’s not working around the clock
Her years of hard work paid off in July 2020 when she signed a $1million deal to have her signature spices officially stocked at Coles (pictured at Coles with her range of products)
Jordyn hopes her humble story to success inspires others to believe in their dreams and work to bring ideas to life.
‘I really want to show people you can achieve your dreams; I’m just an average Aussie woman who sold her car, moved back home and put my life savings into this, I’m not special,’ she said.
‘If you’re passionate, if you push, it’s possible. And it’s tough but it’s so rewarding.’
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