This week we talk to a man on a mission; he’s not just telling us to eat healthy, he’s helping us do it.

Behind the Brand showcases our innovators, entrepreneurs, business owners, managers, leaders. 

It’s like a backstage pass into the real person behind the success. What makes them tick, what makes them successful. A peek at some of Central Otago’s smartest and most interesting people.

Learn their secrets, get hot tips from those with experience, and discover why you should support their venture.

Gareth Watt is a strong advocate for organic and spray-free farming. He makes his own juices and smoothies at home to provide his daughter with flavour-filled, healthy and nutritious food.

“Then, we come into town, and the options for picking up a quick lunch are far from healthy – it’s mainly cakes, pies and pastries.

“I see kids walking round after school with energy drinks, and that stuff’s absolute garbage. 

“Our school kids shouldn’t need an energy drink to get them through the day. It’s ridiculous, they should be naturally full of energy at that age.

“We need to eat healthy food to feed healthy minds and create healthy bodies.”

So, Gareth decided to prove how much better and how tasty it is to get your energy naturally from the wonderful nutritious fruits and vegetables grown around us.

Recharge Bar opens today in Clyde.

Gareth says he had made the decision to open the Recharge juice bar, and then came Covid. He realised the real picture was much bigger than juice alone.

“Covid highlighted how important it is for communities to be self-sufficient.

“Markets were closing, small growers were losing their ability to sell – so I went out to talk to them.

“I talked to them about the concept of Recharge being a hub for small local food growers and manufacturers, an opportunity to showcase their products in a premium, local store.”

The result? Gareth looks locally to source his products, and local growers and small food manufacturers have the opportunity to promote their products, offer tastings and get in front of customers in a seven-day retail store.

“It’s about supporting our small business community, at the same time supporting the health of the people who live here by making healthy fresh, local food easily accessible to everyone.”

Gareth says his organic ethos grew out of his experience as a farmer using conventional farming practices.

“I realised just how many herbicides, pesticides and other toxic chemicals I was using on the farm every day.

“I’m reading the labels warning they are extremely toxic, and those same chemicals are going into the food chain.”

He began to grow his fruit and vegetables organically and now lives his life by organic principles.

“We’ve got it all wrong. Why are chemicals the norm?

“Why is there a ‘health’ food section in the supermarket?

“If that’s the healthy food, what does that say about all the rest of the food in there?

“The norm should be that our fruit and veggies are grown organically, with those that aren’t in the minority, labelled as sprayed and chemicals listed.”

Gareth says we need to put good, organic, nutritious food into our bodies to be healthier, and stronger to fight the diseases troubling us in today’s world.

“Life is busy and demanding, and people are forced to eat on the go.

“Through Recharge, I can offer healthy, nutritious food for people to just come in, pick up and take with them.

“I’ve made sure people with food intolerances can choose from a full range.”

Freshly made juices from local organic produce, fresh bread and organic slices made in Wanaka, organic lasagne, pasta hand-made in Tarras, organic kimchi and sauerkraut, organic sour cream, yoghurts and cheeses, Gypsy Oven croissants, beautifully smoked salmon from The Fish Wives in Queenstown, preserves from Scrubby Gully in Springvale, a wide range of in-season fruits and vegetables – the list goes on.

“It’s a way we can support a healthy local economy, and a place people can make healthy food choices they enjoy.

“Good food is good business.”

Images supplied