Meet Our Makers: Eve Robertson of Love Your Guts

Eve Robertson is Co-Director and Operations Manager of Love Your Guts, creators of award-winning fermented foods.

Handmade in Tasmania for maximum gut goodness, Love Your Guts products radiate health appeal, made with locally grown vegetables and pure Tasmanian spring water.

In a fast-growing but competitive category, Love Your Guts have managed to offer a premium, delicious organic range with innovative flavours at a reasonable price. Their zesty krauts and kefirs are crafted under the guidance of wellness practitioners, bringing a therapeutic spinthat health-conscious consumers adore.

C&C: Can you tell us a bit about the early days of Love Your Guts? Where did the idea come from and how did the business get started?

Eve: Love Your Guts Co was born in the earthy kitchen of passionate foodie Caleb, driven by a deep love for good food and healthy living. Our story starts on a small country farm in the North East of Tasmania, where we grew up surrounded by fresh produce and homemade meals. Our Dutch mother would often serve up her homemade sauerkraut—though we’ll admit, it wasn’t always the first thing we reached for as kids! Little did we know, that same fermented dish would go on to inspire a business with gut health at its core.

At first, Caleb was simply making kraut and fermented foods for his family and friends. But word spread quickly, and demand outgrew his kitchen before we knew it. What started as a side hustle evolved into something much bigger. Today, three of the six Robertson siblings form the backbone of Love Your Guts—Caleb (who has since taken a step back to pursue other dreams), Joh (the numbers man and strategic compass), and Eve (the hands-on heart of the operation), who jumped into the business three years ago and hasn’t looked back.

C&C: Can you tell us some more about why it’s important to you that Love Your Guts products are handcrafted in small batches?

Eve: For us at Love Your Guts Co, small-batch production is where it all began—and it remains the foundation of everything we do. Handcrafting each batch allows us to keep a close eye on every step, from sourcing local ingredients to the fermentation process itself. It’s what gives our kraut its signature crunch, rich flavour, and probiotic goodness.

But it’s not just about the product—it’s about the people and values behind it. Eve, who joined the business as a single mum of three, was determined to create a workplace that supported other local women juggling parenthood and work. Today, our production team is made up of seven incredible women who shred, ferment, jar and pack every batch with care. Staying small-scale lets us honour our roots, support our community, and preserve the authenticity of our Tasmanian brand. It’s what makes us who we are—and we know our customers feel the difference in every jar.

C&C: What has the process of getting Love Your Guts ‘on the shelf’ and into retailers been like?

Eve: Getting Love Your Guts onto retail shelves has been a slow-brewed, organic journey—much like the food itself. It started in our own kitchen, with jars of kraut and other gut-loving goodies made for our family. We shared them with friends, who shared them with their friends, and before long, a handful of local stores—run by people we knew and respected—offered to stock them. There was no business plan at that point, just a lot of heart and a deep belief in the value of the food we were making.

From those early beginnings, word of mouth grew stronger, and demand started to stretch beyond what we could personally deliver. That’s when we made the decision to expand through distribution partners, which allowed us to reach a national audience. It was a big leap, stepping back from the hands-on relationships we’d built with individual stockists, but it was the only way we could keep sharing our range with more people. Through it all, we’ve tried to carry our family values into our relationships with our distributors and retailers—being respectful, open, and focused on shared success.

The shift hasn’t been without its challenges. We’ve had to make some tough calls on products that didn’t suit broader distribution and learn to navigate the space where we’re not always directly connected to every store or customer. But our hope is that every jar still carries a little bit of that original love—that someone, somewhere is opening a jar, tasting the care in it, and feeling a little more nourished because of it.

C&C: In that process of getting the products ‘on the shelf’ and going through that evolution, how did you end up working with a distributor and why did you choose to work with Cartel & Co?

Eve: As the demand for Love Your Guts products grew, we reached a point where we needed a smarter, more scalable way to reach customers—without losing the personal feel we’d worked hard to build. We turned to our trusted stockists and asked who they enjoyed working with at a distributor level. We weren’t just looking for logistics; we were looking for companies who understood what we were about—real food, real relationships, and steady, values-led growth.

That process led us to Cartel & Co. What stood out wasn’t just their track record, but their genuinely collaborative approach. From the beginning, they were willing to work with us—not just distribute us. They took the time to understand our brand, gave thoughtful guidance, and welcomed us as a small family company looking to grow. It felt like a partnership—one built on open dialogue, mutual respect, and a shared excitement to see Love Your Guts thrive in new places.

C&C: If I was brand new to the Love Your Guts world, which product would you recommend that I try first?

Eve: We’d definitely recommend starting with our Beetroot & Ginger Kraut—it’s our top seller and one of the easiest ways to fall in love with fermented foods. It strikes a great balance: a little sweet, a little tangy, and just enough warmth from the ginger to keep it interesting. For those who are new to kraut, it’s incredibly approachable and often wins over even the most hesitant first-timers.

Plus, it’s a stunner on the plate—bright, vibrant, and full of life. Whether it’s tossed through a salad, added to a wrap, or served alongside roast veg or tacos, it brings flavour and colour to every dish. And one of the things we hear most from customers is, “I didn’t think I’d like kraut, but I love this one”—which tells us we’re onto something.

C&C: What do you envision for the future of Love Your Guts as a brand?

Eve: We see a big future for Love Your Guts—one where our products are a staple in fridges right across Australia (and maybe even beyond). We want to be known not just for our kraut, but as a brand that makes gut health simple, joyful, and part of everyday life. When someone thinks about feeling good from the inside out, we hope they think of Love Your Guts.

That vision includes seeing our range in every major supermarket, stocked in cafes, wellness hubs, and health food stores. But most importantly, we want to grow in a way that stays true to our roots: small-batch, Tasmanian-made, community-minded, and values-driven. Growth for us isn’t just about scale—it’s about impact. And with a passionate team and products we believe in, we know anything’s possible.