Have a question?
Below are the most popular questions we get asked here at Plum HQ. Hopefully most of your questions are answered but if not, please don't hesitate to contact us directly for an answer.
Are plastic pots safe?
We have gone to great lengths to identify plastic pots that are wholly in-line with our brief - this means that they have to be 100% safe in every respect. All our materials are approved and tested and there is absolutely no danger of any chemicals contaminating the contents. Although recycling schemes vary depending on what area of the country you live in, our pots are designed to be 100% recyclable and can be chipped for re-moulding into guttering for example.
How do I wash Plum out of clothes and bibs?
Because we use pigment rich superfoods, the downside is that they stain. Because babies often have sensitive and delicate skin, we totally understand concerns over washing powders that may be tough enough for the job. Something like Filetti, although super for sensitive people, won't budge these stains. Our suggestion is firstly; soak the bibs etc in bicarbonate of soda and cold water. Also, using spot stain removers just on the area of the stain works very well and should be fine as you can just treat the stain, not the entire garment.
How do you achieve such a long shelf life without preservatives?
There are indeed no preservatives in the Plum Baby range. The steam
method of cooking is done under pressure and this, together with the
airtight seal gives Plum Baby pots a 12-month shelf life without the
need for any additives. Once opened, of course, the contents of the pot
as fresh, store in the fridge and use within 2 days for our 4 months
plus range or 24 hours for our 7 months plus.
How much sugar does Plum Baby contain?
Unlike some baby food brands on the market, there is no added sugar in Plum Baby. The sugar content varies from product to product depending on the amount of natural sugars present in the fruit and vegetables.
Is Plum vegetarian?
Our 4 month range is suitable for vegetarians, but Plum is not a vegetarian brand. We have introduced meat into our new 7 month plus recipes as we are now confident that the processing allows for a finished product that meets our stringent quality control. We also plan to combine meat into several of our Toddler meals. For the 4 month plus range (suitable from weaning), we use vegetable protein in the form of Quinoa to ensure that our range offers a balanced meal.
What credentials does Susie Willis have for creating a new baby food?
Susie has professional training as a cook and is a mother of three, as well as being passionate about health, nutrition and organic food. Nutritionist Suzannah Olivier works as a consultant for Plum Baby so we understand the demands and pressures faced by today's parents, as well as knowing how to help give babies the best start in life from the food they eat.
What does Plum Baby mean when it says it strives to be an ethical busi...
We make every effort to make responsible choices wherever we possibly can - including within our own office environment. We serve Fairtrade and organic tea and coffee in our offices, have a recycling policy relating to paper, cardboard, plastic, cans and glass and have even transferred our telecommunications to the UK's only ethical telephone company, The Phone Co-operative. We also offset the CO2 emissions created during the transportation of our products via The Carbon Neutral Company by paying for the planting of native trees. We are Friends of New Consumer magazine which promotes and support fair-trade and ethical business practices around the world and try to weave this approach throughout our business.
What is special about the way Plum Baby is made?
Our pots are filled with premium superfood ingredients, sealed and cooked once and once only to preserve the nutritional quality of the ingredients. This method is unique to Plum Baby and unlike the way other baby foods on the market are cooked. After a period of incubation to ensure the purity of the contents the product is ready for packaging and shipping.
What is the position of Plum Baby regarding Fairtrade?
Plum Baby sources fair trade ingredients wherever possible, to support growers and their families in the developing world. We want to make a difference wherever we can.
Where do the ingredients come from?
All ingredients are organic, responsibly sourced and of the highest possible quality. They are also all 'Baby Grade' which means they have had to pass stringent quality checks. We source ingredients from relevant countries - for example, our mangoes are from India, bananas are from Ecuador and our quinoa is from Bolivia. All our ingredients are shipped to our manufacturer and not air-freighted to save on carbon emissions.
Where do you make Plum Baby?
We have a range of recipes designed to introduce babies to different tastes and flavours from Britain and around the world. Our recipes are made in France amd Germany, as we were unable to find a manufacturer in the UK with the specialist equipment we require. Therefore, to reduce food miles, we source many of our ingredients from mainland Europe rather than the UK. We ensure that all our ingredients and processes meet rigorous UK and EU standards.
Why ambient (i.e. not chilled or frozen)?
Our research told us that parents want the convenience of a ready-to-eat product that doesn't need defrosting or to be chilled, especially for those times when they are travelling or out and about. They also felt that jars were 'second best' in terms of taste, texture and nutrition, so Plum Baby was developed to set a new standard in the ambient sector and provide an alternative to the big commercial brands.
Why is Plum Baby so expensive?
At Plum Baby we use the highest quality raw ingredients and we include more of the more expensive ingredients in our recipes. For example, our Mango and Banana recipe contains 49% mango (whereas some other fruit purees described as containing mango contain only 8% mango). We don't use fillers or bulking ingredients, only the finest, responsibly sourced raw ingredients. Plum Baby's value reflects in the quality and volume of raw materials used.
Why is water so high up the list of ingredients in some recipes?
Water is a necessary part of the cooking process in Plum Baby recipes. Quinoa in particular absorbs a lot of water as it cooks and softens. Other ingredients such as spinach and sweet corn also absorb water when they are cooked. Without this cooking water, the products would have an unappealing grainy, solid texture. Parents can rest assured that no Plum Baby recipe is 'diluted' with water.
