The Plum Start Foundation is Plum’s new initiative, established to investigate the crucial importance early years’ diet plays in child development.

Through its work with academic experts, including Dr Pauline Emmett of Bristol University (Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Child and Adolescent Health), we have developed a clearer understanding of the complexity of the issues surrounding infant diet, this has been through our recent weaning research.

The Foundation is interested in the part nutrition can play in giving little ones the best start in life, across physical, cognitive, social and emotional development and including the acquisition of speech and language.

susie willis

Founder & her story on how it all began…

I vividly recall the moment I decided to create a brand of baby food that needed to actually taste like homemade food not processed, tasteless paste.

When our third child, Francesca (aka Minky) arrived after a gap of eight years, my first thought on revisiting the baby food aisles was ‘is this as good as it gets?’ Little appeared to have changed over the years.

That’s why, to a mum who is passionate about two things in life – children and good food – the idea for Plum baby food was conceived.

After all, why shouldn’t busy mums and dads have access to both quality and convenience, using recipes that comprise the finest organic ingredients in a simple, safe format that suits their lifestyle?

With continuous research, a great team and lots of hard work, I am proud to offer Plum  - real food for babies – to parents everywhere who want the best for their children.

Even today I am thrilled that Plum is still delighting babies and reassuring mums that we are a brand that you can trust and depend upon. We always strive for the highest quality and the best taste so you can leave that up to us, whilst you do the best job in the world – bringing up your baby.

dr pauline emmett

One of the UK’s leading experts on child nutrition and weaning

A senior research fellow at the Centre for Child and Adolescent Health in Bristol, Dr Emmett has spent more than 30 years looking at infant feeding and the impact babies’ diets have on long-term health.

As well as work analysing links between diet and allergies and obesity, her most recent work is a major review of weaning practices carried out on our behalf.

She is now working with The Plum Start Foundation – supporting our ongoing commitment to improving child nutrition and helping mums ‘do the best they can’ when it comes to selecting the right food.

nicola joseph

No-nonsense nurse and health visitor

Nicola is an NHS and independent health visitor and mum to a feisty ten year old. Nicola works with Plum in helping us to inspire parents to expand their imagination and their children’s palates.

As a health visitor she is on the frontline, meeting hundreds of mums as part of her job and is key to our brand when it comes to understanding what mums want and need in terms of their children’s nutrition. She advises us on product development and key food and health issues.

‘I am delighted to have been invited to join Plum and to be able to talk about and celebrate giving good wholesome foods to your baby. With Plum’s help I want to encourage you as a parent to give your baby a wonderful range of tastes and flavours that they will enjoy, and hopefully you will be excited about too.’

sarah almond

Fussy eating expert

Sarah is a Paediatric Dietitian and Freelance Children’s Nutritionist who currently manages the team of NHS dietitians within East Sussex Healthcare. She is a mum to Charlie (4) and Maisie (2). Sarah is qualified to degree level with a post graduate diploma in advanced dietetic practice and advises Plum through all stages of our recipe development.

Sarah is currently researching her PhD on the nutritional needs of children with disabilities and also lectures at postgraduate level for the University of Brighton. She has written for many well-known consumer publications including Mother & Baby and Pregnancy & Birth magazines, and has been quoted and published in many scientific journals

analou louw

Speech and language therapist

Analou is a speech and language therapist who specialises in the field of paediatric communication and feeding difficulties. She currently works at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on a part time basis as a specialist in paediatric feeding difficulties. As well as publishing research papers on the topic of paediatric feeding and swallowing difficulties.

Analou works closely with general paediatricians, paediatric gastroenterogists, paediatric psychiatrist, developmental paediatrician, nurse specialist (gastroenterology), paediatric dietician and specialist health visitor to provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment and treatment of communication and feeding difficulties.

She recently developed a language stimulation DVD aimed at children aged 9 – 36 months (www.sookieandfinn.co.uk) in conjunction with APA Animation.