Entrepreneur and Founder, Be Fit Food: Kate Save
Kate Save. Kate is a clinical dietitian, exercise physiologist, diabetes educator, and successful entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Founder of Be Fit Food, Australia’s leading dietitian and doctor-designed meal provider which has delivered 3+ Million meals nationally.
With 20+ years’ experience working in clinical health and fitness, Kate is a credible voice on all things nutrition and wellbeing. Her core belief is that food should be the first medicine.
Using the latest scientific research, she helps people to understand the direct link between food and their overall health.
Having started one of Australia’s most successful healthy meal delivery businesses, Kate is also an astute entrepreneur with an inspiring business story to tell that has been widely covered in the media. Among Be Fit Food’s many accolades, the company was named Telstra’s Victorian Business of the Year in 2018 and #29 in the AFR (Australian Financial Review) Fast Starters in 2019 and the Telstra Victorian Business of the Year again in 2022 for Championing Health.
Kate is passionate about empowering individuals to achieve positive change — be it through sharing her wisdom on health, or her learnings in business. She is a regular media commentator and is often called upon by Australia’s leading news, health, and wellbeing titles to lend her expertise. She currently has a new digital series with the makers of ‘Bondi Vet’ called “28 Days That Changed My Life’ that was featured on Channel 10’s ‘Space Invaders’ and is available on its own YouTube channel.
Kate’s love of teaching sees her lecture and develop courses for Deakin University, Chisholm TAFE and FIA Fitnation, on the topics of diabetes, weight loss, heart disease, bariatric surgery nutrition and food intolerance. She is also the Director of Peninsula Physical Health and Nutrition and manages the Dietitian services for various private hospitals and medical centres.
Be Fit Food fills a unique niche in the health and wellness industry. What initially inspired you to create a doctor and dietician-designed meal delivery service?
From the age of 18 months old till I was 19 years old I was in and out of hospital for a illness that caused severe stomach pain and throwing up until I could no longer stand up any more and would need to stay at my grandmothers house for 1-2 weeks each time as I recovered. They thought it was ‘in my head’ after 8 years of tests without any diagnosis until in 2003 they finally found what they thought was a tumor in my bile duct and sent me for emergency surgery. I knew food made me feel well not sick, however food got the blame everytime I was ill before my diagnosis and this made me very interested in studying nutrition. I then did 10 years of study with 4 degrees at various universities which helped me to know exactly what I wanted to create with my own company. I started with a health consultancy and a gym plus 23 staff that worked across 10 medical centres and 3 private hospitals that we serviced, then I sold the gym part of the business and started the food production company in 2014. This became what is known as Be Fit Food today. Initially we serviced the patients of bariatric surgeon, Dr Geoffrey Draper and my clinics, then it grew to a national home delivered meals company which has now sold over 3 millions meals.
Appearing on (business reality TV show) Shark Tank is a bold move for any entrepreneur. How did the experience on the show impact the growth and direction of Be Fit Food?
When you have a small business, it is difficult to get banks to loan you money, and after a few years and hundreds of thousands of dollars per personal investment from the myself and the doctor, I knew it was time to get some external investment, and most of all, I needed a mentor and I thought who could be better than Janine Allis herself. That is why I decided to go on SharkTank even though my business partner at the time referred to this decision as potential ‘career suicide’. But when you a filled with passion you won’t let anything get in your way of achieving your goals.
With a company like Be Fit Food, collaboration is key. Can you describe your leadership style and how you foster a strong team environment?
My leadership team if open, honest and being authentic. I am 100% the same person in and out of the workplace. It is very easy to get to know me as a leader as there is only one me and I am always approachable and available for me team regardless of the day, time or hour.
Our team live and breathe our core company values and we only hire nice people too. Our values interview is the most important part of the recruitment process and we are very upfront about having this alignment with our core values below;
For the Love of it
Embrace change and grow
Whatever it takes
Resilient Mindset
Own it!
The health and wellness landscape is constantly evolving. How does Be Fit Food stay ahead of the curve and integrate new trends into its offerings?
Our team of dietitians are constantly researching what is new in the science as well as what products are trending plus what flavours are new and exciting when it comes to cuisines too. We always stay ahead of the competitors by using the latest nutritional science to inform our product development.
Building a successful business comes with its fair share of both. Can you share a specific challenge you faced at Be Fit Food and how you overcame it?
In Melbourne, lockdowns were tough for all small businesses and we had to close 2 retail stores, 7 click and collect sites and all face to face dietitian consultations with our customers which meant that we were far less visible to our audience. In response to this, we needed to run more online webinars, get involved in more podcasts and any PR that would bring relevance to Be Fit Food for promoting ‘Food as the first medicine’ not only for general health but also for immunity too. It was really tough for us as people started to rely more on uber eats and were eating less healthy than even including more baking at home and alcohol consumption rose too. Immediately a ‘health improvement’ program was far less appealing however we stuck true to our vision to ‘change the health of Australia one bite at a time’ with healthy, wholefood meals and didn’t get tempted to venture into family meals or less healthy treats that were trending at this time. And it paid off with customer loyalty years later as our customers know us best for our incredible ‘health transformations’ and our most recent media debut with the 8 part series on YOUTUBE called ’28 Days That Changed My Life’ made by the producers of ‘Bondi Vet’ plus we also featured on Channel 9’s TV show ‘SPACE INVADERS’.
As Founder, you wear many hats. How do you manage to maintain a healthy work-life balance while leading a high-growth company?
My most important role is being a mum and a role model to my two daughters Chloe who is 11 years old and Mia who is 9 years old. This is exactly how I find work life balance as they pull me back to earth whenever my head gets lost in the clouds at work as they need my attention to thrive and grow too! For my personal health, I love reformer pilates and running for fitness atleast 2-5 times per week plus making healthy smoothies and meals with my kids.
The business world can be tough. What advice would you give to young female entrepreneurs looking to launch their own ventures?
Yes its tough but if you are passionate and love what you do enough you will find the strength to make it work and build the resilience from the set-backs along them way that you need to help you succeed in the end!
Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals for Be Fit Food? Where do you see the company in the next 5-10 years?
We have the trademarks for the USA, UK and China and hope to launch internationally after we dominate the Australian market first though for ‘meals for health improvement and chronic disease prevention’ given that currently Australia only has a ‘sick care’ system given there is no compensation given by Medicare or private health insurance for true ‘health prevention’ and ‘health improvement’ and Be Fit Food wants this to be recognised and to change this in both the private and government sectors. We already have the accreditation for NDIS and Homecare meals which means customers get up to 80% of the cost of the meals rebated which is incredible as healthy eating becomes easy, convenient and in-expensive for those who need it most too.
Entrepreneurs are often multifaceted. Do you have any other ventures or passions outside of Be Fit Food?
I have my dietitian consultancy that I have had for over 15 years with a general manager currently in place who helps us service multiple private hospitals, medical centres, aged care and NDIS services too. I also do lots of speaking gigs around Australia using my accreditation as a dietitian, exercise physiologist and diabetes educator as well as with my ‘female founder/female entrepreneurs’ hat too!
What's the one piece of advice you wish you'd known when you were first starting your career journey?
Just to always back yourself as it can be lonely when you feel that things are tough and that you are not supported in some of your decisions however if you believe in yourself then others will believe in you too and want to support you on your journey as long as the purpose is bigger than yourself. Our purpose is to change the health of Australia followed by the health of the globe so this is big enough for everyone to get involved and show their support to our mission too! Lastly, surround yourself with positive people and reach out to those who have walked in your shoes before as there is so much to learn from others who know what it is like to be in the trenches of a scaling business! Most of all, just enjoy the journey and look back occasionally to see how far you have come, plus don’t be too critical, we can only do our best!
Franc’s Fast Five
What emoji do you use most? Laughing 🤣
What is your favourite way to celebrate? A movie on the couch in my PJ’s with my daughters or a dance out on the town with friends depending on what I am celebrating
Pet peeve? That junk food brands can advertise their products without limitations on social media or google, yet health food brands are banned to say anything about their products and how they can improve health or mood as we have been banned from facebook for promoting healthy food as it can make people feel bad about their own food choices??? Crazy right, we all have the right to make our own choices and can eat what we want, when we want and how we choose, good food mostly and junk food when we fee like it. Why can social media dictate that only junk food can be promoted?
Heels or sneakers? Fancy sneakers, I have SOOO many
Last book you read? How to build a billion dollar business by Radek Sali (Ex-Swisse CEO)