Interview - Zest Byron Bay - Pob & Shelley Sellors

Founded in the Byron Bay hinterland, Zest Byron Bay is owned by husband-and-wife team, Pob and Shelley Sellors. Pob, a chef, leads flavour development, while Shelley manages the commercial side of the brand. Together, they have grown Zest from a small market-based range into a respected Australian-made curry paste and base brand with national reach.

FFW: Who is behind the Zest Byron Bay brand?

ZEST BYRON BAY: Pob and Shelley are the owners and main contributors to Zest. Pob is the chef and creator of the delicious and accessible flavours. Shells is the fabulous communicator, payer of bills and source of fanciful ideas. We have Tim, our long-time kitchen guy and Nick in packing.

FFW: What is the story behind Zest Byron Bay and how the business came to be?

ZEST BYRON BAY: Zest Byron Bay was originally a range of 4 authentic Nepalese Spice Pastes being sold at the local markets. Shells and Pob bought that existing business and proceeded to increase their production capacity and create relationships with some National distributors. Pob has since used his culinary skills to increase the range to 4 Spice Pastes and 9 Curry Bases.

FFW: Zest Byron Bay places strong emphasis on real ingredients and authentic flavour. How would you describe your overall philosophy when developing your curry pastes?

ZEST BYRON BAY: We want to provide people with accessible and affordable global flavours, made in Australia for the local palate. We create blends with the freshest possible ingredients, locally sourced where possible and hope that the consumer sees the value and tastes the freshness.

FFW: Your curry pastes are known for being clean-label and free from unnecessary additives. Why is this important to you as a brand?

ZEST BYRON BAY: We cook food in a kitchen, not a factory, which translates to real flavour. We also cook small scale for ultimate quality and consistency.

FFW: How do you balance authenticity of flavour with the needs of modern retail and foodservice customers?

ZEST BYRON BAY: We know that the consumer wants value for money and that is a challenge in today’s retail market. Our pouches of curry flavour 1kg of protein which is fantastic value when compared to other products in the same category. We use real ingredients, which is evident when you try our curries.

FFW: Can you talk us through the flavour profiles of your curry paste range and how they differ from one another?

ZEST BYRON BAY: We make a range of well-known and not so well-known Curry Blends. From the classic Butter Chicken through to our Caribbean Colombo, we have something for most people’s tastes. Hopefully when someone tries a familiar flavour and realises how bright it tastes, they will trust themselves to get a bit more adventurous with their cooking and explore the range further.

FFW: What types of trade customers are you seeing the strongest interest from, such as independent retailers, foodservice operators, or manufacturers?

ZEST BYRON BAY: We started off as a retail product so that is always going to be our main market. Recently we’ve put a lot more energy into getting the foodservice quantities out to butchers, restaurants and clubs, which is an area that is slowly growing once the value is realised.

FFW: Are your curry pastes available in formats or sizes suitable for foodservice and bulk use?

ZEST BYRON BAY: We sell our whole range in 2kg and 5kg tubs for foodservice. This product is exactly the same recipe as the retail units.

FFW: For retailers, what makes Zest Byron Bay a compelling brand to stock on shelf?

ZEST BYRON BAY: Ours is a delicious, fresh, small-batch product made in our kitchen in the hinterland of Byron Bay. The 175g satchel will flavour 1kg of protein which is better value than many other competing brands.

FFW: How do customers usually discover your brand and what feedback do you most often receive from trade buyers seeing it for the first time?

ZEST BYRON BAY: Our brand has mainly grown organically, through word of mouth. We engage in social media, but we are happiest when trusting friends recommend to each other. A lot of the compliments are from parents, amazed that their kids are eating our flavours and that they don’t contain a whole bunch of nasty, weird additives. Trade buyers are thrilled that we are made in Australia and that we have a long best-before date.

FFW: Sustainability and conscious production are important themes for many buyers. How does Zest Byron Bay approach sourcing and production?

ZEST BYRON BAY: Being a small regional business, we are content to use our local area to source ingredients, distribution, printing and staffing. Our production is mainly powered by our solar and battery setup and we are always refining our production to reduce wastage.

FFW: Do you provide support materials such as usage ideas, recipes, or serving suggestions to help stockists and foodservice clients get the most from your products?

ZEST BYRON BAY: Our website is an incredible resource when it comes to inspiration for recipes using Zest’s range of flavours. This is where Pob gets to be creative and suggest simple ideas to more complex methods. Beautiful, styled images and easy to follow recipes. We are always open to engage on the phone or by way of email.

FFW: How would you describe the Zest Byron Bay brand personality in just a few words?

ZEST BYRON BAY: Zest Byron Bay is an Australian legacy brand which conveys quality and value for money and cares about great food for individuals and families alike.

FFW: Do you supply and ship to trade customers Australia-wide?

ZEST BYRON BAY: Yes.

FFW: What continues to motivate you as a business owner in an increasingly competitive food landscape?

ZEST BYRON BAY: We still feel we are the best, value-for-money brand of Australian-made curry bases in the market. Whilst being easy to prepare, you still feel a part of the cooking process.

FFW: Looking ahead, what are your goals for the Zest Byron Bay brand over the next few years?

ZEST BYRON BAY: Our challenge is still in getting our brand recognised as a quality, Australian-owned convenience product. Getting out the message that we represent true value for money in a world where people only see a dollar figure, is quite a task. The consumers’ buying habits have also changed over recent years, which is always something to keep up with.

FFW: Is there anything else you would like trade buyers to know about working with Zest Byron Bay?

ZEST BYRON BAY: We have fabulous distribution with which you can work or, alternatively, we are happy to work with wholesalers directly.

FFW: For trade buyers seeking Australian-made curry pastes that deliver clean labels, strong flavour and genuine value, Zest Byron Bay offers a proven and flexible solution. Retailers, foodservice operators and wholesalers are invited to get in touch to discuss ranging, formats and distribution options.