Charlotte Blackler is a Japanese-inspired Perthshire entrepreneur, who has set-up her own plant-food business which helps women “eat” their way through menopause.
After establishing her chemical-free livestock company, she went on to create the Mena Food group, after turning to plant medicine to ease her own symptoms.
Charlotte is also the owner of Herb Majesty, a free range meat company.
She talks us through her journey to business ownership, the difficulties in being a self-starter and what advice she has for any one looking to do the same.
How and why did you start in business?
Plant science completely fascinates me, particularly the medicinal properties that plants possess.
I started off raising livestock using herbs and native plant species because I wanted to feed my family chemical free, nutritious meat, free from hormones and antibiotics. I then realised that I was not alone in wanting naturally raised meat and so I launched Herb Majesty in 2018.
I then went on to launch Mena Food a few years later, after I turned to plant medicine to ease my peri menopause symptoms.
You can eat your way through menopause because that’s what happens in Japan.
Women there eat plant oestrogens on a daily basis in soy based foods like tofu, tempeh and miso.
This compensates for the drop in biological oestrogen. This was a real light bulb moment. If women in Japan can be free of menopause symptoms through diet alone, then so can we!
How did you get to where you are today?
The average Japanese diet contains approximately 50mg of plant oestrogens.
The average Western diet contains just 2mg.
Hence the enormous difference in our menopause experiences. I started to formulate a western food range that contained plant oestrogens so that millions of women could enjoy a happy, natural menopause.
The Mena food range is the UK’s first menopause friendly food and it’s made here in Perthshire.
Who has helped you along the way?
I had a business mentor at the start and Growbiz has been a constant source of support and information for both Herb Majesty and Mena Food.
Scottish Edge and Natwest accelerator programs have been invaluable and Elevator UK alongside Perth Council have offered fantastic practical business support.
What was your biggest mistake?
Not getting manufacturing contracts in place. The business had to start all over again when a manufacturer pulled out without warning.
What is your greatest achievement to date?
I won an innovation award from the Scottish Edge Foundation in my first year.
The judges deemed Mena food ‘a very real solution to a very real problem’.
This was a fabulous validation of my idea and the grant from the award allowed me to create the first three products in the range; Mena Muesli, a Mena protein bar and Mena bread — a sourdough loaf.
How has the cost of living crisis impacted your business?
No that much as the great thing about Mena is that it is food, so it offsets your grocery bill rather than being in addition to it as supplements are.
What do you hope to achieve in the future?
Firstly, women need to know that menopause food exists and then I want it to be readily available to everyone who wants a natural, graceful menopause here in the UK and overseas.
Do you want to recruit in the future?
Absolutely, I already need people in sales and manufacturing at all levels.
What is the hardest thing about running your own business?
Being on your own. If you start as a solopreneur like me there is no one to help make decisions or contribute solutions.
Any advice to wannabe entrepreneurs?
You have to have a purpose in life. Mine is to offer wellness through nature.
If your motivation isn’t something that feeds your soul, then have a rethink. Because this isn’t a job. Entrepreneurship is your opportunity to live your life’s purpose.
