Debi Kitt, owner of Healthy Tummies Pantry.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
For many women on a gluten-free diet, getting enough protein in their diet can be difficult, but one Kyabram store is leading the way in providing nutritional products for sensitive tummies.
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Committed to offering the best products, Healthy Tummies Pantry sells a vast range of high-quality and most importantly, yummy, gluten-free protein products.
From whey protein powder and protein powder banana bread mixes to protein cookies and bone broth — business owner Debi Kitt said there was truly something for everyone.
“Our protein products are really popular with women,” Debi said.
“As well as gluten-free, we do also provide dairy free, FODMAP friendly and vegan options.”
Healthy Tummies Pantry was born out of the COVID pandemic after Debi’s other business, Boomerang Travel Centre, began to suffer after travel restrictions were imposed.
Healthy Tummies Pantry provides not only gluten-free options but also dairy-free, FODMAP friendly, and vegan protein products.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
This motivated Debi to find opportunities to keep their business afloat and enable staff to earn an income.
Taking a leap of faith, she decided to create Healthy Tummies — a store dedicated to selling gluten-free food products.
Diagnosed as coeliac more than 20 years ago, Debi said she really struggled with finding gluten-free food during the initial stages of the pandemic.
“I used to drive to Melbourne every month or so to stock up on all my gluten-free food items, but obviously, with travel restrictions, I couldn’t drive around,” she said.
“I was very overwhelmed at the start of the pandemic because everyone was panic buying and clearing the shelves, which meant that people had started taking gluten-free items like pasta and bread.
“We don’t eat gluten-free by choice, so that was very frustrating.”
Healthy Tummies Pantry has evolved from being an experimental business to a booming one.
In addition to a physical store, they have an online store and a café.
Debi said she never dreamed the business would gain as much traction as it had and never realised there were so many gluten-free people in Kyabram and surrounding communities.
Healthy Tummies Pantry’s customers appreciate the convenience of a one-stop gluten-free shop without the need to check for gluten in products constantly.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
“The thing that surprised me is that we have customers coming from everywhere, and that is because a lot of other shops are not 100 per cent gluten-free,” she said.
“Often, you will still have to use an app to check whether something has gluten in it, but with our store, it’s guaranteed.
“People can walk in without having to check every little thing, and we have a lot of variety, so they don’t have to go from one health food store to the next.”
Healthy Tummies Pantry, located at 210 Allan St, Kyabram, is open seven days a week, from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and between 9am and 1pm on Saturday.
