Paleo diet proves good for Mornington Peninsula food businesses
A SPOTLIGHT on the paleo diet and controversy surrounding advocate Pete Evans has people from across Melbourne flocking to the Mornington Peninsula’s newest food store.
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A SPOTLIGHT on the paleo diet and controversy surrounding advocate Pete Evans has people from across Melbourne flocking to the Mornington Peninsula’s newest food store.
In fact, the movement has become so popular that Bulk Whole Foods Market has opened a second store in Mornington this week.
RELATED: Health experts slam chef Pete Evans for pushing extreme views
Bibi Lafleur, who began the business online in 2013 before opening the first bricks-and-mortar shop in Sommerville in early 2014, said strong demand for whole and organic food had led her to expand the business.
“There is a lot of interest locally, but we also have customers from outside the peninsula who visit us at Somerville to source products that can be hard to find,” she said.
RELATED: Healthy eating made easier as Bulk Whole Foods Market opens in Somerville
These include ingredients in organic, paleo, gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free diets.
Ms Lafleur said the recent controversy surrounding celebrity chef and paleo promoter Pete Evans had increased interest in the “caveman diet”.
“We just had the busiest Saturday since we opened,” she said. “People were asking a lot of questions about paleo. ”
Devotees of the paleo diet eliminate dairy products, grains, refined sugars and processed foods, and focus on fresh meats, seafood, fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds, nuts and oils.
Evans recently had the release date for his paleo cookbook for babies delayed amid concerns by health experts that some of the recipes could harm children.
RELATED: Paleo? Gluten-free? Organic? The Peninsula has it all when it comes to restaurants and shops
Co-owner of the Paleo Cafe in Mornington Andrew Birks said the backlash against Evans had been a “double-edged sword” for the Main St business.
“Pete Evans has really thrown a spotlight on the paleo lifestyle,” Mr Birks said.
“When we first opened (in 2013), people used to think paleo was my last name; they’d never heard of it.
“They’d come in for a meal because they were looking for some good food.
“Now we have people coming in to find out more about paleo. But we also have people walking past and not wanting to come in because they have the wrong idea after what they have read in the media recently.”
DETAILS:
Paleo Cafe Mornington Peninsula is at 89 Main St, Mornington.
Bulk Whole Foods Market Somerville is at 1081 Frankston-Flinders Rd. The new Mornington store is at 6 Ross St, Mornington.