Flip Grater: Crafting Delicious Vegan Delights and Living Life on Her Own Terms
Flip Grater: Crafting Delicious Vegan Delights and Living Life on Her Own Terms
Meet Flip Grater, a dynamic musician, devoted mom, and innovative vegan food entrepreneur who’s revolutionizing plant-based cuisine with her delectable meat alternatives.
The Birth of Grater Goods
If Flip Grater were a superhero, she’d be Vegan Girl, effortlessly conquering mountains of chickpeas. At 39, Flip and her husband Youssef Iskrane launched Grater Goods, a vegan deli and café nestled in Christchurch’s Sydenham suburb. Their mission? To create the most mouthwatering vegan cheeses and chorizos in town.
From Music to Vegan Entrepreneurship
Flip’s journey began with music. As a singer, guitarist, and founder of Maiden Records, she’s released four LPs and two EPs, toured solo, and performed with the Wellington band Fly My Pretties. But her path took a turn when she sought to fill a personal need for delicious vegan cheese and chorizo.
A Lifelong Activist
Born Claire, Flip earned her nickname as a teenager campaigning to save Hector’s dolphins. Her passion for activism and outdoor adventures led her to become a rafting guide and eventually move to northern Sweden. After a heartbreak, she returned to New Zealand and rediscovered her love for music.
Vegan Cooking and Entrepreneurship
Flip’s vegan journey started at 15, and she’s been creating plant-based masterpieces ever since. Her food delivery service, Yumbo, supplied vegan lunches to schools, but she faced challenges due to lack of support. Undeterred, she experimented with seitan and created a vegan chorizo that even impressed her meat-loving brothers.
Grater Goods: A Family Affair
Grater Goods is a labor of love for Flip and Youssef. They produce around 20 vegan products, from cashew mozzarella to furkey, a Christmas roast made from wheat gluten. For Flip, it’s not about the money; it’s about offering great vegan food and doing something meaningful as a family.
Music Still Plays a Part
Despite her busy schedule, music remains an essential part of Flip’s life. She’s recorded an EP of lullabies for her daughter Anais and performs whenever she can. Though she’s busy with her business and family, she still finds time to strum her guitar and create music.
Activism Through Food
For Flip, Grater Goods is a form of activism. She believes in offering alternatives and showing people how to incorporate easy and delicious vegan food into their lives. It’s not about making huge lifestyle changes but rather about making small, sustainable changes that can have a big impact.
Flip Grater’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and a deep love for music and food. Her journey is a testament to living life on her own terms and making a difference in the world, one vegan delight at a time.
