When partners Luke Judge and Evelyn Garland started their food business Simply Fit Food in 2016, it was due to the lack of ready-made healthy meals on the market, as well as Luke’s recently diagnosed heart condition, which had required him to change his eating habits.
Since then, things have gone from strength to strength for the Drogheda-based business, having been featured on Dragon’s Den and winning several business awards.
However, the sudden impact of the COVID-19 crisis struck a serious blow to Simply Fit Food. Many of the larger supermarkets that stock Evelyn and Luke’s convenience-driven, healthy soups and meals suddenly pulled their support, leaving the young couple with a 70% loss in sales.
Adversity
“Those large retailers are focused on larger suppliers,” Evelyn says. “And what we specialise in is health food and ready meals – perhaps fewer people are putting these down on their shopping lists, we’re not sure.”
Like many local food businesses faced with COVID-19-related adversity, Luke and Evelyn had to adapt. They started focusing on online sales and now offer nationwide delivery of their ready-to-heat chillies, Thai curries, lentil soups and pastas within 48 hours. Evelyn says that the demand for home delivery is definitely present.
Simply Fit Food meals include healthy pastas, stir fries and Thai curries.
Anyone cocooning or who might be particularly vulnerable, we can bring healthy meals to their door
“Our retail sales have gone down, but our online sales have gone up by about 120%,” she says. “Anyone cocooning or who might be particularly vulnerable, we can bring healthy meals to their door. It works for people, especially if they’re stuck.”
With a website already designed for e-commerce, Luke and Evelyn only had to make a few minor changes to make this happen.
An increase in online sales isn’t the only reason they’re feeling good about their work these days, though. To ensure they’re able to give back to the larger Irish community, from whom they receive so much support, Simply Fit Food has created a donation page on its website, which has been helping feed those working on the front lines of the pandemic.
“For us, we’re not as fussed with the business side of things right now. We want to be able to help people given the circumstances,” Evelyn explains.
Simply Fit Food delivers donated meals to front line COVID-19 workers
“You can donate a minimum of €10 (which provides workers with two meals) or as much as you want. We then accumulate the donations at the end of each week and make the meals. For instance, right now, I’m heading to Navan General Hospital to do a drop and then we’re going to Lourdes General Hospital.”
Donations
Over the past two weeks, Luke and Evelyn have raised nearly €3,500 and have been able to donate 2,500 meals and 2,800 cold pressed juices. Deliveries go to a mixture of local GPs, pharmacies, hospitals and COVID-19 test centres in the Leinster region. They are also delivering meals to families with sick children who are unable to leave their homes.
Simply Fit Food delivers donated meals to front line COVID-19 workers
“You go into a hospital and you see the nursing staff and everyone – they’re run off their feet, having worked a long shift and they’ve only had crisps and buns to eat; it’s terrible,” Evelyn says.
“This way, we’re able to ensure the people doing the hard work get a healthy meal to help keep them going.”
While business expansions are currently on hold for Simply Fit Foods (like many other small businesses around Ireland), the couple are thrilled with the response to their call for donations and vow to continue feeding the masses as long as the crisis continues.
“The last two weeks have been incredible – the generosity, the kindness – people are just legends,” Evelyn says.
“Everyone’s been coming together. They want to do what they can without breaking the bank and we want to keep doing what we’re doing, too.
"That said, the most important things right now are having your health, making sure your family are healthy and having a roof over your head. This whole process has been a great dose of reality (for me).”
To donate or make an online order from Simply Fit Foods, visit their website at https://www.simplyfitfood.com.
When partners Luke Judge and Evelyn Garland started their food business Simply Fit Food in 2016, it was due to the lack of ready-made healthy meals on the market, as well as Luke’s recently diagnosed heart condition, which had required him to change his eating habits.
Since then, things have gone from strength to strength for the Drogheda-based business, having been featured on Dragon’s Den and winning several business awards.
However, the sudden impact of the COVID-19 crisis struck a serious blow to Simply Fit Food. Many of the larger supermarkets that stock Evelyn and Luke’s convenience-driven, healthy soups and meals suddenly pulled their support, leaving the young couple with a 70% loss in sales.
Adversity
“Those large retailers are focused on larger suppliers,” Evelyn says. “And what we specialise in is health food and ready meals – perhaps fewer people are putting these down on their shopping lists, we’re not sure.”
Like many local food businesses faced with COVID-19-related adversity, Luke and Evelyn had to adapt. They started focusing on online sales and now offer nationwide delivery of their ready-to-heat chillies, Thai curries, lentil soups and pastas within 48 hours. Evelyn says that the demand for home delivery is definitely present.
Simply Fit Food meals include healthy pastas, stir fries and Thai curries.
Anyone cocooning or who might be particularly vulnerable, we can bring healthy meals to their door
“Our retail sales have gone down, but our online sales have gone up by about 120%,” she says. “Anyone cocooning or who might be particularly vulnerable, we can bring healthy meals to their door. It works for people, especially if they’re stuck.”
With a website already designed for e-commerce, Luke and Evelyn only had to make a few minor changes to make this happen.
An increase in online sales isn’t the only reason they’re feeling good about their work these days, though. To ensure they’re able to give back to the larger Irish community, from whom they receive so much support, Simply Fit Food has created a donation page on its website, which has been helping feed those working on the front lines of the pandemic.
“For us, we’re not as fussed with the business side of things right now. We want to be able to help people given the circumstances,” Evelyn explains.
Simply Fit Food delivers donated meals to front line COVID-19 workers
“You can donate a minimum of €10 (which provides workers with two meals) or as much as you want. We then accumulate the donations at the end of each week and make the meals. For instance, right now, I’m heading to Navan General Hospital to do a drop and then we’re going to Lourdes General Hospital.”
Donations
Over the past two weeks, Luke and Evelyn have raised nearly €3,500 and have been able to donate 2,500 meals and 2,800 cold pressed juices. Deliveries go to a mixture of local GPs, pharmacies, hospitals and COVID-19 test centres in the Leinster region. They are also delivering meals to families with sick children who are unable to leave their homes.
Simply Fit Food delivers donated meals to front line COVID-19 workers
“You go into a hospital and you see the nursing staff and everyone – they’re run off their feet, having worked a long shift and they’ve only had crisps and buns to eat; it’s terrible,” Evelyn says.
“This way, we’re able to ensure the people doing the hard work get a healthy meal to help keep them going.”
While business expansions are currently on hold for Simply Fit Foods (like many other small businesses around Ireland), the couple are thrilled with the response to their call for donations and vow to continue feeding the masses as long as the crisis continues.
“The last two weeks have been incredible – the generosity, the kindness – people are just legends,” Evelyn says.
“Everyone’s been coming together. They want to do what they can without breaking the bank and we want to keep doing what we’re doing, too.
"That said, the most important things right now are having your health, making sure your family are healthy and having a roof over your head. This whole process has been a great dose of reality (for me).”
To donate or make an online order from Simply Fit Foods, visit their website at https://www.simplyfitfood.com.
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