Podcast | Little Bellies – When it Comes to Kids, Every Bite Counts

In a recent conversation with Ramon Vela, host of The Story of a Brand podcast, Clive Sher, our Managing Director & Co-founder, shared insights into Little Bellies’ commitment to providing organic, age-and-stage appropriate snacks for babies, toddlers, and kids.

Here’s a breakdown of key takeaways from the interview:

• The Origin Story: Little Bellies was founded in 2011 to address a family need. Clive’s nephew, who had severe food sensitivities, inspired the creation of a brand that prioritised simple, wholesome, and organic ingredients that parents could trust.
  
• Organic Is Just the Beginning: While organic ingredients are essential, Little Bellies goes beyond that. Little Bellies avoids “health washing” and is committed to offering products that are truly suitable for each developmental stage.
  
• A Focus on Development: Little Bellies designs products to align with children’s growth milestones, from motor skill development to palate shaping. Every product is carefully considered – with shapes, tastes, and textures that are age-and-stage appropriate.
  
• Adapting to Challenges: The 2019 launch in North America faced unprecedented challenges, particularly when the pandemic hit right after they entered the market. Despite this, Little Bellies’ agility and commitment to quality helped them adapt quickly.
  
• Commitment to Integrity: Little Bellies is unwavering in its commitment to product integrity. The team carefully evaluates each product decision, ensuring it aligns with the brand’s values and quality that families have come to trust.

Little Bellies isn’t just another snack brand – it’s a thoughtful partner for parents as they guide their little ones through the early stages of their food journey. 

The Philosophy Behind Little Bellies

1. From 7 Months – Tasty Textures: At this stage, babies are beginning to explore solids. Little Bellies’ snacks are designed with larger shapes that are easy for babies to grasp , and they’re soft enough to dissolve in the mouth. Products like the Organic Strawberry Pick-Up Stick and Organic Blueberry Puffs and Organic Pumpkin Roundabouts are designed to introduce children to singular, natural flavours without overwhelming their delicate palates.
   
2. From 10 Months – More to Explore: As babies begin to develop their pincer grasp (the ability to pick up smaller objects between the thumb and forefinger), Little Bellies offers snacks with more varied shapes and textures, like the Organic Berry & Apple Softcorn, Organic Mango Yoghurt Pick-Me Sticks and Organic Pear & Vanilla Paws. These snacks introduce a wider range of flavours while still focusing on organic ingredients.
   
3. From 12 Months – Toddlers in Training: For toddlers, Little Bellies moves to more complex textures and flavours. Products like Organic Sweet & Salty Softcorn, Organic Veggie Tubes and Organic Cheese & Herb Fiddlesticks introduce variety to support growing appetites and developmental needs. No artificial colours or flavours – just wholesome, organic ingredients.
   

This thoughtful, age-and-stage approach helps children develop wholesome eating habits from the very beginning, and it’s a level of care that has set Little Bellies up for success. 

Overcoming Challenges and Staying True to Values

Little Bellies wasn’t without its challenges when launching in North America. The timing of their launch – just as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold – led to unexpected obstacles. In-store shopping plummeted, and product discovery became increasingly difficult. Yet, Clive highlights that the brand’s ability to pivot quickly to online retail platforms and adjust to the new retail landscape helped them stay afloat.

While many companies may compromise their values to meet market demand, Little Bellies sticks firmly to its standards. Clive explained that while many retailers suggested offering “healthier” versions of more processed products, Little Bellies refused to dilute its commitment to providing simple and organic products with age-and-stage development in mind.  

Little Bellies – Snacks That Grow With Your Child

The key to Little Bellies’ success lies in its authenticity and focus on age-and-stage development. Clive noted that while many baby and toddler snack options lean on bold claims or broad marketing messages, they aren’t always created with little ones’ needs in mind. Little Bellies takes a more thoughtful approach, creating snacks that grow with the child, ensuring that each product is appropriate for their stage of development.

Explore Little Bellies Today

If you’re a parent who values simple, organic, age-and-stage appropriate options for your child, Little Bellies has  a range of snacks made to support your child’s food journey. Discover snacks designed for children  for 7+ months, 10+ months, and 12+ months, each created to nurture confidence, curiosity, and exploration.

For more insights into Little Bellies’ mission and products, listen to the full interview with Clive Sher on The Story of A Brand podcast.

• What makes Little Bellies different from other baby food brands?

  Beyond organic, Little Bellies creates snacks with age-and-stage development in mind – offering the right flavours, shapes and textures to support little ones as they progress through key milestones. Each product is thoughtfully designed to suit where a child is in their development, from early self-feeding and grasping skills to more adventurous tastes and textures as they move into toddlerhood.

• Are Little Bellies snacks organic?

  Yes. It is Little Bellies’ commitment that all organic ingredients, recipes and suppliers are carefully screened and selected to ensure they are appropriate and safe for growing little bellies. Each product is made with thoughtfully chosen organic ingredients, grown naturally without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilisers. Learn more about Our Food Values.

• How do I know which Little Bellies product is right for my child?

  Little Bellies follows a clear age-and-stage approach, making it easy to find the right fit for your child. Products are designed for specific ages and stages – starting from 7 months through to toddlerhood at 12+ months. View our product range by age group here.

• Where can I buy Little Bellies products?

  Little Bellies baby and toddler snacks are available in major retailers. Parents can select a product to see where it is available, or visit the Where to Buy page for a full list of retailers.