Changing the face of doughnuts and the gluten free world as we know it, Nodo’s Kate Williams has her heart set on taking #foodporn to another level with her scrumptious gluten free baked goods.
When life gave Kate Williams a challenge, she decided to turn it into a delectable journey. Not just for herself, but for the gluten free and foodie community of Brisbane as a whole. In 2014, Williams lovingly launched Nodo to spread happiness through beautiful artisanal baked doughnuts that use naturally gluten free ingredients. Today, Nodo is an institution amongst foodies who love wholesome, healthy and yet tremendously delicious food.
Proud owner Williams started her store purely out of passion soon after she was diagnosed with Coeliac disease — which left her with digestive problems and a small variety of food to enjoy. This self-proclaimed foodie says she was definitely left unsatisfied by the limited options in the market at the time. Wanting to put the “fun back in the food”, Williams decided that she needed to funnel her passion and create a great gluten free and healthy product. With a Degree in Marketing and passion for Hospitality, opening Nodo was the perfect decision.
The Nodo journey began with her learning baking from scratch, experimenting for more than six months and creating multiple iterations of the product after receiving customer feedback. “I was obsessed with doughnuts, and started building the brand. It involved developing recipes and different flavour combinations,” says Williams. “I love the development stage. I get so excited when we push to create new products.” Talking about inspiration for her eclectic doughnut flavours, Williams mentions that contrary to the fusions and complicated foods of today, she finds inspiration in the familiar. And then she adds the Nodo twist that is so loved by customers.
Williams is hands on in the store, both out the front chatting with customers and in the kitchen baking. She dons multiple hats of the chef, marketer and the owner, with panache. Her ingenuity and passion have led to the opening of the fourth Nodo store in four years. The newest Nodo is located in the ABC building at South Bank. “Our customers love to have our doughnuts in the gardens outside and we provide picnic blankets for them,” says Williams. While the highlight of Nodo is its delicious doughnuts, the focus, most definitely is on the customer, she says. All Nodo stores reflect Williams’ own persona — minimal, healthy, friendly and inviting.
For the future, Williams definitely sees more store openings on the horizon, but is simultaneously conscious of the product quality and does not wish to compromise on that for the sake of growth. Her next goal is to start a packaged line of the special Nodo gluten free flour, that would allow passionate home bakers like herself to create yummy gluten free goodies. High quality health grab and go food, doughnuts, fresh juices and so much more is on offer at the Nodo outlets in Newstead, Eagle Farm, Brisbane CBD and South Bank.
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