School lunches are a cinch with this Gold Coast business
This family-run Gold Coast small business is focused on helping families prioritise savings and sustainability when it comes to packing kid’s lunches.
The little pouch of yoghurt is a perennial favourite snack for Aussie kids – it’s tasty, filling, reasonably healthy and can be eaten on the go. But, as popular as they are, these tiny plastic tubes of dairy represent highway robbery when you compare their price to the commensurate amount of yogurt one may purchase by the tub in your local supermarket. Not to mention the outsized amount of rubbish they produce in their individual packaging.
Sinchies was originally founded with the idea of replacing expensive single-use yoghurt pouches with a convenient, reusable product that could help reduce daily waste at home and school.
Since then it has grown significantly. Now the largest reusable pouch company in Australia, Sinchies has won multiple awards and extended its eco-friendly product range across all areas of the school lunch from cool and colourful water bottles to bento-style lunch boxes, and lunch bags.
Ash and her brother Andy took over Sinchies in 2023. As parents themselves, Ash says they’re hugely passionate about the family-focused ethos behind this business.
“It’s simple,” she says of Sinchie’s mission, “To save families money and reduce waste at the same time. We also aim to make school lunches easier for parents and more fun for kids.”
Ash and Andy run Sinchies in the storage facilities of their other family business, Graham Self Storage in Coomera. For these two enterprising siblings, the Gold Coast is the perfect environment for both their businesses and families to grow and thrive.
“I would say it’s the lifestyle appeal and lower operating costs, all while being in a coastal city with access to everything you need to successfully run a small business”, says Ash.
“The Gold Coast culture has contributed to Sinchies’ success by fostering a supportive environment for small businesses and innovation. The laid-back, family-focused lifestyle aligns perfectly with our mission to make life easier for parents while promoting sustainability.”
“Additionally, the Gold Coast community values eco-friendly practices, which resonates with our commitment to reducing waste.”
Sinchies has a strong connection to its community, that they have developed through strong customer engagement and authenticity. “People love that personal connection,” says Ash. “People love that we are the faces behind the brand and the ones responding to their customer service inquiries. We’re just regular parents and families navigating the same challenges as everyone else!”
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This has helped them foster a strong social media presence, particularly on Instagram and TikTok, which has helped contribute to their continued success and growth as a business.
“This past Black Friday, we achieved 10 times our usual monthly revenue, which was incredible,” Ash shares.
The pair are positive as they look into the future of Sinchies. “We’re focused on launching new products, hiring employees, and achieving worldwide domination,” Ash says, with a laugh. “We’re also working on a huge partnership that we’re excited to see come to fruition in 2025. Watch this space.”
