This episode we're joined by Elena, Founder of FERMARY. Elena is the founder of FERMARY, a London-based brand crafting slow-fermented foods rooted in gut health, flavour, and a blend of tradition with modern twist.
With a background in fine food retail, Elena started at Borough Market and then her own businesses, she brings decades of sourcing expertise, sensory intuition, and inherited knowledge to her work.
We talk about how Elena uses traditional, slow methods of fermenting to create a really high quality product that provides real health benefits. We also dig into what ferments you could do at home yourself, with some brilliant tips for success!
We hope you enjoy this gut loving episode.
Ineke x
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Talking points for this episode:
- You grew up fermenting in Riga and Norway, how did those early, seasonal traditions shape your values and vision for Fermary?
- You were at Borough Market for 15 years and launched Puntarelle & Co. what led you to that and then onto London Fermentary, and eventually Fermary?
- What makes Fermary’s approach to fermentation (raw, unpasteurized, slow) unique in today’s health-food landscape?
- You began fermenting in response to surplus produce. How did that spark lead to your broader product range and have you had any happy fermentation accidents?
- Fermented food is trending, what common misconceptions do you encounter about it, and how do you educate people about true artisanal fermentation?
- You’ve cautioned against rushed fermentations causing gut issues. What are those risks, and why is slower always better?
- What should customers look for on labels or in texture, smell, or taste to distinguish high‑quality ferments?
- Fermary is now part of S. Thorogood & Sons and located in New Covent Garden. How did that relationship come about?
- Where do you see Fermary in 5 years? Are there new product lines, formats, or perhaps a fermentation incubator in the works?
- Having launched a number of businesses do you have one piece of advice that you’d pass on to other foodie entrepreneurs?
- What’s an easy ferment you’d recommend for beginners to try at home, and what mistakes should they avoid?
