When speaking with Julia Matthews, founder and CEO of Two Islands and mother-of-three, it’s only natural to feel inspired. Since the brand’s inception in 2017, Two Islands has quickly grown to be one of the most successful and well-recognised wellness brands in Aotearoa, with nearly thirty-thousand followers on Instagram (and counting).
While her brand now revolves around good nutrition – an obvious passion of Matthews – the founder is quick to admit that she personally wasn’t always that way inclined. “I have a terrible sweet tooth and was always caught eating biscuits and cooking chocolate from the pantry when I was little,” she says. It was during her mid-twenties when her fascination with nutrition began to develop, particularly during a vegetarian phase when she became conscious of the vital nutrients she might be missing and how to supplement them. Prior to launching Two Islands, Matthews ventured through various career paths ranging from retail and PR to a stint as a workforce analyst. Armed with a Bachelor of Business from AUT and a background in health science and nutrition, it seemed instinctual, or perhaps inevitable for Matthews to found a wellness-oriented business. “I had recently moved back to New Zealand from Sydney and struggled to find a plant based protein here that tasted delicious and had a clean and simple ingredients list, so I decided I would create my own,” explains the founder.
The brand initially launched with only several flavours of plant-based protein powder, setting itself apart from other brands in the market thanks to its great taste and soy and GMO-free formula. “[I wanted] to make wellness simple,” says Matthews. “To give you greater control over the health of your body and the peace of your mind, to create products that are effective, to be transparent about what goes into our products [and] to formulate with therapeutic doses and to have minimal ingredients.”
After receiving widespread acclaim for her proteins, Two Islands soon evolved from being a direct-to-customer brand to having a variety of stockists around Aotearoa and Australia – not to mention its expansion into collagen powders and supplements. When asked about her favourite product she’s made to date, the founder shared “[I love] Milk Maker. It is a very niche product and one that is part of the range as I noticed a gap in the market before I had my first child and heard about how hard it can be to have a good supply of breastmilk. It’s a beautiful formulation and, for most people, works in a matter of hours which is pretty special. It’s now the best selling lactation support product in New Zealand pharmacies and recommended by countless midwives, nurses and lactation consultants, which makes me incredibly proud.”
Now in its fifth year of operation, no two days are quite the same for Matthews, who now balances the business with mothering her three young children. “Generally [my day starts] by getting up early and heading to the gym or getting up before my children do and going into the office early,” she says. “I’m usually working on NPD, finalising creative, working on export and everything else in between. There is always a lot going on at the Two Islands office and the work never ends, there is always something exciting happening.” And though she finds her work both fulfilling and energising, Matthews stresses the importance of having a good support system and time to recharge from it all. “The weekends are special and I make sure to switch off from work and spend quality time with my children,” she explains. “My parents are incredible and are over every weekend to help out – whether it’s cleaning, entertaining the kids or folding some washing. My partner is very hands-on with the children and we’re a great team and make sure each other feels supported.”
To close off, FQ asked Matthews what advice she would give to those wanting to pursue a similar career path or start their own business someday. “Don’t start a business for the sake of it,” she says. “Make sure that it’s something you are passionate about as it’s not always rainbows or butterflies, and you can work really long hours, so when times are challenging it can be easy to give up if the business you have started doesn’t align with your values.
Quick-Fire Questions:
My current podcast recommendation… I love listening to Huberman Lab, Found My Fitness by Dr. Rhonda Patrick and anyone that features Dr Matthew Walker (sleep expert).
My favourite place to dine… Anywhere with a good steak on the menu!
My go-to recipe right now… Slow cooked Osso Buco on the regular for the kids.
The item at the top of my wish list… A new kitchen.
Three beauty products I recommend to everyone…
- Sunday Riley auto correct
- Drunk Elephant D-bronzi
- Emma Lewisham Supernatural Sleeping Mask.
This season I’m splurging on… Childcare fees, haha!
My most cherished item in my home is… This is a hard one! So many things… all of my artwork as they have special meanings or stories behind them or two beautiful Glo-hearts that Simon Lewis Wards gifted to my twin girls Clementine and Delilah for their bedroom.
Somewhere everyone should go/attend at least once in their lifetime… The Signature Facial from The Facialist. Heaven!
Learn more about Two Islands and shop the full range here.
Imagery: supplied.
