Growing up in an industrious family of businesspeople, it was clear that Eliana Glover possessed an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age. Having spent her childhood in Nelson and most of her twenties living abroad, Glover has found her ideal home in the picturesque Wānaka, where she leads as the managing director of her family’s business, FSL Foods.
Armed with a Masters degree from the University of Otago, Glover explored a variety of pursuits – including skiing around the world and working in digital marketing – before taking the helm at FSL. While she enjoyed her time spent in a marketing role, Glover had always aspired to found her own business. “I’d always had an itch to build a business from scratch and better understand all the components required to create a successful business, not just sales and marketing,” she explains. “My family has always been involved in the FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) industry, so outside of tourism, food was the obvious choice.”
Having identified a gap in the baking market, Glover launched Hill St Wholefoods in early 2019, which offered easy, affordable and nutritious plant-based baking mixes. “Growing up, the two main topics of conversation at our dinner table were always business and food. It gave me a real passion for better understanding both,” she says. Building the business from the ground up, Hill St Wholefoods quickly acquired a strong e-commerce presence and stockists throughout Aotearoa and Australia.
However, 2021 posed an unexpected challenge when a trademarking dispute arose from an Australian company operating under the same name. “Our lawyer had only filed for the Hill St logo in Australia, believing that the word ‘Hill Street’ was too generic to trademark,” says Glover, “That turned out to be wrong as another Australian company already had ‘Hill Street’ trademarked. Definitely learned my lesson the hard way that time!” Faced with the cost of continuing the legal battle or rebuilding brand equity under a new brand name – the founder ultimately made the choice to sell Hill St to the New Zealand company Mr Rogers, who rebranded the products under their existing baking line.
Using this time to pivot, Glover redirected her focus towards the family business, assuming the position of managing director at FSL – who own five different frozen fruit and vegetable brands. Working between her home in Wānaka and the company’s two offices in Nelson and Auckland, each day is varied in its responsibilities and challenges. “I try to get anything that is more analytical or strategic done in the morning and from there it is a lot of calls and catch ups with the team,” explains Glover. “I can be chatting about pricing one second and then production or marketing the next, which I love.” Her expertise and passion for selling health-conscious, plant-based products have played a pivotal role in driving the innovation of Goodness Kitchen’s Choc Bites, the newest addition to FSL’s repertoire of frozen fruit products. “My travels always involve going into local supermarkets and food expos to check out new or different products,” says Glover. “While I was in the US, I noticed a real trend towards frozen fruit snacking, smaller portions and more bite sized options. That’s where the idea of Choc Bites was first formed.”
Balancing the demands of leading a team and spearheading product innovation, Glover strives to maintain a harmonious work-life equilibrium. Amidst her jam-packed schedule, finding solace in the simple joys like immersing herself in nature is a necessity for the director. “I love what I do, and it often doesn’t feel like work so the hours can really sneak up on you!” She says, “My non-negotiables are getting out of the house for a couple of walks each day with our pup Stevie.”
Looking ahead, Glover’s goals for the future are clear. “Professionally, I want to create a business that people love being a part of – whether that is supplying us fruit, working here or buying our product at their local supermarket. Personally, I’m trying to create time and space to do more of the things that make me feel happy and inspired. The goal is to wake up happy rather than working towards an ever-changing goal post.”
Her advice for those who are interested in following a similar path? “I’d recommend chatting to people who are already in the industry – I’ve found the New Zealand FMCG industry to be extremely welcoming. Pick a couple of founders or businesses that you admire and get in touch, people are typically happy to share their insights and learnings.”
Quick-Fire Questions:
My current podcast recommendation… I love listening to investment and finance podcasts with my favourite two being The Curve and Equity Mates. They’re short, fun, conversational updates on the market.
My favourite place to dine… Muttonbird in Wanaka for an innovative seasonal menu or Aosta in Arrowtown for Italian perfection on a plate – the Tiramisu is a must!
My go-to recipe in the winter… A version of this Orecchiette with sweetcorn and green chilli from One Pot, Pan, Planet. It’s a light, refreshing pasta that is cheap and easy to make. I use Fruzio Spinach as a substitute for Swiss chard and almost always have chillies in the freezer as well, making the number of ingredients needed pretty minimal!
The item at the top of my wish list… A piece of art by Matt Arbuckle.
Three beauty products I recommend to everyone…
- Aesop Blue Chamomile Facial Hydrating Masque (love this to rehydrate my skin after flying)
- Mario Badescu Facial Spray
- Hourglass Unlocked Mascara
This season I’m splurging on… I’m trying (but not always succeeding) to save my pennies at the moment. When I do splurge, it’s mostly on travel, art or furniture.
My most cherished item in my home is… a watch given to me by my parents in my early twenties.
Somewhere everyone should go/attend at least once in their lifetime… Somewhere that takes you out of your comfort zone and challenges you.
