Wanaka’s gorgeous edible garden company Hiatt & Co keeps growing in lockdown
Wanaka company Hiatt & Co is supplying a dose of nutritional entertainment during this difficult time, with founder Anna Hiatt able to sell
her Mighty Minis Microgreens starter kits via an online shop.
Mighty Mini Microgreens is a fun, sow and grow project for families
Anna acknowledges that being back in a nationwide lockdown is an incredibly challenging situation for everyone, but she
has been pleasantly surprised by the increased demand for one of her products.
“Our Mighty Minis Microgreens starter kits have been flying out the door over the past few days and many of them are
going to families. I find there is some solace in growing something (quickly) from scratch and this simple practise
seems to have struck a chord,” Anna says.
“The feedback has been that growing our nutrient-dense microgreens is an engaging, super-fun and successful project for
children to take on and they love seeing the results appear so fast. Our kits contain everything except for the vessel
to grow them in. From sowing the seeds, some of the microgreens can be harvested after just 7-10 days,” Anna adds.
She confirms that her recently launched business meets the current level 4 Government guidelines. All orders are
packaged using strict hygiene procedures and the whole process is contactless, including payment and delivery.
A life-long enthusiasm for gardening and floral design inspired Anna to turn her passion for plants into a company
helping people to create their own gorgeous, edible gardens. She started up Hiatt & Co earlier this year, aiming to reunite New Zealanders with the pride and joy of gathering delicious, homegrown produce
from their very own kitchen garden.
Rather than saturating her clients with bucket loads of information, Anna has been providing one-on-one edible garden
consultations that offer tailored guidance, support and encouragement to get results growing fast.
“Gardening can feel overwhelming. There is so much information out there that sometimes people don’t even know where to
begin. I want to make growing your own produce simple and fun,” Anna says.
Created for busy, beginner gardeners, Hiatt & Co’s products are designed to remove overthinking. They not only save time, but they also ensure the clients’ veggie
gardens are both bountiful, and beautiful to boot.
Launched for a nutrient boost this winter, the popular Hiatt & Co Microgreens, are aptly named Mighty Minis.
“Microgreens are a super-easy way to inject healthy, immune-boosting goodness into your life. Complete with step-by-step
instructions for growing the best bushy greens, our starter kits are all about getting back to basics. Simply sow, grow,
snip and enjoy!” Anna says.
From small but aesthetically planted receptacles to multiple raised beds, Hiatt & Co’s edible gardens are bespoke to people’s needs.
“Whether they are based in an apartment, renting, or living in their own homes, there’s always ways to use whatever
space people have to grow edibles. My background in floral design means I love to create gardens that not only produce
beautiful, fresh food, they look beautiful too,” Anna says.
Her love of gardening stems from her roots growing up on a farm. A time when certificates from the local A show for the best home-grown vegetables, or flower displays, adorned her bedroom walls. And where planting carrots to
feed her pets and following her green-fingered granny around the garden, formed her childhood cornerstones.
Unsurprisingly, Anna channelled her botanic talents into a career and set up a floral design company specialising in
weddings, events and private home designs. From here, she pursued her desire to work with people and spent a decade in
the events sector. Starting in the volunteer management space, she held event director roles and was later involved in
commercial management.
In the industry, Anna’s name is recognisable from her involvement in the World Triathlon, Winter Games, Queenstown
Marathon and Challenge Wanaka events.
She chose to see the disruptions the Covid-19 pandemic has wrecked on the world as an opportunity to make a lifestyle
and livelihood change, and sowed the seeds of Hiatt & Co.
“I’ve always loved that creative side of working with flowers and gardens. My career has focused on relationship
management, and I feel that Hiatt & Co allows me to combine two of my favourite things – everything I do now revolves around people and edible produce!”
“Hiatt & Co is about setting people up for success and taking the thinking out of it for them by making it simple. I want my
clients to feel the absolute joy that I get from picking edible flowers and veggies from my own garden,” Anna concludes.