FRESH FEELING AT INDIOS FOOD
Published on 1st April 2025
Childhood friends Chloe Breen, Clarissa Hall and Jodie Kidd were inspired to launch their own business, Indios Food, during the lockdown. As parents, they set out to create a range of home-cooked meals for children, using fresh, local ingredients. However, its target audience has changed since then. AAH met the trio in their kitchen at Hickstead Showground to find out more…
How did the three of you meet?
Chloe: We have been friends since childhood. Clarissa and I went to school together and became friends when both our parents dressed us in embarrassing outfits at a social event. Jodie’s dad Johnny was a showjumper and good friends with my dad, Douglas Bunn, while her grandmother played a key role in helping my family establish the All England Jumping Course at Hickstead 65 years ago.
Jodie: When we were little, we both loved riding and I spent a huge amount of time at Hickstead, riding ponies with Chloe. Dougie is my Godfather, while my mum is Chloe’s Godmother, so our connections go back a long way. Now, the three of us are all Godparents to one another’s children as we have always remained good friends, no matter what else we have done.
What was the inspiration for the business?
Jodie: Our children. When my son, Indios, returned to school in Kirdford after lockdown, he had to take in a packed lunch, as the school kitchen remained closed for a while. My son was eight at the time and – like many children – was a fussy eater and only liked a handful of sandwich fillings. Every day, he would come home with crusts and fruit juice stuck to the sides of his lunchbox, and of course he was tired and hungry as he hadn’t eaten properly. He liked the meals I cooked at home, so I made a big spaghetti Bolognese one Sunday night and sent him to school with a hot meal in a Thermos instead. Having a good meal made a big difference, so when I returned to work, I searched for a supermarket alternative. I couldn’t find what I was looking for, which gave us the idea for the business.
Chloe: We talked long into the night about it. Indios was at primary school, but I thought it was a good idea for teenagers too, like my daughter. So, we set out to make simple yet nutritious ready meals for young people. When we researched products already available, we couldn’t find anything quite like we were proposing. There were countless ready meals, and budget brands such as Pot Noodle, which require only hot water. We wanted something more nutritional, which could be frozen and reheated. But this wasn’t something we could do alone. I said, ‘Jodie, I love you, but you’re not the greatest cook in the world!’ It was obvious we needed Clarissa’s expertise.
Clarissa: I am a trained chef and previously spent 14 years working as a corporate chef in the City. I was made redundant during Covid, so this opportunity came at an ideal time. The concept was simple: we would cook fresh meals that could then be put in individual pots and frozen. Customers simply reheat the meal – there are cooking instructions on each pot – to enjoy home-cooked cuisine.
Who came up with the various meals?
Jodie: We discussed them as a team, with Clarissa leading development of the recipes. We spent a couple of months testing them, handing out pots at schools and seeking feedback. Our idea was to make meals for children, but parents enjoyed them just as much, so we broadened our market.
Clarissa: The initial plan was to come up with four recipes, but we got carried away and made more! There are staple dishes aimed at youngsters, such as Spaghetti Bolognese, Spaghetti Carbonara and Sausage Hot Pot. Others appeal to a more mature palette, including Beef Chilli with Cauliflower Rice, Meatballs and Couscous, Butternut and Edamame Orzo, and Chicken Laksa. We are popular with older people too, as the 300g portions are an ideal size.
You have several vegetarian dishes...
Jodie: People are much more health-conscious and younger generations are looking for nutritious meals made from fresh produce. So it was important for us to offer exciting vegetarian options.
Clarissa: Our range includes Super Beans, Vegetarian Laksa and Immunity Pot. These products are among the best-sellers and we will be expanding our vegetarian and gluten-free options with our new Summer range, including a Vietnamese Vegetarian Salad.
Do you source ingredients locally?
Jodie: I own The Half Moon pub in Kirdford and we work with local suppliers. We have the same ethos at Indios Food, with everything apart from some specialist herbs and spices sourced within a 25-mile radius of our kitchen. We buy meat from SK Hutching’s Butchers in Partridge Green and fresh fruit and veg from Adam’s Food Service in Worthing.
Clarissa: There is a cost attached to cooking with fresh produce. Soon after we launched Beef Chilli with Cauliflower Rice, the price of a large fresh cauliflower went up to £7.50. Still, our price point is very reasonable and you couldn’t make the meals individually for the price we sell them for. We hope to establish our own allotment at Oakwood Hill soon, so that we can grow more of our own produce.
Where are you selling your products?
Jodie: Most of our sales come through farm shops and village stores. Local outlets include New House Farm in Horsham and Weston’s in Itchingfield. Sales have grown organically and we are now looking to expand further into East Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire.
What are your hopes for the business?
Chloe: We all have full-time jobs. I am a director at Breen Equestrian and help run events at Hickstead, while Jodie is busy with the pub and her broadcasting work. Only yesterday, she was learning to ‘drift’ for her YouTube channel, Kidd in a Sweet Shop. So, we need to balance our various responsibilities as the business grows. However, this is very much a passion project, and we have the option of moving to a larger kitchen at the Showground when we are ready to take the next step.
Jodie: It would be lovely if we reached a point where we could supply a major retailer. We have held positive talks, but are not yet in a position to produce meals at the necessary scale. Once we have more experience, then hopefully we can take that step.
Clarissa: We do have different dreams. I would love to see an Indios Food drive-through one day! It will be interesting to see how our new Summer range fares and which meals prove popular, as that will influence the future direction of the business.
WORDS: BEN MORRIS / PHOTOS: ALAN WRIGHT FOR AAH
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