
TUCKER’S FAMILY
Sam became a chef and picked up another language (as was the requirement of the course) allowing him to work all over the world. After a stint working in the London Hilton, he returned to Australia to work in five-star hotels in Queensland.
Returning to Adelaide, Sam started to work in food production; first with a small bakery in the Adelaide Hills before taking over a gingerbread company.
Sam had always been a sporty man but while he was in the UK, he realised how intense his lifestyle had become. Life in hospitality made it hard for him to eat well and get exercise. He then realised that many other people shared the same problem.
When Sam married Cindy, it was the bringing together of two like-minded people. They wanted their family to have a healthy lifestyle in a better place for their children.
Adelaide could provide the perfect place to raise their family, but they were now aware of the lack of “better-for-you” snacking choices. This was a gap in the market that they could fill. This would become the opportunity that would define the Tuckers.
Sam and Cindy launched Tucker’s Natural in 2007 when Cindy was pregnant with their first child. The first versions of the crackers were developed for Tucker’s by a contractor and Sam’s sister developed the first version of the packaging. They had a site in Edwardstown in a facility that was so small, they had to pack consignments in the carpark.
“If the truck didn’t come, we were stuck”, says Sam. “It couldn’t go back inside because we simply didn’t have the room”.
Tucker’s Natural is synonymous with Sam and Cindy’s family. They had 3 kids in 2 years and 4 months right at the time they were building their fledgling business. A pack redesign, some further flavour development, and the unique “blade” shape (the paddle blade influenced shape that is perfect for socially acceptable double dipping) resulted in ranging in a national retailer. Tucker’s Natural became the next big thing in entertaining/snacking.
Every decision Sam and Cindy took in the development of their product range was based on what they wanted their own family to eat, good nutrition and natural food ingredients.
No artificial ingredients, better protein and fibre sources, multigrain and functional foods all helped make the Tucker’s Natural snacking and entertaining proposition something quite unique.
“We are now thinking about packaging and our environmental footprint. We want our kids to be proud of the ethical approach that we bring to our business”, says Sam. “It is a reflection of who we are”.