Here at Mother Raw we are passionate about giving university students real world experience that gives them skills they can take with them to prepare for the working world. We’re a small team, so interns get to wear many hats and help out with a bunch of fun projects. We are proud to have had two incredible ladies join us for the past 8 weeks as part of the team!
Brittany and Terri-Lin are masters students from Ryerson University, studying nutrition and food. They had the opportunity to intern at Mother Raw for 8 weeks as part of their dietetic placement rotations; needless to say, the last 2 months flew by! Both being foodies, Mother Raw was the perfect match.
Tell us about how you landed this internship at Mother Raw
We both got this placement through our Masters in Nutrition Communication program at Ryerson University. In our journey to becoming Registered Dietitians, we each had a meeting with our program coordinator to discuss our interests and career goals, and she thought that Mother Raw would be a great fit for both of us.
Did you have a favourite project at Mother Raw?
We both agree that our favourite project was doing a lifestyle photography shoot to get more images for Mother Raw’s social media channels. We were able to plan and execute it from beginning to end - including what products, recipes, and locations we wanted to shoot. Not only did we capture some cool photos, but we also got to explore Toronto from a different lens and have a ton of fun doing it!
What did you do during your time at Mother Raw that you never expected?
Something we didn’t expect to do was spending time in the production plant doing ‘micro,’ which is short for microbiology. Using some cool equipment, we were able to check out the food safety of Mother Raw’s products. Being involved with quality assurance and getting into the food science side of the company was an unexpected, but eye-opening and fun experience!
What stands out as some fun memories?
One day, the whole team went out for a ‘creative adventure.’ Kristi, the CEO, wanted us to get out of the office and into a new environment so we could get inspired, think outside the box, and conjure up some ideas for promoting the Mother Raw brand. First, we went to McEwans and discussed the brand’s values and goals. There, we also did an activity to pick out a product that we thought our target consumer would buy and talked about what makes that product special. The adventure continued at Planta (a local vegan restaurant) for an amazing lunch and some brainstorming about increasing Mother Raw’s reach. It was an unforgettable day and a highlight of our internship!
How will your experience at Mother Raw help you in the future?
Our experiences taught us the importance of being passionate and staying true to what you believe in. At Mother Raw, we found that every moving part of the company was executed with authenticity; one that consumers can sense. Going forward, we hope to practice authentically in our own careers and never settle for less.
What would you want to tell future interns about the opportunity to intern at Mother Raw?
Have an open mind and be prepared to take part in a variety of experiences! You’ll have the opportunity to be exposed to several aspects of Mother Raw and learn a lot about how a business operates. It’s a fun place to work and you’re going to meet a lot of awesome and talented people! (P.S the products are delicious, try as many as you can!)
What do you have planned for the rest of the summer?
We are continuing on with our Master’s program and will both be in new placements - Brittany with a private practice Dietitian and Terri-Lin at a diabetes education clinic! But before that, you can find Brittany at her family’s cottage in Haliburton and Terri-Lin in California soaking up some sun.
Fav Mother Raw product (and how do you use it)?
B: My favourite Mother Raw product would have to be the French Onion Dip. I love it because of how versatile it is! It tastes great with crackers, veggies, spread on a sandwich, or even as a mayo replacement for potato salad. You can pretty much eat it with anything!
T: This is a hard choice, but if I had to choose, it would be the spicy vegan queso. I love that it has a bit of a kick. I used it as a dip for chips and veggies, and even spread it on my bagels. The jar in my fridge disappeared in a week!
On behalf of the entire team, thanks Brittany and Terri-Lyn for all your hard work and positive attitude throughout your placement. We’ll miss you!