After meeting in the first week of their Food Science and Human Nutrition classes back in 2019, Becc Grummitt and Ellie Gibson recently opened their own small business – Curd Nerd Vegan Cheese.

While neither Ellie or Becc began university with the plan to study Food Science and Human Nutrition, they have both developed a deep passion and interest in the industry.

Becc originally began a Bachelor of Paramedic Science in Queensland, near where she grew up. Realising this pathway was not for her, she took time off the travel and work before settling down on the Central Coast and stumbling across the Bachelor of Food Science and Human Nutrition.

After high school, Ellie worked as a preschool teacher for six years, and started a Bachelor of Early Childhood and Primary Teaching.

Feeling like she wasn’t cut out for university, she withdrew. However, she tried again four years later with a Bachelor of Food Science and Human Nutrition and never looked back.

Meeting by chance in their first week of classes while trying to navigate campus, Ellie and Becc quickly joined forces.

“Realising we were both first-year students in the Bachelor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, we soon bonded over our shared interest in the intersections between nutrition and social justice, with both of us feeling particularly passionate about Indigenous health and wellbeing,” Becc said.

While both Becc and Ellie found the food science component of the degree interesting, neither believed they would ever pursue it as a career.

“But as we progressed through the degree, we became quite interested in the different career pathways that were available to us.

“It really wasn’t until the end of the final semester of the degree, after we had experienced the entire food product development process from beginning to end, that we decided that this is what we wanted to do,” Becc said.

At the beginning of 2022, Becc and Ellie decided to leave their casual jobs and together they began Curd Nerd Vegan Cheese, where they now work as self-employed food scientists.

“Our jobs consist of researching and experimenting to develop new products, content creation for social media, meeting with cafe and restaurant owners to sell our products, and lots of business administration.

“We use a wide range of skills that we obtained throughout our degree on a daily basis: from chemistry and mandatory labelling requirements, to microbiology, food safety and marketing, to scientific analysis and food product development procedure,” Ellie said.

When reflecting on their university experience, both Becc and Ellie say it was the passionate  academics that made their studies so enjoyable.

“The Food Science academics took the time to get to know us on an individual level, and truly cared about the success of each student.

“Whilst we have now completed our undergraduate studies, our time at the University of Newcastle isn't over.

“We are still in contact with many of our educators, who go above and beyond to provide us with support and guidance and offer career and networking opportunities that they think will interest us,” Becc said.

One of the key highlights for Becc and Ellie was the hands-on experience gained in the commercial and sensory test kitchens, as well as the chemistry, microbiology and food labs.

“With the food lab and sensory testing space being directly connected to the commercial kitchen, we were able to transfer food products we’d made to the lab to be analysed by the same state-of-the-art equipment that is used in the industry.

“We also had opportunities to listen to, meet, and network with a wide variety of industry professionals (including past students) who shared the pathways they followed, their stories of success, presented on current projects, and gave us invaluable advice.

“This further exposed us to different education pathways and career options, as well as presenting many internships, work experience and employment opportunities along the way,” Ellie said.

Becc and Ellie are currently working on developing two new cheeses and hope to relocate their production space into the recently upgraded commercial kitchen at the University of Newcastle Ourimbah Campus.

Long term, Becc and Ellie hope to expand the business to the point where consumers can see Curd Nerd Cheese on restaurant menus and can purchase it from independent retailers across New South Wales and later, Australia.

For future students considering studying the Bachelor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Becc and Ellie say, “do it!”

Learn more about studying a Bachelor of Food Science and Human Nutrition

Becc Grummitt and Ellie Gibson `

Becc Grummitt and Ellie Gibson

After meeting in the first week of their Food Science and Human Nutrition classes back in 2019, Becc and Ellie recently opened their own small business – Curd Nerd Vegan Cheese.

We use a wide range of skills that we obtained throughout our degree on a daily basis, from chemistry and mandatory labelling requirements, to microbiology, food safety and marketing, to scientific analysis and food product development procedure.