Hi, I'm Elena, and I'm the name and face behind the Contented Company.

The Contented Company is a Twickenham-based mum-run family business, offering a wide range of eco-friendly and zero-waste products, helping support your family get closer to plastic-free and zero-waste living.

Whether you're after products made from 100% natural ingredients, are 100% plastic-free; recyclable, biodegradable, compostable everyday items; gifts that are hand-made, ethically manufactured, locally made; toiletries that are organic, palm-oil free or vegan.... there will be a something for you here. Every item we sell contributes to a healthy planet, each in their own way.  So how did it all start....? Here's my story 👇

“Contented Cow, Contented Calf…”

It's not the most glamorous phrase, is it? 

But it is a phrase that I try to remember every day, ever since my wonderful mother-in-law said it to me when I was first pregnant. If I look after myself, and make sure I’m happy and OK, then my baby will be happy too. And after all, that’s all we really want isn’t it?

It's also what gave inspiration to the first part of the Contented Company: Contented Calf.

 

An Accidental Entrepreneur 

I never meant to start a business.  Before I had kids, I worked full-time in Technology Marketing. But when I got pregnant, I didn’t get a choice – my role would no longer exist after I went on maternity leave.  In hindsight, I could have fought harder, challenged this and found a difference position with the company.  But I was exhausted – emotionally and physically.  And as the time to me leaving grew closer, I just accepted the situation.  

And so, in Summer 2009, after 28 hours of labour and 40 hours awake, I was catapulted into the whirlwind world of motherhood – and joblessness. 

 

New Mama

I was very much a neurotic, sleep-deprived, deer in the headlights kind of a being in those early days. Of course I loved my daughter fiercely, but it’s safe to say, I was a bit of an emotional wreck. At the time I put it down to the sleep deprivation – it’s really enough to send anyone a bit over the edge isn’t it? But looking back at it now, it was more than that. I think I knew it at the time, but wasn’t sure what it was – it felt more than the baby blues, but less than post-natal depression (though I suppose it still could have been). I had a wealth of support around me, and yet I just had this overwhelming sense that it was me and my daughter together against the world.  

 

The Contented Calf Cookbook

As with any new mum, much of my time was spent feeding our baby.  During those times I wasn’t working my way through DVD box-sets , my mind would be whizzing, wondering….

When our now 9YO was 10 months old I went to a weekend entrepreneurship course at the Business School where my husband was doing his MBA.  One of the outputs of that course was a focus to create the cookbook.  I asked my food writer and chef friend, Jassy Davis, to co-author the book with me.  And at the end of 2011, when 9YO was two, we launched the book – The Contented Calf Cookbook: Nourishing Lactogenic Recipes for Breastfeeding Mums, the name inspired by my beautiful mother-in-law's wise words of wisdom.

But babies don’t stop growing-up do they? And before I knew it my breastfeeding days were drawing to a close. Though not for long - Spring 2012 brought us a second baby girl. (Just look at those milk covered cheeks...!!) 

 

California

Summer 2014 saw us move to California with my husband’s job, after which I worked part-time for a while, back in my old world of Technology Marketing.  But Silicon Valley is a fickle place and the company was ‘downsized’ – job gone.  Upcoming holidays, hosting visiting family and friends (California is a pretty cool place to visit), and child-care struggles meant too many balls to juggle.  So I ended up ‘mom-ing’ and housewife-ing.

       

 

The Contented Kid Cookbook

With our move to the West Coast of the US, we hadn’t moved to a totally different culture, with a very different cuisine. But things tasted ‘different’ nevertheless, especially to the kids.

One item we really missed was low sugar kids’ Fromage Frais. (You know, something to give the kids after dinner sometimes that isn’t too sweet, but can masquerade as ‘pudding’…)  I set about trialling and error-ing with various wholesome ingredients, and developing my own. Let me tell you something I know you already know: children are harsh critics. So I kept on trying until I got it just right.

That homemade ‘Fromage Frais’ was the starting point for The Contented Kid Cookbook of Treats & Eats, launched September 2017.

 

 

Contented Earth

At Christmas 2017, we moved back to Twickenham, London.  And for me, back to being able to focus on the business - time to really focus on what I am passionate about.  I’ve always been a bit of a quiet eco gal, plugging away, doing my bit, going the extra mile and trying to inspire others to make a change.  Well, the time has come to make a bit more of a noise, properly inspire, drive and support others making changes.

And so, at the end of 2018 I introduced Contented Earth. 

I am super excited and totally thrilled to be adding this fabulous collection of Eco and Zero Waste products to the Contented Family!!! As with all the recipes in my cookbooks, the products we are offering have been fully tried and tested by our family. Our family continues to make changes in our lives, which are better for our own health and the health of the planet, and I hope we can help you and your family too.

As always, with my love from our family to yours,

Elena x

p.s. Look after yourselves... Contented Cow, Contented Calf...

picture by Jess Morgan Photography