Get ready to thank Roxanne Proctor … she’s removed one more thing from your to-do list.
For those of us who lament the sandwiches with curling crusts returned, uneaten, seven hours after they were packed, it’s hard to imagine that there is someone who enjoys packing a lunchbox.
But there is. That person is Roxanne Proctor, and her creative (some might say life-saving) brainchild, the Little Lunch Co, is removing some of the hassle from school mornings.
That’s because Roxanne has taken away all the pain of trying to find snacks that have enough protein, aren’t full of empty calories, don’t have too much sugar, aren’t too processed, won’t be too messy. Oh, and which your kids like, too.
Roxanne admits that her business is pretty niche. In fact, there’s nothing quite like it in South Africa. She’s also candid about the fact that she didn’t exactly grow up dreaming of packing lunchboxes for other children. Rather, the Little Lunch Co was, like many good ideas, born out of a moment where inspiration and circumstance aligned.
Those circumstances weren’t exactly happy ones. First came a series of health issues. Roxanne’s appendix burst, then she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. The experience was a huge eye-opener, leaving her with a mission to find meaning. This quest continued after Roxanne left her corporate job, where she had excelled for a decade.
It was a difficult time, says Roxanne. “I found myself increasingly unsatisfied. I just felt that there must be more to life. But I’ve always said that in order to grow, the earth must shake. I didn’t establish the Little Lunch Co because life was perfect, but because it wasn’t.”
In her pursuit of purpose – “there are only so many gym classes you can attend in a day” – she started tinkering in the kitchen. Roxanne had been paying increased attention to nutrition and its role in wellness since her cancer diagnosis and applied her new learnings to her children’s lunchboxes. “I was very particular about what I packed them. I realised that most tuckshops offer food I’d only give my children on a lazy night, and I didn’t want to rely on that to fuel them throughout the day.”
Roxanne started posting pictures of her lunchboxes to her socials, and was thrilled when she received positive feedback from her followers. “It takes just one cheer to build your confidence,” she points out. She was even more encouraged when some of her followers told her they’d pay her to make up similar packs for their children.
And so, when life pushed her into a moment of deep reflection, she realised that turning her lunchboxes into a business was her path forward. “I didn’t know exactly how I’d do it, but I knew I would,” she says. “I needed to feel that I was adding value to the world, and this was it.”
Although Roxanne’s husband assured her that he knew she’d be able to pull it off, and she herself knew that the challenges she’d faced had been placed in her way for a reason, she admits that there were several occasions when she was tempted to throw in the towel. It took ages to make a profit, she says, until she got a big break … making party packs for influencer Mc Clauds. After that, orders started climbing. “I couldn’t have done it without my support structure,” she acknowledges.
The Little Lunch Co recorded a record month during November. By that stage, Roxanne had returned to her corporate career, but not before handing over the reins to an equally passionate cook and employing both a driver and a pastry chef to take the company forward. She also introduced the Mom Box, which she is especially enthusiastic about. “It’s so hard for women to get all the protein and fibre they need, but this box does it all for you. You just need dinner.” Next up is a move to a kitchen in Parkmore, which is more centrally located and allows access to more schools.
In the meantime, Roxanne continues to work out menus, sneaking veggies into muffins and making chicken nuggets seem like a very sorry second.
And she’s enjoying every second. “Everyone has a tough story, but I think I’m proof that you can either be a victim of your tough times – or do something about them. Your story doesn’t define you.”
Setting up your hustle
Here are Roxanne’s go-to tips for helping your small business grow into a bigger business:
• Find a helper who is as crazy as you are, and as passionate as you are – but make sure you can work with them.
• Make sure the people in your life balance you. I’m high energy, so I partner well with people who bring me calm.
• Trust your gut – if something feels right (or wrong), it probably is.
The Little Lunch Co delivers packed lunchboxes to your home or your child’s school reception, within a 15km radius of its Sunninghill headquarters or Parkmore kitchen. To find out more about the company’s subscription model,
visit @little_lunch_co or info@littlelunchco.co.za
Text: LISA WITEPSKI. Main image: Megan Brett
