That void has been fixed when Blend on the Bank – a caravan converted to sell coffee, smoothies and tasty treats – rolled up on Barnes Boulevard. 

The mastermind behind this new feature was none other than Nourish’d Eatery owner Jodie Cooper who has been changing the mindset of Horsham residents, in regards to eating nourishing food, since 2011. 

It was the Anytime Fitness franchise, however, that brought Ms Cooper to the city – from there Nourish’d Eatery was a “natural progression.” 

“Horsham immediately felt like the right fit professionally and personally,” she said. “Whilst (Anytime Fitness) was my first business venture that brought me to town, it was the community feel and access to our stunning riverfront that has kept me here.” 

Ms Cooper always had a love for healthy, organic foods, but it was not until she was diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue that she learned more about nutrition. 

“I was training at high intensity for triathlons – incorrectly fueling my body with high carbohydrate foods like pasta, bread and sugary cereals, which I believed was the best way to give my body the energy it needed to get through training sessions. Eventually I came crashing down,” she said. 

“Around the same time, I was working as a rehab assistant on hospital wards, helping to heal other broken down bodies. It was then that I started to take time to learn more about food and nutrition.

“I learned that in some situations we can help to prevent illness and optimise aspects of our physical and mental self through quality, nourishing food.” 

Nourish’d Eatery has grown from “a genuine place of love.” Ms Cooper said her experience in hospitality came down to a “three month stint” when she lived in London. 

“I truly believe that the cafe grew from a genuine place of love for what I do – not just experience – and a belief that anything is possible if you set your mind to it,” she said.  

“The only way to learn is to experiment and make mistakes, and to overcome any fear that might be holding you back from pursuing a creative idea.” 

On top of Nourish’d Eatery’s success, Ms Cooper has wrote a book, helped start the Farm to Fork night markets and created smoothie blends used by Melbourne and Geelong cafes.

Horsham’s very first river cafe and a new personal training program are her latest ventures.

Ms Cooper said BODY was an “all encompassing” personal training program that focused on movement, meals, motivation and mind. 

“Prior to opening the cafe, whilst I lived in London, I undertook further health coaching and nutrition studies and developed my holistic approach to wellbeing,” she said. “There are many aspects to achieving overall health, it’s about finding the best balance for you individually.”

Meanwhile, the Blend van was a joint venture for Ms Cooper and Harriet O'donnell-Clancy, which has helped Blend on the Bank become a reality. 

“We would love to see some permanent infrastructure set up for the purpose of a cafe or restaurant on Horsham’s beautiful river front,” she said. “In the meantime, we are enjoying the new location and the new menu.” 

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