Bec Winters was simply trying to impress a boy named Jed when she accidentally launched Horribly Healthy, now a peninsula food revolution. Eleven years ago, faced with the dilemma of a new boyfriend who couldn’t eat gluten, refined sugar or eggs due to his strict motocross training regime, she started experimenting with raw caramel slice in her kitchen. Today, her Horribly Healthy treats are stocked across Victoria, bringing joy to kids and adults alike, especially those with allergies.
“Jed was the initial inspiration,” Bec says from her Baxter workspace, a compact but impressive production kitchen he built for her in just three weeks. The fact they’re still together all these years later suggests her food experiments worked. “I knew I couldn’t make him a cupcake. Caramel slice was something he missed, but the traditional ones are full of butter, sugar, and stuff he couldn’t have. I began experimenting with raw caramel slice using natural ingredients that weren’t going to spike his blood sugar levels, and he fell in love with it. Then we started sharing it with friends and it spread like wildfire.”
The transition from girlfriend-with-a-food-processor to peninsula business owner has taken some unexpected turns. After starting the business in Mount Dandenong, Bec and Jed moved to Baxter where they felt housing was affordable. “We wanted to get into the housing market and we happened to land this place. It was very run down. Luckily, Jed is very handy, and we’ve spent all these years making it what we needed it to be.”
For three years, Bec also ran a cafe in Somerville, building a loyal following and a full production team. But, by mid-2025, she could see the writing on the wall. “I closed that down at the end of the lease because I could see where hospitality is going and I wanted to come out on top, rather than in debt.”
The shift – from bustling cafe owner with a massive cool room and full-time staff to solo operator juggling home-schooling – has tested every skill she has. “It’s been a huge transition. But life is more flexible now, and I prefer it; I mean, look at my setup!” she exclaims proudly.
Eli has become something of a Horribly Healthy mascot. Born just before COVID hit, he grew up in the business, often perched on his mum’s hip while she decorated cakes because “he just would not let Jed hold him.” Now he’s learned to decorate cakes himself, earning pocket money by creating treats that customers can actually buy.
“He understands food hygiene, puts his gloves on, washes his hands, all that,” Bec says proudly. “We used to say to him, ‘You can buy a new toy but you need to earn it. And the way to earn it is, ‘I’ll give you a cake to decorate’ and he said ‘Okay!’ and it was adorable!”
The early days of motherhood weren’t easy for Bec. “I suffered from postnatal depression and I thought going back to work earlier might help, but it didn’t. I felt like I wasn’t accepting the loss of identity, and I was trying to reclaim who I was before.” Without mothers’ group support during COVID, Bec had to push through, eventually finding her rhythm as both mum and business owner.
What started as trendy raw vegan treats for health-conscious adults has become a lifeline for families dealing with allergies.
Today, her customer base has shifted. What started as trendy raw vegan treats for health-conscious adults has become a lifeline for families dealing with allergies. “It’s crazy how much my demographic has shifted. My main demographic now, because allergens are on the rise, is kids.”
The feedback keeps her going. “I haven’t met a kid yet that hasn’t fallen in love with my cakes,” she says. “And kids are the biggest critics, right? They’re not gonna hold back if they don’t like something. It’s especially rewarding when the mums say my cakes make their kids feel normal and included. I have families that come back for every birthday.”
Bec’s creativity recently landed her a hit with her gluten-free, ‘clean’ version of the popular spread called Speculoos (a traditional sweet cinnamon style Belgian biscuit). Named Sinner Butter, this moreish spread represents Bec’s next frontier. “There are so many coeliacs all over Australia who have already ordered a lot of this – they’ve fallen in love with it! Watch this space, big things will be coming”
Locals can find Horribly Healthy treats at popular places like Tonics at Tully’s, The Good Food Bakery, St Paul’s General Store, Sorrento Social, Prodigal Coffee, and Green Bowl. Bec also creates custom cakes and handles event catering, which are booming venture.
Working with local suppliers where possible, including sourcing berries from Rocky Creek Strawberry Farm, and Australian almonds, Bec remains committed to keeping her business as local as possible despite some ingredients needing to be imported.
As Eli prepares to start Grade One at a mainstream school next year (“I’d love to see him flourish with confidence and friends”), Bec is planning her own expansion. More wholesale production, including new jarred spreads and collaborations with Peninsula chefs and dessert companies, are all on the horizon.
For someone who never anticipated having children and started a business to win over a boy’s heart, Bec has built something noteworthy in Baxter. “People definitely keep me going. I don’t have to do this, but I want to cater to everyone who feels they miss out.” You can follow Bec’s sweet success on instagram.
IG @horriblyhealthy
First published in Peninsula Essence Magazine
