From survival to satisfaction: CEO Sam Bridgewater’s mission to redefine mealtimes

As Australia’s aged care sector welcomes the introduction of new Quality Standards, Sam Bridgewater and The Pure Food Co are working with providers to ensure mealtimes deliver not only nutrition but also safety, dignity and compliance. It’s a mission born out of personal experience and fuelled by innovation.

From a family challenge to a sector-wide mission

When Sam Bridgewater was 27, he was working in the fast-paced, high flying world of international banking in Sydney. The young, bright-eyed Kiwi had jumped The Ditch in search of opportunity and was living his career dream a stone’s throw from Circular Quay. 

Then his stepfather, Mark, was diagnosed with cancer and the course of Sam’s life was changed forever. 

“He was going through a cancer journey and it was pretty tough to watch. He was struggling. Struggling to eat and struggling to survive through a time when he needed every little bit of help. He wanted good food, and he needed good nutrition, and he wasn’t getting either.”

Watching Mark weaken, not just from his illness but from malnutrition, lit an entrepreneurial fire in Sam’s belly and set him on an ambitious new path.  

He quit his job at the bank, teamed up with his friend Maia Royal, and founded The Pure Food Co in 2013. Their goal was to make nutritious food more accessible and enjoyable for seniors with swallowing and other health challenges.

“I didn’t go looking for a problem to solve. I was a 27 year old living the dream in Sydney and a problem that desperately needed solving found me.”

Twelve years later The Pure Food Co’s texture modified food system completely dominates the New Zealand market, is in more than 500 aged care facilities across Australia, and has recently expanded into Europe. 

“And with the global demographic trends and sector reforms we’re seeing, especially in Australia, the bulk of the growth opportunity is still very much in front of us.”  

The texture-modified food challenge

The problem The Pure Food Co is tackling is huge, and only getting bigger. Almost a third of people living in residential aged care require a texture-modified diet diet of some kind. 

That means their food must meet IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative) guidelines, which define the textures and consistencies needed to keep meals safe. But producing IDDSI-compliant meals consistently in-house is a significant challenge for aged care kitchens. 

“With the introduction of the new standards, we’re seeing a big spike in the number of operators reaching out to us for advice and support on how to do texture-modified meals really well,” Sam says.

“They’re realising that trying to do it themselves not only makes it practically impossible to achieve the quality and consistency required to be compliant with the new standards, but it’s also the least cost-effective approach.

“It’s not about taking something away from their kitchen teams, it’s about giving them back time, reducing risk, and ensuring residents receive safe, nutritious, dignified meals, all day, every day.”

Sam says all the data captured by operators show The Pure Food Co’s system reduces falls, supports wound care, cuts unplanned weight loss, and reduces waste.  

“They’re seeing more empty plates being sent back to the kitchen because when you put a beautifully-presented, delicious, aroma-filled meal in front of someone they’re far more likely to actually eat it.”  

Raising the standard of care

The Pure Food Co’s system provides frozen, portioned, nutritionally-rich meals that can be plated quickly and safely, while still looking, smelling and tasting like their original forms.

They’re enriched with more of the protein and nutrients a person needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle as they age.

Instead of the unappetising “slop” that too often characterises texture modified food, residents can receive a plate of chicken, peas and carrots that look as they should, but are modified for safety and ease of swallowing.

“Food in aged care is about so much more than nutrition. It’s about dignity,” Sam says. “If we wouldn’t serve something to our own family, we shouldn’t serve it to residents.”

The system also addresses the “protein gap” – the fact that older adults need almost double the protein intake of younger adults to maintain muscle mass, yet most are only consuming around 60 per cent of what they need. Poor protein intake is directly linked to falls, pressure injuries, slower recovery from illness and reduced independence.

“We’ve worked with dietitians, speech pathologists and chefs to make sure our meals are not just safe and tasty, but also genuinely close the protein gap,” Sam says. “That’s where we see the biggest impact, residents who are stronger, healthier and more engaged.”

The new Quality Standards

Commencing on 1 November, the new Aged Care Quality Standards will bring food and nutrition under much closer scrutiny. Providers will need to demonstrate not only that meals are nutritious, but that they are safe, consistent, and dignified.

“The new standards mean food will no longer be seen as just an operational issue, it’s a governance issue,” Sam explains.

“Boards and CEOs are being asked to show evidence that nutrition and mealtime experiences are being managed to the highest standard. That means moving past shortcuts and inconsistent practices.”

The Pure Food Co supports providers by reducing compliance risks. Meals are designed to meet IDDSI standards, protein and micronutrient requirements are built in, and data reporting helps facilities demonstrate outcomes to regulators, residents and families.

Partnering with providers

Earlier this year, The Pure Food Co announced a partnership with Regis Aged Care, one of Australia’s largest operators. For Sam, partnerships like these are about more than scale, they’re about creating a shared commitment to better outcomes.

“We’re in the midst of a sector-wide rethink of how we approach mealtimes in aged care, and it demands that we see every single resident in three dimensions,” Sam says. 

“We believe that dignity is all about choice, so we want every older Aussie to have the option of delicious, nutritious meals no matter where they are on their ageing journey.

“When we sit down with leadership teams, the conversation isn’t about replacing their kitchens, it’s about giving their staff the tools to succeed. It’s about creating consistency, reducing waste, and lifting the whole dining experience.” 

At a recent visit to a Regis aged care home in Queensland Sam met Dawn, a resident who had recently started eating The Pure Food Co’s meals. 

“She just turned to us and said ‘This food has changed my life’ and that’s always just so wonderful to hear. 

“For people with swallowing challenges mealtimes can be really anxiety-inducing, so the fact we were able to reconnect her with the joy of eating beautiful food was just so gratifying and made me feel quite emotional to be honest.”

The next course

The Pure Food Co is continuing to grow, having recently expanded into France and setting its sights on further European markets. But Sam’s focus remains close to home.

“Australia is at the forefront of aged care reform, and that makes it one of the most important places in the world for us to be working,” he says.

What drives him is not awards or headlines, but the experience of his stepfather’s darkest moments and the knowledge that hundreds of thousands of older people face the same struggles with food every day.

“We want ageing nutrition to be part of the mainstream health and wellness conversation because we know that empowering people with awareness and knowledge is the best way to drive change and ensure the safety and happiness of seniors.”

For providers, the lesson is clear: getting food right is about more than compliance. It is about residents’ dignity, health, and leadership. And with the new standards fast approaching, the time to act is now.

This artcile was orginal featured in Hello Leaders spring print edition. Read the full edition here, or order your print copy at [email protected]