About

I never planned to start a fermented foods business. Earth science was my passion and after graduating as a geologist I moved to Australia to work in the mining industry. Remote site life left me exhausted, overweight and struggling with my skin and other hormonal issues. Unhappy, I went looking for a solution…

Smiling woman wearing sunglasses in front of a large, terraced open-pit mine, likely a copper mine, with heavy machinery visible on a central mound.
Founder Nikki Peters, a blonde woman smiling and holding a stack of three boxes of "The Cultured Collective Kimchi", with flavors "Turmeric & Ginger," "Classic," and "Original", wearing a green cardigan and jeans.
Overhead shot of glass jars, lids, and sealing rings arranged on a wooden surface, suggesting canning preparations; several empty glass jars are visible with open mouths, surrounded by lids, orange rubber rings, and metal closure clips.
Two glass jars filled with red kimchi on a wooden surface, with a tiled background. The larger jar is labeled "Kimchi Traditional IF 17/03 F 22/03." The kimchi in both jars appears to be a mix of red chili paste and fermented vegetables.
Overhead shot of a meal preparation on a wooden surface. A rectangular container holds mixed chopped vegetables, and a small bowl contains a red sauce with a blue spatula and a wooden spoon resting inside.

A seed is planted

I became part of a small facebook community of women sharing information and supporting each other on our respective health journeys. This wasn’t the usual advice I’d come to know, but a new holistic approach; an understanding that the food we choose to eat can be a powerful force for good for both our bodies and minds. I was taught to make sauerkraut, kombucha and kefir and learned that we share our bodies with billions of bacteria – our microbiome – and that the health of our gut is central to overall wellbeing. I quickly became obsessed, experimenting with ferments and flying my various creations to work in a coolbox! Within a few short months of overhauling my diet, I experienced huge positive shifts within myself and became a passionate advocate for fermentation; an almost magical process transforming vegetables into something delicious!

An idea blossoms

Back in the UK, I became frustrated by the lack of availability of good quality ferments. Kimchi and sauerkraut fermented the natural way, without artificial ingredients and vinegars, and kept unpasteurised, alive with cultures. I set about creating a range myself, iterating and finessing flavours over months of testing. By the Autumn of 2016 The Cultured Collective had sold our first jars at Primrose Hill Farmers Market.

Display of homemade kimchi and kraut at a market stall, with jars of the fermented food on a wooden cutting board, samples in paper cups, and a lighted sign that says "Kimchi Kraut" with a heart icon.
Two women standing at a food market stall advertising "Eat. Well. Good." and "Love Your Guts", with jars of fermented foods and a sign for broth. The stall is under a green marquee tent with a garden in the background.
Founder Nikki Peters, a woman with long blonde hair smiles while pointing towards a "NEW" sign on a shelf in a grocery store, with various jars and containers of fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut visible.

A movement grows

We’ve grown a lot since then and you can now find our jars gracing the shelves of some of the country’s leading retailers.

But gut health isn’t a destination, it’s a daily practice. Over ten years from when my journey began, I still love eating fermented foods and now I’m on a mission to make YOU fall in love with ferments too!

Ocado
Sainsburys
Buy Women Built
Whole Foods
Two people wearing pink t-shirts with "The Cultured Collective" logo and lanyards, standing in front of a banner with the same logo and the words "Love Ferments." They are in a modern event space, with a purple sofa, round tables, and decorative elements.
Woman holding a stack of three jars of "The Cultured Collective" Sauerkraut, flavoured with fennel, apple, and dill. Each jar is encased in a decorative green box, and the middle jar is fully visible, displaying the fermented cabbage inside. The boxes feature a "Great Taste" award seal. The woman wears a green sweater.