Australian parents now have a new option for feeding their little ones, with New Zealand-founded baby and children’s nutrition brand Odi Nutrition officially launching across the country.

Founded by clinical nutritionist, nurse and mother of four Gina Urlich, Odi arrives with a clear challenge for the baby-food industry: we can do better.

The brand believes the category has too often prioritised sweetness and convenience over the nutritional needs of growing children. While many products are marketed as “healthy”, “natural” or “nutritious”, they can still be dominated by sweet fruit purées and offer limited nutritional diversity.

“A product can be organic, natural or made predominantly from fruit and still not provide meaningful amounts of nutrients such as iron, protein, iodine or omega-3,” Urlich explains.

Odi’s Australian launch comes amid increasing scrutiny of commercial foods marketed to babies and young children. Australian Government research has found commercial infant foods may be a major contributor of sugar to children’s diets, while national infant-feeding guidelines recommend first foods be iron-rich.

Rather than moving away from convenient formats, Odi has focused on improving what goes into them.

“Parents are incredibly time-poor. Convenience isn’t the problem, families need convenient options,” says Urlich. “The question is whether we can make convenience genuinely nutritious.”

Odi products are formulated using nutrient-dense wholefood ingredients, including organic vegetables, organ blends, bone broth and algal DHA omega-3. Essential nutrients such as iron, protein, omega-3 and iodine are derived from real food ingredients rather than synthetic fortification.

Several products provide approximately 30 to 50 per cent of a child’s recommended daily iron intake from wholefood ingredients, alongside naturally occurring co-factors that support absorption.

Originally created for babies beginning solids, Odi has expanded into a broader nutrition range designed for children from six months through to 14 years.

Australian families can expect baby purée pouches and powders, family nutrition products and more nutritious takes on familiar children’s snacks. Baby pouch varieties include Organic Chicken & Vegetable, Organic Berry & Coconut, Organic Chickpea & Vegetable and Organic Vanilla & Coconut, suitable from six months.

The broader range also features bars, bites and other snacks designed to resemble foods children already know and enjoy, while placing a greater focus on wholefood ingredients, fibre, protein and nutrient density.

“Parents don’t need another person telling them they should be cooking everything from scratch,” says Urlich.

“I’m a mother of four. I understand the reality of feeding children when you’re busy, tired and trying to get everyone out the door. Our ambition is to make the convenient choice a genuinely nutritious choice.”

Already one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing baby and children’s food brands, Odi’s long-term mission is to help reduce diet-related disease in the next generation by creating the most nutrient-dense baby and children’s food possible.

The Odi range is now available in Australia via odinutrition.com and will soon be stocked by a broad range of Australian retailers.