An allergy-friendly high tea is coming to Belconnen

Posted on 12 October, 2026

Sweet Business Healthy Living has expanded its offering, bringing a luxurious new feel to Belconnen and a food offering to match.

There’s a moment during my interview with Vaan when we both get emotional.

We’re standing in the kitchen of Sweet Business Healthy Living, and after showing me his latest experimental baked goods – low sugar, gluten-free and gum-free apple Danishes, croissants and puff pastry – he’s talking about his why.

After all, leaving a very in-demand medical field to become a full-time baker and small business owner that specialises in dietary- and allergy-friendly food is a big leap for anyone to make. But it’s because of his background that he’s so passionate about making food that anyone can eat.

“We’ve seen mums bringing their children with dietary issues and first-time parents who were having a hard time finding what their kids can safely eat,” he says.

“They have such intricate dietary requirements that parents are struggling to find things on the supermarket shelves.”

When they do, Vaan says that the food is so packed full of preservatives and additives that it makes the children feel awful.

“We regularly get some parents whose children have such a bad relationship with food that sometimes they choose hunger pain over the pain they get from conventionally available foods that claim to be ‘safe’ but cause other problems,” he explains.

“I find that when a child already has food sensitivities, it’s often more than one issue. Ultimately, we are about health and nutrition. Being gluten-free is only a part of what we do.”

Vaan’s experience points to a much wider issue. According to an article published in the Guardian in 2025, Australia has some of the highest consumption rates of ultra-processed foods. Now making up nearly half of the average Australian’s diet, there’s much scientific evidence linking the high consumption of ultra-processed foods to a greater risk of things like obesity, type two diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and other conditions.

This is one of the reasons Vaan launched Sweet Businesses Healthy Living with his wife in 2019.

Beginning by popping up at local markets with gluten-free, keto, and diabetic friendly desserts, they have built a community around his healthy and diet-friendly food.

“Take our bread for example. I don’t use gum, soy, nut, dairy, seed oil, preservatives or refined sugar. Our paleo bread is also grain-free. Our pastries like tarts, quiches and Danishes are also free from gum, nut and soy,” he explains.

“These are some of the things that most of our customers have issues with. We proactively develop products that can suit as many people as possible so that they can enjoy the things they love. We focus not only on what’s been removed from the food but also what’s been added in.”

Opening a permanent location in Belconnen’s Capital Food Market in December 2023, three years later, the family has decided to expand their offerings.

Sweet Business Healthy Living now has a new Tea Room and café area that will be serving café-style food and home to a monthly gluten-free and dietary- and allergy-friendly high tea (including authentic gelato).

“It’s everything you expect a high tea to be – little petit four tartlets, mini quiches, finger sandwiches, cupcakes, cake slices and endless tea. The idea is to have the bookings ahead of time so the offerings will reflect what you or the table have specifically said you can or cannot have.”

They’ll also have a freezer and retail section with products for families to take home, so they can recreate recipes themselves.

“Affordability is another focus of ours. For people with health restrictions, it’s already financially difficult – especially when it’s the children and they change what they want so often,” says Vaan.

“It’s great to be able to pack the fridge and freezer with the foods you know they like and that you know is safe because it’s made here by us.”

Everything at Sweet Business Healthy Living is gluten-free and coeliac-safe, with a range of products suitable for diabetics, keto, low-carb, dairy-free, soy-free and nut-free, vegan and Paleo.

There will also be community events at the Tea Room for those interested in learning more about the role food plays – beyond nourishment and enjoyment – to provide knowledge and support in making conscious and healthier food choices.

“I never tell people what they should and shouldn’t eat – I don’t think that’s the right thing to do even if it’s well-intentioned. I think people should have the freedom to decide what they eat. Whether you have dietary issues or not, we are wholly interested in making products that everyone can enjoy.