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Food System Heroes: Aurbon and Natalie Hurling from Roots&Raw

Roots & Raw - Self-care is how you take your power back!



Already feeling depressed about your failed New Year’s resolutions? You are not alone.

According to Forbes, only about 16% to 20% of people can keep up their resolutions! It seems that the psychology behind New Year’s resolutions is flawed.

It takes much more than simply formulating a resolution to achieve sustainable behaviour changes. That’s something that Natalie and Aurbon know all too well.

We highly suggest that you stop thinking about your depressing new year’s resolution for a moment and hear what Roots and Raw have to offer.

Natalie and Aurbon’s social enterprise was born out of the 2008 recession, which left the power couple emotionally defeated, financially broke and physically overweight. Something many South Africans struggle within the aftermath of the pandemic, especially regular working-class people in marginalised communities.


At the end of 2008, these two social entrepreneurs needed a genuine restart – not another new year’s resolution. “True change doesn’t need a resolution; true change needs authentic dedication and commitment. Sometimes commitment needs ignition and a little push,” says Aurbon Hurling That’s exactly what Roots and Raw provides. “We provide a frame and structure to introduce micro life adjustments that incrementally lead to a healthier balance between mind, spirit and body,” Aurbon adds.



Roots and Raw is born out of Natalie and Aurbon Hurling’s very own personal need for transformation and healing. And they seem to have figured out the secret to successful transformation, which they are more than eager to share with the world.

For the past 10 years, Roots and Raw has been offering transformational health programs, developed and thoroughly tested by the couple and their own family.


The offering includes a 5, 7 day or month-to-month program, which includes consultations before and after each program to offer additional support and to answer questions.

The program is a reset that aims at detoxing and providing all necessary nutrients and nourishments in form of delivered meal packages. One health package consists of frozen raw juice, superfood capsules, a plant-based frozen meal (traditional local recipes containing grains, legumes and veg), a vegetarian soup as well as guidelines and recommendations for self-care rituals.

An additional survey by Natalie and Aurbon helps them maintain consistency and strive towards continuous improvement. Roots and Raw isn’t just another exclusive wellness program, that most South Africans cannot afford. It’s an accessible option targeted at the average South African working class, with a cost of 500 rands per week (all-inclusive).

Natalie and Aurbon genuinely try to operate their business according to the principles of Ubuntu, by creating a reciprocal relationship with their customers and the environment. This includes a range of community-centred initiatives.


Currently, Roots and Raw is involved in providing yoga for their local community. In addition, they also are facilitating a project that assists neighbours to set up food gardens, water systems and clay houses, to create more sustainable living.

Natalie and Aurbon’s philosophy can be summed up in three main key values: Shifting perceptions within their community to achieve sustainable behavioural change that allows healthy living, emancipating the minds and lastly, breaking generational trauma.

The current South African food system comes with an array of challenges for South Africans, which make a healthy diet inaccessible for many. Therefore, a healthy lifestyle appears to many simply out of reach. This perception is something Natalie and Aurbon are trying to change!

“We are living examples that healing is possible despite seemingly difficult circumstances. We want to help people to achieve sustainable change and healing within themselves. We focus on strengthening the immune system and digestion, and improving mental health and overall wellness with the help of good raw nutrients. In our often-Eurocentric western approach to health, we tend to forget the body’s ability to heal from within. Once you rid yourself of all the toxins and provide nothing but the nourishment and nutrients that are needed, the healing process starts by itself.” explains Natalie Hurling

Roots and Raw’s health program seeks to inspire people to heal from the inside out and become more resilient, fitter and stronger.


“A big part of our program includes rediscovering our heritage, which includes nutrients derived from indigenous local vegetation. A huge catalyst for our healing has been Yoga and learning how to breathe, the importance of keeping healthy and practising gratitude. Our ultimate goal is to ignite a circle of inner healing in people so that they can start healing others. Our healing cannot be separated from the healing of the communities we live in. In this way, it’s important to realize that every circle of healing starts with you!”

In addition to Roots and Raw’s regular clients and customers, the couple is involved in a restorative Lifestyle enhancement pilot project focusing on people suffering from addictions. This includes detoxing, swimming, running, yoga and more. “Only 2% of South African addicts who enrol in commonly available rehab programs are successful. We believe we need to re-look at defining rehabilitation. Our approach is more restorative. The pilot has been well received by our community and we already have a long waitlist of addicts who are keen to join the program. The positive feedback from community members who struggle with addiction speaks for itself.” Natalie Hurling.



To book an initial free consultation, contact Roots and Raw here: https://rootsandraw.co.za/contact/

+ 27(0) 62 658 1387








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