How Megan Pietersen Turned Her Passion For Wellness Into The Noa & Co Brand

Five years ago, Megan Pietersen couldn’t find a clean, honest way to support her health… so, she built one. Now, her small company, Noa & Co, is quietly converting women at every stage of life with a simple, clean, ethically-sourced range of supplements that actually work. Ready to level-up your wellness? Prepare to have your entire routine transformed.

The beauty of this day and age, in which the internet is slowly shrinking the world into one global village, is that the inspiration to shape ourselves into anything we aspire to be is only a click away. For former marketer Megan Pietersen, that meant countless hours of research, conversations with experts and a relentless search for ethically sourced ingredients – all in pursuit of creating a premium range of wellness supplements. 

Five years in, Noa & Co has more than earned its stripes with a high return customer rate in South Africa and is now dipping its toes into the UK and Dubai markets. The brand has delivered on its nutritional promises and continues to garner great reviews. 

Now, Megan is finally pulling back the curtain on what really went down behind the scenes. “Hardly anyone knows that my husband was the inspiration behind Noa & Co. I didn’t want to use my marriage to a former high-profile rugby player as a marketing gimmick for the brand. I wanted Noa & Co to succeed based on merit, not because of who I’m married to,” says the Durban-born-and-bred entrepreneur. 

Noa & Co’s Clean Supplement Inspiration

The story of Noa & Co began with Megan wanting to support her professional rugby player husband, JP – former winger and fullback for the Sharks and Springboks. “I met my husband when I was just 19. At that stage, he was already playing professional rugby. Being so young, I naturally threw myself into supporting him as so many women do. That’s when I discovered my deep passion for health, wellness and nutrition,” reflects the 37-year-old.

Realising the crucial role nutrition could play in JP’s performance, Megan immersed herself in research and uncovered insights that weren’t easily accessible to ordinary consumers. “I was also fortunate to have access to incredible doctors and nutritionists. I asked endless questions and educated myself as much as I could,” she recalls. JP was her taste-tester – ever eager to sample whatever Megan’s research inspired her to whip up in their kitchen.

In 2013, when the newly engaged couple moved to Japan, Megan was introduced to a whole new world of Eastern wellness. “JP was playing for the Springboks, a Japanese club and the Sharks. It was a crazy period and his body was under immense pressure,” she recalls.

In professional sport, athletes can be dope-tested at any moment and checks are typically carried out unannounced. Testers, says Megan, would sometimes show up on the Pietersens’ doorstep – even on Sundays! “That meant I had to be extremely careful with what I fed JP. Buying just any supplement off the shelf wasn’t an option; the risk was too high. Even a seemingly harmless over-the-counter ingredient could be flagged as a stimulant and cost him everything. That’s when I really began to understand the importance of clean, transparent nutrition,” recalls Megan.

How Eastern Wellness Transformed Noa & Co’s Vision

In Japan, Megan continued sourcing clean, natural products from the Eastern wellness world – ingredients such as maca and collagen. Collagen, in particular, was a major turning point, she says enthusiastically. “I’d only ever heard of collagen in skincare, as something you applied topically. And I’d always considered myself a wellness girl, so I was shocked that I didn’t know much about it as a supplement. In Japan, collagen wasn’t a novelty. It was part of their daily long-term health maintenance – almost like taking a multivitamin. I started giving JP pure collagen daily and it made such a difference,” she says.

Megan was also struck by how Eastern cultures placed less emphasis on some of the food groups upheld by the West, such as dairy, instead prioritising other natural, functional ingredients. “That exposure completely shifted the way I thought about nutrition and planted the seed for what would eventually grow into Noa & Co.”

Creating Clean Supplements For Women

After nearly four years in Japan, the Pietersens moved to France, where they became first-time parents to their daughter Maia. It was here that Megan immersed herself in the European wellness scene, witnessing first-hand how progressive other countries were compared to South Africa, which in 2016 was still lagging behind.

From a product perspective, Megan spotted a glaring gap in the market – smart, clean supplements designed to complement a nutritious diet. “I couldn’t find anything organic that was free from nasties and artificial flavourants,” she recalls. Trusting her intuition, and with her husband’s encouragement, she began experimenting with her own formulations. “It was in France where I really started dreaming about creating something inspired by Japan. But I didn’t want to appropriate the culture. I wanted a subtle nod to a country I deeply admired, without making the entire brand Japanese,” she explains.

The pregnancy period in France prompted Megan to think about wellness beyond the world of sport. “So much of the focus is on performance, but I wanted to create products that would help every family member feel their best and perform at their peak daily,” she explains.

The name Noa means “love” in Japanese, a word Megan felt perfectly captured the heart and soul of the brand she wanted to build. Next on her to-do list was finding a credible manufacturer. “I wanted to use only organic ingredients and have everything made in a proper facility,” she says. But finding a South African manufacturer capable of producing medical-grade probiotics and premium-quality supplements was no easy task. “At first, I thought it would be impossible. But by the grace of God, I managed to find the best supplier through a friend of a friend. It was serendipitous how everything came together.”

“We’re not the kind of brand that releases new products just for the sake of it. Everything in our range is real and as close to food as possible.”

The journey took about two years of rigorous testing, with friends flying powders and packaging samples back and forth to France. From refining the formulations to designing the packaging, every detail was meticulous. Megan even sketched the branding herself, guided by the clear vision she held for Noa & Co. 

When the family returned to South Africa in 2019, Megan was expecting her second child, while Noa & Co was quietly taking shape in the background. “I had this bee in my bonnet to get this brand off the ground. I already had the packaging, and after two years of rigorous testing, I finally had two products ready. That’s how long it took just to get two. To create something that tastes half decent without relying on synthetic flavouring or oils is almost impossible. I could buy a caramel flavour tomorrow for twenty cents, but instead, I import organic vanilla pods from Europe – at a cost that’s significantly higher because delivering clean products is important to me. We’re not the kind of brand that releases new products just for the sake of it. Everything in our range is real and as close to food as possible.

Noa & Co’s Inspirational Growth Story 

Noa & Co officially launched in March 2020 just before Covid-19 turned the world on its head. The very first product was the Noa & Co Collagen Creamer, inspired partly by JP’s career and Megan’s own journey as a new mom navigating postpartum hair loss and the many other changes women’s bodies go through. The second was the Noa and Co Vanilla Replenishing Protein Powder. “We’re the only protein supplement in South Africa that’s all organic and that has no oil,” says Megan proudly.

At first, Megan assumed running the business would be a breeze – tending to a few orders here and there while being a hands-on mom. She even had the time to handwrite thank-you notes to accompany every order. And then Covid hit. “The business suddenly boomed,” says Megan, giggling as she recalls the chaos that ensued. “Orders were flooding in and there was stock everywhere in my house. Meanwhile, I had a baby on my hip and a toddler running around. I only had a small batch of stock and hadn’t anticipated it to take off the way it did. At this point, I’d probably spent 99% of my savings on ingredients. My first batch of packaging was like tinfoil because I had no funds left and no money to build a website. I’m so blessed that it all worked out.” 

Being a solopreneur can be a lonely journey, but Megan had an ace up her sleeve – the power of community. During especially busy periods, she would rally her family. “I’d call my sister and say: ‘Right, we’re packing orders on Sunday. We’ll have a braai, I’ll feed you guys!’” 

Breastfeeding Support: Postpartum Solution For Moms

Every Noa & Co product has a story behind it, but Megan has a soft spot for the Noa & Co Breastfeeding Support supplement, in particular. It was inspired by Megan’s personal experience when her milk supply began to gently taper off about six months into breastfeeding her second daughter, Aria. “When you’re not sleeping, feeding a baby through the night and trying to keep up with packing and sending orders, it all adds up,” she says. To paint a vivid picture of just how exhausted she was during that time, Megan laughs as she recalls customers – on two separate occasions – calling to report that they had found dummies in their orders! 

“Every Noa & Co product comes from a personal place – from a need or problem I’ve experienced myself and wanted to solve.”

Megan describes the Breastfeeding Support supplement as a global first – a two-in-one supplement for breastfeeding moms that combines a hydration solution with galactagogues (substances that increase breast milk supply by stimulating the hormone prolactin). “It’s packed with the safest herbs alongside world-class electrolyte salts, which are perfectly in line with global hydration standards. I was fortunate to work with an incredible team of experts – doctors, pharmacists, a chemical engineer and one of South Africa’s leading lactation specialists,” says Megan.

“Together, with the input of so many amazing women, we brought this product to life. It’s by far the most rewarding product for me. Moms often reach out to say things like, ‘I’ve just gone back to work, my supply is dwindling but your product has helped me.’ I met a mom at Pilates once who told me that her gynae had recommended the Noa & Co Breastfeeding Support. She said it was the best thing ever and wishes she’d had it with her first baby. That kind of feedback makes all the long nights worth it.” 

With an established line of premium products and a growing fanbase, Noa & Co has come a very long way in just five short years. But Megan isn’t done dreaming. Her next ambition is to position the brand she’s built as a thought leader in South Africa’s wellness space – particularly women’s health. It’s evident she has the determination and the clout to get it done. And we are here for it!

**WH Partnership