For husband-and-wife team Mario and Annabelle, food has always been a way to connect with family, culture, and community. Born in Mumbai and Chennai respectively, and raised in New Zealand from a young age, they grew up enjoying vibrant, flavour-packed savoury breakfasts that were a daily part of life.

Although both went on to build careers in the construction industry, with Annabelle working in commercial interior design and Mario in construction management, their love of food never faded. After starting a family of their own, they began thinking about the food traditions they wanted to share with their children and how they could bring the bold, savoury flavours they grew up with to the everyday Kiwi breakfast table.

That idea became Silly Chilly.

Silly Chilly is a savoury breakfast and brunch brand created to make mornings more flavourful, exciting, and fun. Their growing range includes Garlic & Chilli Brunch Crunch, Onion & Fennel Brunch Munch, and Dry Crunch, products designed to elevate everything from eggs and avocado toast to your favourite brunch dishes.

When Mario and Annabelle, joined The Kitchen Project, they had a strong vision and products they believed in, but little experience in the food industry. Through the programme, they gained practical knowledge in food safety, compliance, production, costing, and commercialisation, along with invaluable guidance from mentors and connections within New Zealand’s food community.

One of their proudest milestones has been launching Silly Chilly at the Auckland Food Show, turning a passion project that started around their family table into a growing food business.

Mario and Annabelle‘s vision is to make Silly Chilly New Zealand’s go-to savoury breakfast and brunch brand. As they continue to grow their range and share their products with more Kiwis, their goal remains simple: to help people start the day with bold flavours, great food, and a little bit of fun.

“The Kitchen Project gave us the knowledge, support, and confidence to turn an idea into a real business. It helped us build strong foundations and connect with an incredible community of food entrepreneurs.”
– Mario and Annabelle, Silly Chilly