How It All Started
Wild Pantry began with a health scare that changed everything.
When Daniel was diagnosed with a pre-cancerous gut condition, it sent both of us on a search for answers. We quickly realised how much our gut affects every part of our health; from digestion and energy to mood and immunity.
We tried to make changes. Kombucha was too acidic, supplements didn’t help much, and most “healthy” options on the shelves were pasteurised, meaning they’d lost the live bacteria our guts actually need.
That’s when we discovered water kefir and fermented foods; raw, unpasteurised, and alive with good bacteria. Within weeks, we felt real change. Daniel came off medication, Alice’s bloating eased, and our kitchen turned into a small fermenting lab.
What started as a personal fix soon became something bigger. Friends and family wanted jars. Then we realised it was almost impossible to find truly alive fermented foods locally. So, we decided to change that.
Wild Pantry was born to make gut health simple, delicious, and accessible. From Liverpool kitchens to local markets, we’re helping more people discover what real, living food can do.
Our Vision
Revolutionising Merseyside
At Wild Pantry, our vision is to make gut health easy, enjoyable, and part of everyday life. We believe fermented foods shouldn’t feel complicated or out of reach: they should taste good, fit your routine, and actually help. By keeping our ferments raw, unpasteurised, and made in small batches, we’re putting the power back in people’s hands to support their own gut and feel the difference.
Adding ferments into our lives huge difference. Daniel came off medication, and Alice’s bloating eased for the first time in years. We realised what we’d found could help more than just us, and Wild Pantry was born.
Daniel’s background has always been business and sport focused, from leading marketing for Archery GB during the Olympic and Paralympic Games to managing marketing across a family group of energy and finance companies. He’s also represented England in competitive archery and even launched one of the UK’s biggest electronic music conferences outside Brighton.
Alice’s world has always revolved around food. She founded Rosebank Bakery, creating wedding and celebration cakes and trading at artisan markets across the country. Her passion for food has now evolved into fermentation; if it can be pickled, brewed, or jarred, she’s experimenting with it.
When we’re not brewing or fermenting, we’re outdoors, foraging, walking, or enjoying what we call traditional hobbies. Daniel’s happiest exploring stone circles and neolithic sites, while Alice is crocheting, baking, or making something new for Wild Pantry.
We started this to make gut health simple, tasty, and part of everyday life for people in Merseyside. Fermented foods can sound strange or “rotten”, but once you try them, you realise they’re delicious — and your body thanks you for it. Our mission is to give power back to people, showing how small changes can bring balance to the gut and help you feel your best.
Meet Our Founders
We’re Daniel Fisher-Jones and Alice Critchley, the couple behind Wild Pantry. Our journey into fermentation began in early 2025 after Daniel was diagnosed with a pre-cancerous gut condition following a few years of reflux and indigestion. It was a shock that changed everything and pushed us to look for natural ways to support gut health.