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If Natalie and Nick Meadows could turn back time to when they agreed to help their neighbour Sarah Davey bankroll her exciting new business, they would.
And they wouldn’t give her a cent.
Instead, the couple from the Victorian town of Leongatha have found themselves caught in the middle of an incredible tale of alleged deception – one that involves a global drinkable vegan skincare brand; supermodel and former Miss Argentina Valentina Ferrer; and an alleged fraud by Davey against Woolworths and the Meadows family.
A few weeks ago, the Meadows family reported Davey, 38, to Victoria Police for allegedly obtaining a financial advantage by deception – a fraud offence.
In their complaint to police, Nick and Natalie Meadows alleged they had been hoodwinked by Davey into providing a $100,000 loan to help grow her investible vegan skincare and nutritional supplement start-up, Kapowder, in April 2024.
At the time the couple had no idea that Woolworths – which was a stockist for Kapowder’s range of flavoured drink sachets stacked with wellness remedies – had already accused Davey of deceiving the supermarket giant after it had accidentally overpaid Davey $2.75 million for Kapowder’s products.
In mid-December, liquidators were appointed to Kapowder at the Meadows’ request.
By then, the striking-looking Davey had been declared bankrupt, was already based overseas and was no longer responding to the Meadows’ messages.
Ferrer, who has 6 million social media followers and is the wife of Colombian reggaeton superstar J Balvin, would too feel the sting of ever having done business with Davey. In January, Ferrer obtained a default judgment against her business partner in Miami after alleging Davey had withheld information about Kapowder, including its legal issues, from Ferrer.
Ferrer’s lawyers in Florida told this masthead: “It is very upsetting to our client to discover what Ms Davey was doing behind the scenes and to see the brand’s story end this way.”
The Meadows’ dealings with Davey have also had a significant impact on the couple, both financially and emotionally, according to the family’s complaint to police.
“While I have since come to terms with the financial loss, the … [alleged deception has] had a lasting emotional impact on me.
“I now find it difficult to trust people and to form new friendships,” Natalie, a music teacher and retail worker, says in her statement to Victoria Police.
How Kapowder came to a horrible end is a tale of en vogue healthcare, intrigue and alleged betrayal of trust.
The details of Davey’s unusual business dealings are all contained in court documents and Natalie’s statement to police.
Davey has not filed a formal defence in separate cases brought by Woolworths, the Meadows family and Ferrer.
This masthead sent Davey questions about her legal issues. She did not respond to the questions by deadline, saying via email: “I strongly dispute the allegations raised and will respond once I have received legal counsel.”
From neighbours to friends
With long, light-brown hair, a model physique and immaculate but natural presentation, Sarah Louise Davey moved to Leongatha around 2014, next door to Nick and Natalie Meadows on a quiet street not far from the centre of town.
For the first few years, the two couples were simply passing acquaintances – a nod or a smile over the fence or the occasional exchange of pleasantries.
In around 2020, their relationship became more social and was soon a fully fledged friendship.
“We began spending time together at each other’s homes, socialising, going out for dinner, and our children spent time at each other’s houses,” Natalie says in her police statement.
Natalie enjoyed spending time with Davey – who has been described to this masthead by people who have met her as incredibly charming, a deep listener and very intelligent.
The log of WhatsApp messages between Natalie and Davey show a strong friendship between the two, with the women bonding over being hard-working mums and enjoying each other’s company.
Davey was a font of knowledge on wellness and beauty, having travelled extensively, particularly in Spain, and having worked as a customer service manager of a celebrity favourite hair salon in South Yarra.
It was in 2020 that Natalie first learnt about Davey’s business, Kapowder – a fast-growing start-up that sold drinkable health supplements that were free from animal products.
Kapowder’s range included products like Enlighten, “hyaluronic hydration go to” ingestible skincare, Nature’s Power, a hemp protein-based chocolate-flavoured protein powder, and Enhance, a drink plumped with a vegan alternative to collagen.
Kapowder was no ordinary cottage business.
From her quiet kitchen business in Leongatha, Davey had recruited a business partner of considerable international reputation and profile in Ferrer.
Ferrer is a big deal.
After a starting in the pageant circuit, Ferrer has modelled for some of the biggest labels in Milan and Paris and has appeared in countless glossy magazine fashion spreads in Europe, North America and Latin America.
Davey, who uses the name Sara professionally, and Ferrer are believed to have met over Instagram around 2019.
Davey’s instant charm and eloquence had a huge effect on the business and on the 32-year-old Argentine celebrity, with Ferrer coming on board as a shareholder in August 2019.
Ferrer explained the ties between the two in a 2023 interview with fashion magazine Grazia USA: “My business partner, Sara Davey, is from Australia. When we met, we bonded since we’re both vegan. We talked about how it was hard to find good food when travelling.
“Sara had the idea at first. We then started and immediately began growing, as people really accepted it and liked the product. It’s something that makes people feel really good.”
It was a great match.
Ferrer, with her huge fan base, reputation in wellness and good social standing, was a sensational and experienced spokesperson for the brand, and joint owner of the business.
Davey – described by many as a humble person who shunned the limelight and despised having her photo taken – handled operations.
The relationship with Ferrer would change Davey’s life.
It would open the door to billionaires and music stars and their luxury lifestyles and lavish soirees, and lead to her brand growing at a rapid rate.
Kapowder would soon be stocked by ultra-trendy high-end US organic grocery chain Erewhon and online fashion retailer Revolve.
Then in 2022, Kapowder hit the big time in Australia when Woolworths began to stock its product line. There were also plans to have Kapowder sold at Chemist Warehouse and Walmart and hopes to branch out into the Hong Kong and India markets.
The Meadows were impressed that their neighbour had such an interesting and successful life – all from a business based in the kitchen of her small home in a Victorian country town.
At some point in 2022, Davey proudly told her neighbours she was able to pay herself a wage from Kapowder and had brought in new backers for $1 million.
Another prospective shareholder – Swiss billionaire heiress Christine Shrestha-Stern of the Patek Philippe watch fortune, and a friend of Ferrer – was also said to be putting $5 million into Kapowder.
“This was the first time I expressed to Sarah that I wished I had invested in the business at an earlier stage,” Natalie told police.
Getting in on Kapowder
Soon the Meadows would get that opportunity.
In early 2024, Davey invited the Meadows to loan $100,000 to Kapowder, on the agreement the loan would be repaid in a year or converted into equity in Kapowder.
The Meadows allege Davey showed them an investment prospectus that projected Kapowder had $6 million in revenue and had been valued at $50 million.
“Based on our relationship as neighbours and friends, the representations Sarah made about the business, and seeing Kapowder products available for sale in Woolworths, Nick and I agreed to provide funds.”
It would be a move they would regret.
What the Meadows didn’t know was that at the time they provided the loan to Kapowder, the business was already in serious financial trouble with Woolworths.
Woolworths’ legal issue with Davey is outlined in the company’s Supreme Court of Victoria claim against Kapowder and Davey.
The supermarket giant alleged that between July and November 2022, it had issued 12 purchase orders to Kapowder, paying the company $3.79 million.
Unfortunately for Woolworths, the retailer had accidentally overpaid for the products that actually only cost $1.04 million
“At the time the mistaken payments were made, Woolworths was under a mistaken belief that the carton price for the products on the purchase orders was the unit price for the products,” lawyers for Woolworths said in its claim against Davey.
Instead of notifying Woolworths of its mistake, Davey allegedly drafted up and sent Woolworths invoices to match the overpayments.
When Woolworths discovered its mistake – and Davey’s allegedly falsified invoices – in November 2022, Davey agreed to repay the cash.
However, by July 2023, Davey allegedly stopped making payments, leaving Woolworths $1.36 million short.
Woolworths took Davey to court seeking orders to enforce the debt in August 2024 after another payment plan was not fulfilled by Davey.
The supermarket giant secured a default judgment in October that year and in March 2025 won orders declaring Davey – who was by then staying in London – bankrupt.
A spokesman for Woolworths says: “Following a failure to repay money owed to Woolworths, we commenced proceedings in the courts. The matter is now being managed by the bankruptcy trustee.”
At this stage, the couple were still unaware of Davey’s troubles with Woolworths or her bankruptcy.
The Meadows kept in frequent touch with Davey, helping their former neighbour get settled in London and chatting over WhatsApp.
In April 2025 – 12 months after the one-year loan was granted – the Meadows asked for Davey to repay the money they were owed, which (including the promised return of 20 per cent) was now $120,000.
Messages between Davey and Natalie over several days in May 2025, which this masthead has not been able to independently verify, appear to show Davey saying she had repaid the family but the money was caught in the transfer process.
“Please just give it a moment to reflect on your side. I spoke with the bank and is normal depending receiving bank. I can’t push it any faster,” she said.
“I’m getting you thins [sic] money love, please trust me and give it a moment to come through.”
A few days later, Davey shared a photo of the payment, but the Meadows’ bank account details were missing a digit.
When confronted, Davey blamed the bank and promised to call, but never did.
On May 28, Natalie sent Davey a message: “Sara my heart is broken 💔 how could you do this to us.”
In November last year, the Meadows took court action against Davey and Kapowder and had liquidators appointed to the company for failure to pay its debts, a process that cost them several more thousands of dollars.
Victoria Police confirmed it has received a complaint from the Meadows family and are taking the matter seriously.
“No arrests have been made at this stage and the investigation is ongoing into the circumstances.”
Half a world away, Ferrer has taken legal action against her former business partner in Miami to extract herself and her image from the Kapowder brand.
Lawyers for Ferrer say she was genuinely passionate about Kapowder and is extremely disappointed with what Davey had done to the brand.
“At first, the venture seemed to be on an encouraging trajectory, being sold on platforms across the United States and abroad. However, Ms Davey was reluctant to provide requested financial and corporate information.”
With Davey bankrupt, people like Ferrer and the Meadows family are unlikely to ever see any cash from their former friend.
And the once promising brand Kapowder is kaput.
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