Wimmera Harvest Fare, a joint Wimmera Development Association and Centre for Participation project, was launched earlier this month.

The new initiative offers independent supermarkets the opportunity to showcase a variety of products from the 13 participating food producers from across the region, to enhance local access and to boost tourist access to regionally made food.

The project is funded by an Agriculture Victoria program that aims to upscale business operations of small-scale and craft food products.

Each participating supermarket has been provided with Wimmera Harvest Fare signage and banners to draw attention to the local offerings, that will be located in one easily identifiable section of the supermarket.

Wimmera Development Association project manager Vernetta Taylor said while the program targeted visiting tourists, it could also enhance the appreciation and access of Wimmera-made food products to people living in the region.

“We encourage tourists and locals alike to seek out the wonderful products made right here in the Wimmera Southern Mallee,” she said.

“For tourists, it’s about easy access to our region’s products. Whether they are in the area to visit the iconic Silo Art Trail, experience the Grampians or Mount Arapiles, or to enjoy our many inland waterways, we want our visitors to take a taste of the region with them.”

“Locally, we encourage residents to support our regions producers by picking up some speciality items. A lot of the products make wonderful gifts, such as Kerrie’s Kreations handmade chocolates or Beetanicals Mauka Honey, especially coming in to Easter”.

The six-month initiative will feature the following Wimmera producers; Kooka’s Country Cookies, Wimmera Grain Store, Rupanyup Living, PB Seeds, Five Ducks Farms, Grampians Olive Co., Red Rock Olives, Lake Tyrell Salt Co., Beetanicals, Australian Eatwell, Great Western Granary, Green Eggs, Otway Pork and Kerrie’s Kreations.

Wimmera Harvest Fare products are currently available at Murtoa FoodWorks, Jeparit FoodWorks, Edenhope Food- Works, Halls Gap FoodWorks, Donald IGA, Hopetoun IGA, St Arnaud IGA, Dimboola IGA, Nhill IGA and Kaniva IGA with the opportunity for more independent supermarkets to join the initiative.

This article appeared in the Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times, 22 March 2023.