Food & Beverages

Serena Kirby. One of Denmark artist Peter Usher’s paintings has been selected for Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series wine labels. Peter joins the ranks of other leading Australian artists to appear on the labels that includes works by John Olsen, Arthur Boyd, Sir Sidney Nolan, Robert Juniper and Clifton Pugh.

Madison Eastmond. Riverland consumers are currently facing empty egg shelves and purchase limits as shortages continue to impact major supermarkets. Glenview Poultry Farm owner and South Australian and Tasmanian director of Egg Farmers of Australia, Darren Letton, told The Murray Pioneer the shortages are due to a range of consumer, governmental, and environmental factors.

Lockyer Valley Fruit & Vegetable Processing Company Limited (‘Lockyer Valley Foods’), the circular economy fruit and vegetable processing facility, has launched a $50M Series A funding round to begin construction ... Founder and CEO Colin Dorber said the Lockyer Valley – known as ‘Australia’s salad bowl’ – is vital to Australia’s food security ... ARR.News interviewed Chair Murray Chatfield to find out more about the facility, the only one of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

Maldon Bakery was selected winner of a 2024 Golden Plate Award in the Unlicensed Café or Bakery section at a gala dinner on Monday 2 December. Maldon Bakery always rises to the occasion with its magnificent baked goods, served with a smile in a lovely environment: everyone in the local area knows it!

The butchers at Metcalf Quality Meats in Evans Head, Tom Karry, Jacob Lane, Mark Simeoni, Riley Stothard, Nathan Scully and Wade Goldthorpe, grew moustaches to raise money for men’s mental health. Wade said the young fellas didn’t stand a chance in the moustache-growing race.

In his latest attempt to channel Australia’s wealth into government-approved projects, Chalmers announced plans to steer the Future Fund toward housing and renewables, claiming these priorities will secure both national prosperity and a moral high ground. But if the Treasurer is serious about backing industries with real potential, it’s time to herd the Future Fund into the sheep yards of Western Australia, where $200 million could establish a state-of-the-art abattoir to breathe life into a sector gasping under the weight of Canberra’s policy redirection. 

Six South Australian businesses will take part in the delegation led by the industry’s peak body, Distillers SA, and will showcase their award-winning gin, whisky, brandy, vermouth and liqueurs for Singaporean importers and consumers at targeted business meetings, tasting events and site visits...

Publican Daniel Simpson never studied chemistry at school. It hasn’t stopped him from learning how to make his own brew for the Rod n Reel at Woodburn. The microbrewery vats behind the bar at the pub make a glugging noise as the yeast ferments and makes alcohol.

Neil Amor. Ten years ago, the Nimbin community came together to ensure the continued growth of an organic, sustainable food culture ... with the financial support of the community and the hard work of a legion of volunteers, despite some tough times getting things up and running, the Nimbin Organic Food Co-op has grown to supply the local need and has become a thriving business.

Interested business are encouraged to submit an expression of interest to participate in any of five key trade exhibitions to be held in Asia and the Middle East in 2025. Food, beverage and hospitality events have proven to be a great avenue for WA businesses to showcase their products and establish trade relationships.

Honestly, I’m stumped, and I say this as someone who once worked for a Minister for Agriculture and “Food.” In all my years in government, I don’t recall anyone requesting a sit-down with the Minister for Food ... If a food giant like Kraft Heinz or Mars Wrigley came sniffing around WA, do you think they’d trawl through the yellow pages for the Minister for Food?

A new local bakery set to open its doors to the public next month will bring about 15 new job opportunities in various roles to Naracoorte. Craig’s Bakehouse & Café ... Proprietor Craig McCallum bought the business from the owners of the former Morris Bakery after it went into administration last February and was subsequently put on the market.

Boutique Chaperon Wines, made in small batches to the highest quality, are now available at the Golden Nugget Restaurant in Maldon. The exclusive wines are produced entirely by hand at Grangehill Vineyard from varietals including shiraz, grenache and mourvedre ... Russell studied wine-making at TAFE, worked at other wineries and learned under mentors...

Lynne Mowbray. The scaffolding on Maclean’s historic Argyle Hotel is about to be removed, as the long-awaited opening is finally here. Hotel owner ‘Dhugal’ said that the unofficial opening will take place ... “It will be a bar and restaurant dining, with a beer garden,” said Dhugal.

With good friends, there are no limits to where life can lead. This is certainly true for Lisa Headon and Iona Lilburne. The dynamic ladies behind Foodie Friends are faces which most Hay people would know. The story behind their inception and rise from strength to strength is a fascinating one.

Pioneering Adelaide Hills cheese producer, Udder Delights, has released a special cheese to help fundraise for the health and wellbeing of farmers and advancement of the agricultural industry. Stocked in Coles and selected independants nationally, 20 cents of the specially labelled Udder Delights Double Cream Brie is donated to the National Centre for Farmer Health...

While overall headline inflation eased in the latest quarter, the annual rate of food price inflation held fast at 3.3 per cent, the latest quarterly Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, has shown. The September 2024 quarter data … saw overall annual food price inflation – comparing prices with the September 2023 quarter…

A community-owned Riverland hotel’s restaurant was cemented among the best culinary destinations in the state at a recent major industry award event. Hotel Renmark’s Temperance restaurant last week won the best country restaurant award at the 2024 Australian Hotels Association SA Awards for Excellence, with executive chef Hugh Hazelwood also being named Chef of the Year.

There’s many elements that go into creating a good wine and it’s the winemaker’s job to blend them together to create the perfect drop.  WA’s Rosenthal Wines’ winemakers are themselves a special blend because they’re not just winemakers and business partners - they’re also best friends. Coby Ladwig and Luke Eckersley first met 25 years ago when they were at Uni. 

Norco Co-operative, Australia’s largest and oldest dairy co-operative has been recognised for its vital role in driving economic growth, creating jobs and contributing to the overall wellbeing of the Northern Rivers Region at the 2024 Northern Rivers Business Awards. Previously winning the Excellence in Large Business Award for three consecutive years, this year Norco, for the first time, received the prestigious Business of the Year accolade…

Denise and Owen Whitney, owners of Mountain Top Coffee, travelled to Sydney with manager and roaster Bernard Rooney ... to receive a champion trophy for the Nimbin Blend line of roasted coffee at the Sydney Royal Fine Foods Festival. This is the second champion trophy they have received, the earlier being the Microlot in 2021.