Food & Beverages

Nhill is excited to have a funky new coffee van open in the main street from Saturday. ‘Lots of Laughter’ will be opening at 44- 46 Victoria Street (where the Nhill Garden Centre was). Local Lachlan Keller, who is an experienced cook, is looking forward to serving the local community.

Popular local apprentice butcher Claire Keleher is an entrant in the Australian Meat Industry Council’s Apprentice of the Year competition. Competing last week in Brisbane at State level, Claire showed her skills amongst the best in the business. Out of fourteen entrants only Claire and another entrant were school based, with many of the others being at the end of their apprenticeships.

Viv Markham. Maldon Bakery owner Rebecca Barnett is pretty chuffed that her business has been selected as the National Bakery Industry of Australia’s bakery of the month for July. Her business has only been open for nine months, but under her guidance, it has been going from strength to strength.

The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, released on 26 July 2023, shows food inflation slowing in the June quarter. Rabobank senior food retail analyst Michael Harvey said “Food inflation is at 1.6 per cent for March to June (unchanged from the last quarter), and 7.5 per cent year-on-year – slowing down from last quarter at 8 per cent”.

Ukrainian chicken producers have made a good marketing move. Thanks to this, the retail price of boneless chicken meat is about US$3 for one kilo. This is the most affordable meat in Ukraine. Beef and pork producers have yet to strike back ... Private entrepreneur Lyudmila Koloshko speaks about how profitable it is to sell "Leg meat".

The Coonawarra Wine industry, together with other representatives from the Limestone Coast Wine Region, have gathered to undertake a ‘post vintage tasting’ of over 100 wines from the 2023 Vintage.

If you didn’t know that gin was distilled from vodka or whisky from beer, you’re not alone. So, when award-winning mixologist Gorge Camorra came to Maldon last weekend to discuss all things spirits, the people came to listen. And it’s not too late! He’ll do it all again this weekend.

South Australia has secured the hosting privileges to an international wine event which attracts major purchasers from across the globe, in a coup for the State. Adelaide will host the November 2026 International Masters of Wine Symposium, bringing together around 500 delegates from premier wine importing nations around the world.

Fin Hansen. All local hotels could soon be forced to serve meals, pending a review into the Liquor Licensing Act. Moonta Hotel has been the only licensed venue serving regular meals since the Black Rhino Group purchased all three hotels in Moonta last year ... Copper Coast Council elected member Brent Walker says he is incredibly disappointed in the lack of communication from Black Rhino Group.

A local home business that was born out of the pandemic has been nominated for an Australian Rural Business Award. The extended lockdowns were the catalyst for Shelley Neale to create her business, The Khancoban Kitchen, which specialises in gourmet pantry products.

In the face of already numerous adversities, the Northern Rivers of NSW is grappling with yet another concern: food security. Floods, bushfires, and the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic have exposed vulnerabilities in the region’s food system but also presented an opportunity to re-think how food is grown, distributed and consumed.

When John McFadden gave up a promising career as an NRL player aged 14, his parents Bob and Bernice never imagined he would be crowned World Food Champion, but they were determined to support him to pursue his dreams ... John said. John decided to become a chef and started as a kitchen hand at a restaurant at Long Jetty on the Central Coast called Dominic’s Manor...

Australia’s food systems must change now to remain sustainable in the future according to a new roadmap released by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency ... The roadmap, Reshaping Australian Food Systems, sets a path for how Australia can secure a more sustainable, productive, and resilient future for its food, environment, and people.

The Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals today said the offshoring of Australia’s food processing capability must be reversed ... “The last three decades have seen more and more of our food processing offshored and a steady decline in Australian owned agricultural supply chains,” said BCCM CEO Melina Morrison.

Far North Queensland’s Festival of Spirits is back from midday on Saturday 10 June 2023 at Hemingway’s Brewery in Cairns with a shaken and stirred “vintage circus” styled celebration showcasing the region’s local craft distilleries and top tipples. Promising colour, fun and a heady mix of entertainment, Festival of Spirits will highlight the region’s delicious array of gins, whiskies, rums and more...

Humble vegetables  ignited hot debate this week when icecream featuring pumpkin and cauliflower was served to more than 3000 people at the nation’s annual Hort Connections event in Adelaide. The two bespoke gelato flavours - cauliflower-vanilla bean and pumpkin-ginger bread - are harmonious savoury-meets-sweet flavour combinations.

South Australia’s tourism industry is well positioned to target the nation’s $17.4 billion Agricultural Tourism market – leveraging its reputation for premium produce to attract more visitors ... The State Government through the South Australian Tourism Commission is launching the South Australian Agritourism Sector Plan 2025 ... A number of demand-driving agritourism experiences already exist in South Australia, including pick-your-own experiences at Beerenberg Farm...

It was about speed and presentation (that’s where the parsley comes in) in the Great Boning Wars that took place on the back of a truck in the middle of roundabout turned cattle ring in Walker St, Casino. It was Beef Week Saturday, May 27, and the art of de-boning meat was a spectator sport.

The wait is finally over. Truffle Kerfuffle has unveiled a delectable program and an incredible line up of chefs and culinary talent for Western Australia’s most decadent food festival held in the heart of Australian truffle country, Manjimup, from 23 to 25 June 2023.

48    Main bar and music venue is the kind of place where everyone knows your name ... And that vision, brought to life by the late Steve McMahon, holds a very special place in the hearts of locals and visitors alike. Now, the beloved bar is back with just the right people at the helm.

Kevin Moloney. So anticipation built when news broke that a new food offer was to open in the same building as its antecedents ... We also learned the restaurant would be called Franco’s, so we started Googling to check the pedigree of the new kid on our food block.

A small village cafe has had international recognition. A luxury online publication in United Kingdom has released its annual restaurant awards featuring restaurants and cafes from around the world. And Bonalbo’s Powick’s Pantry has won the Best Local Homemade Cafe 2023.