New market for Wimmera produce

Organisers of a new initiative aiming to sell Wimmeramade food products across the region’s supermarkets believe enhanced access to regional produce will boost tourist access to regionally-made food.

Wimmera Harvest Fare, a joint Wimmera Development Association, Wimmera Mallee Tourism and Centre for Participation project, will launch next month.

The project was borne out of a State Government program that attempts to upscale business operations of smallscale and craft food products.

Wimmera Harvest Fare will ensure 13 participating food producers from across the Wimmera will have their packaged product in a self-contained Wimmera-food section of 10 independent supermarkets across the region.

Complete with Wimmera Harvest Fare labels and in-store signs, the initiative will group all participating business products under one banner.

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

“We want tourists and locals to know all about the amazing products Wimmera producers are making,” she said.

“The support of Wimmera people for Wimmera products can only enhance tourist appreciation of regionally-made craft products.

“For tourists, importantly, we want them to easily access our products. We obviously want them to visit farm gates across the region and have those special experiences, but sometimes it is not possible for people to visit them all.

“Having all these products in one location can support farm-gate visits in a new way.”

Six-month deal

Each participating Wimmera producer will have products featured for up to six months as part of the program, with opportunities for popular products to have an ongoing listing at Wimmera supermarkets.

Wimmera producers include 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.

Tanya Stanley, co-founder of thirdgeneration honey manufacturer Beetanicals, based at Douglas, said the opportunity to have her company’s products at multiple Wimmera supermarkets was ‘too good of a chance’ to miss.

“We have our products at local markets and several stores across the region, but to have them easily available at supermarkets makes our brand even more accessible,” she said.

“To be featured alongside other producers of the region is great for us, for visiting tourists, and for locals, who can now easily find our honey products.”

Mrs Taylor said she hoped the program would allow Wimmera producers to ‘get their foot in the door’ in a competitive supermarket environment.

“It can be daunting for smaller producers to negotiate with supermarkets, especially in a very competitive market alongside large national-sized businesses,” she said.

Mrs Taylor said she welcomed interest from non-participating producers eager to become involved with the initiative in the future.

Wimmera Harvest Fare products will be available at Murtoa Foodworks, Jeparit Foodworks, Edenhope Foodworks, Halls Gap Foodworks, Donald IGA, Hopetoun IGA, St Arnaud IGA, Dimboola IGA, Nhill IGA and Kaniva IGA.