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Food-e-News, September 2009

  1. Global demand to grow SA horticulture industry
  2. Try and buy local at Taste SA
  3. Are you a cheese lover?
  4. International tradeshows for your calendar
  5. Mushrooms keep on growing
  6. Showcase your best at Tasting Australia
  7. Helping grow Saltbush Livestock
  8. New bulletin tracking SA food exports
  9. A magical night - Award tickets on sale now
  10. Planning Adelaide – the next 30 years
  11. Eyre Peninsula exposed to the masses
  12. Regional grants help producers expand
  13. Immerse into Barossa Slow

Global demand to grow SA horticulture industry

The South Australian horticulture industry is well placed to take advantage of strong consumer demand globally according to the newly released South Australian Fruit, Vegetables and Nuts Market Summary produced by the PIRSA Market Intelligence Unit. Highlighting international trends and consumer preferences in the fruit, vegetable and nut industries the report is an extremely valuable reference tool for the horticulture industry to use into the future. It highlights the opportunities available for South Australian food and beverage producers regarding new markets, products and innovation. Key aspects for future growth include gaining a better understanding of consumers and keeping ourselves informed about global market trends. South Australia is well positioned to expand this growth producing over 50 different products with strong demand around the world.

SA Fruit, Vegetables and Nuts Market Overview (pdf, 1.4mb)

Want further details?

Matthew Palmer
SA Food Centre
p +61 8 8226 1919
e matthew.palmer@sa.gov.au

Try and buy local at Taste SA

Lamingtons, honey, fudge, ice cream, horseradish and stay crisp lettuce along with exceptional wines are on show at this year’s Taste SA at the Royal Adelaide Show from 4 to 12 September 2009. Talking to local producers, tasting their products and proudly buying and supporting South Australia is a must-do for your show day experience. Located in the IGA Pavilion, Taste SA is now in its eighth year and proudly supported by PIRSA and the Royal Agricultural and Historical Society (RA&HS). New exhibitors this year include Bush Tucker Icecream, Foods from the Edge, Bella Traders, Hahndorf Gourmet, Fudge It, Swanport Harvest and SA Women's Industry Network with a promotion of SA Seafood Industry products.

Want to visit Taste SA?

Royal Adelaide Show
IGA Pavilion
4 to 12 September 2007
9 am to 7 pm daily
w www.royaladelaideshow.com.au

Are you a cheese lover?

It seems South Australians are, with last year’s CheeseFest a huge success, attracting more than 4,000 people. This year’s event – to be held at Rymill Park in the Adelaide Parklands on Sunday 18 October 2009 – is set to be bigger than ever. Cheesemakers from around Australia will be on site talking about their specialty cheeses giving visitors the opportunity to taste and buy their specialised products. South Australian businesses include Alexandrina Cheese Company, B.-d. Farm Paris Creek, La Casa Del Formaggio, Udder Delights and Woodside Cheese Wrights. Gourmet meals from local and regional restaurants including Cocolat, La Dolce Vita and Spice Kitchen can be matched to wines from Coriole, Schubert Wines and Zema Estate. Tickets for CheeseFest 09 are on sale through VenueTix or limited at the gate.

Want to know more?

Kris Lloyd
CheeseFest
p +61 (0) 403 057 702
e kris@cheesewrights.com.au
w www.cheesefest.com.au

International tradeshows for your calendar

Food Adelaide is looking for interested South Australian food and beverage businesses for their International Tradeshow program events. The 2009/10 calendar includes:

  • Food and Hotel China, Shanghai, 18 to 20 November 2009
  • Fancy Food Show, San Francisco USA, 17 to 19 January 2010
  • Gulfood, Dubai, 21 to 24 February 2010
  • Foodex, Japan, 2 to 5 March 2010
  • Food and Hotel Asia, Singapore, 20 to 23 April 2010
  • Food and Hotel Korea, Seoul, 12 to 15 May 2010

Food Adelaide provides a high impact, cost effective presence for tradeshow participants to these events which are ideal for current or potential exporters to test new markets.

Register your interest

Clare Bagshaw
Food Adelaide
p +61 8 8300 0022
e clareb@business-sa.com

Mushrooms keep on growing

South Australia’s mushroom industry is a leading example of how an industry can work together and grow. The SA Food Centre has put together a case study on the Australian Mushroom Growers Association (AGMA) detailing the rapid expansion over the last four years through strong industry supported promotion, product development and an increased market presence which has created unprecedented consumer demand. As a result production has jumped from 110,000 kilograms of fresh mushrooms at the start of 2009 to 165,000kg by mid year. Mushrooms are now number three on the best selling item list for fresh food, with 86% of all households regularly buying mushrooms. Last week these promotions were highlighted at a showcase of Brazilian BBQ Mushrooms with ambassador Fast Ed from Better Homes and Garden along with Brazilian Chefm Paulo Siqueira, spicing up mushrooms ready for summer.

Case Study - Australian Mushroom Growers' Association (pdf, 460kb)

For further information

Pam Tobin
AMGA SA Coordinator
p +61 8 8234 8601
e thefoodstudio@ozemail.com.au

Showcase your best at Tasting Australia

Tens of thousands of people will have the chance to sample South Australia’s world class food and wine at next year’s Tasting Australia in Adelaide. 100 selling spaces are available to local food and wine producers at the BankSA Feast for the Senses on 1 to 2 May 2010. Presented by LifeStyle FOOD Channel, it is a two day public celebration of food and wine With a theme of ‘Local Heroes’. Thousands of visitors and international media converge on Adelaide for Tasting Australia - Feast of the Senses provides the perfect opportunity for SA’s best producers to showcase their wares.

For exhibitor enquiries

Jarred Styles
p +61 8 8299 9100
e turnstyles@ozemail.com.au
w www.tasting-australia.com.au

Helping grow Saltbush Livestock

The SA Food Centre has been a great sounding board for Flinders Ranges based producers Saltbush Livestock, as highlighted in a new flyer detailing the role of Industry Development Officers and their work with the business. Saltbush Livestock is quickly establishing themselves as a quality supplier of prime lamb meat through their brand Spear Creek Dorper Lamb. Beginning as an idea after participating in a regional food program delivered by the SA Food Centre, owners Jamie McTaggart and Scott Herde realised that the key to building their business to become profitable and sustainable was to invest in and grow the branded lamb.

Flyer - SA Food Centre: Helping grow Saltbush Livestock (pdf, 140kb)

Want to know more?

Jamie McTaggart
Saltbush Livestock
p +61 (0) 428 422 300
w www.spearcreekdorperlamb.com.au

New bulletin tracking SA food exports

A new bi-monthly export bulletin is being produced by PIRSA Market Intelligence. It includes current figures on South Australian food sector exports and the contribution food makes to the state's total exports. Each edition will focus on an export related topic - the first edition features the seafood sector and highlights that South Australia is a major seafood exporter accounting for 34% of all of Australia’s seafood exports. SA's major seafood export products and markets are highlighted: bluefin tuna, lobsters and abalone being sold in Japan and Hong Kong, while emerging seafood export products fish, oysters and mussels are being sold to a range of markets in Europe, Hong Kong and Singapore. The first and subsequent bulletins will be available at www.safoodcentre.com.au

Food Export Bulletin - Issue 1, September 2009 (pdf, 605kb)

Want to know more?

Matthew Palmer
SA Food Centre
p +61 8 8226 1919
e matthew.palmer@sa.gov.au

A magical night - Award tickets on sale now

A spellbinding degustation menu will be starring alongside the winners at the Premier’s Food Awards presentation gala dinner on Friday 6 November 2009 at the Adelaide Convention Centre. Goat cheese volcanos, fresh mulloway with fennel and rocket, quail with roasted grapes and a succulent beef course with a pepper, berry and cabernet jus are all on the menu. It will be finished off with a superb citrus dessert and complemented with specially matched wines from Bird in Hand from the Adelaide Hills. With a theme of ‘celebrate the magic’, Adelaide based magician Raymond Crowe will dazzle you with ventriloquism, shadow puppetry and magic. Celebrity presenter for the evening is Ali Carle who will announce the winners. Tickets are now on sale, $150 per person or $1400 for a table of ten.

Don't miss out - book your tickets now

Visit www.safoodawards.com.au

Planning Adelaide – the next 30 years

A 30 year plan for Greater Adelaide with a framework focussed on the economic and population growth of the city has been released for public consultation. Acknowledging the many challenges faced by South Australia including water security, ageing population, climate change and housing affordability, the plan provides a framework within which the challenges can be faced and overcome. The plan identifies several important areas for agricultural production and sets a target of protecting 375,000 hectares in the greater Adelaide region for agricultural production. Key areas for food production are the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula and Northern Adelaide Plains. The plan is out for public consultation until 30 September 2009.

Have your say

Visit www.plan4adelaide.sa.gov.au

Eyre Peninsula exposed to the masses

Eyre Peninsula is proving they really are ‘Australia’s Seafood Frontier’ with a series of showcases held in Adelaide and Sydney recently. The region brought their brilliant seafood, lamb, wine, tourism and more to town for a Food, Wine and Tourism Expo, where over 600 consumers attended. The trip also included a Chef’s Table with 40 leading wholesalers, chefs and media. Likewise the Eyre Peninsula Seafood Showcase in Sydney attracted over 500 buyers and included seafood and wine master classes. An Eyre Peninsula seafood and imported wine degustation lunch by Greg Doyle from Pier included 40 major media representatives and is expected to generate $350,000 of media coverage for the region.

For more information

Stacey Fallon
Industry Development Officer, Eyre Peninsula
p +61 8 8682 6588
e stacey@erdb.org.au

Regional grants help producers expand

Almondco, T&R Pastoral and Primo Smallgoods have all recently been awarded grants through the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund. Combined this will create up to 180 new jobs in the food industry across the regions of Riverland, Murray Bridge and the Yorke Peninsula. T&R Pastoral received a $700,000 grant which will go towards a $12 million overhaul of its wastewater infrastructure. Almondco is expanding their almond-processing plant after being granted nearly $390,000 and is spending $6 million to upgrade its facilities to become one of the most technologically advanced and efficient almond-processing factories in the world. RDIF plays a vital role in encouraging new projects and creating jobs in regional communities. The next round for RDIF applications closes on 30 November 2009.

Interested in RDIF?

RDIF
p +61 8 (0) 428 422 300
e RDIF@state.sa.gov.au
w www.southaustralia.biz/Regional-SA/Programs/RDIF.aspx

Immerse into Barossa Slow

The traditions and transitions of Barossa Valley’s rich food culture will be highlighted at the upcoming Barossa Slow from 1 to 4 October 2009. The event provides a rare opportunity to immerse into the very heart of these customs, to meet the makers and savour the exciting elements contributed by insightful newcomers. Barossa Slow allows you to share meals with local artisans, take tours with primary producers, get into the minds of those who exemplify small-scale production, meet the locals and make new friends with like-minded food lovers. Share exquisite wine and discuss the intricacies of long held beliefs and time-honoured rituals. Tickets are now on sale for a range of events at Barossa Slow.