The former Adelaide couple decided to ditch their concreting business and start farming eating rabbits in 2002 when laws were introducing allowing rabbits to be bred in South Australia.
"We were looking for something a bit easier; concreting is very hard on the back and knees and I like working with animals," Min recalls.
"Chris suggested rabbits and I said he was mad at first, but now I take that back!"
The couple headed to Mallala and Bushmin Farmed Rabbits was established on an 80-acre property.Bushmin Farmed Rabbits breed Flemish Cross New Zealand Whites, and more recently a new line of Californian Bucks, for the local and interstate market.
"We breed about 40 percent of what we produce, and buy in rabbits from local producers to make up the numbers," Min said.
Chris and Min and their four full time equivalent workers do everything themselves from breeding, tending, meat inspection and processing the rabbits. Around 400-500 fresh rabbits are sold each week to butchers, restaurants and gourmet food stores in South Australia; markets in Alice Springs; and to bulk interstate wholesalers.
Min says the business can’t keep up with demand, and they plan to expand in the future. "We need more, more, more!"
Min believes the secret to the family-owned business is quality control.
"Customers know the rabbits come from us and we do all our own local deliveries. They know they are getting quality rabbit meat produced under strictquality measures."