by brandsa2018

The ultimate guide to I Choose SA Day 2018

Reckon you’re a fair dinkum South Aussie? Well, prove it!

Saturday, October 27 is I Choose SA Day, an annual celebration of all things South Australian, from Balfours frog cakes to the Mall’s Balls and bung fritz.

But there’s way more to it than that. I Choose SA Day is the day to back your state by choosing local products, goods, services, destinations and activities.

And it won’t be hard to do. SA is home to some of the world’s finest produce and best holiday destinations you’ll find. Our state’s playground comprises some of the oldest vineyards in Australia, funky cellar doors and laneway bars, pristine beaches and coastal hideaways, and stunning natural environments that will take your breath away.

If every SA household put a modest $2.30 a week towards buying local food and beverages, it could support up to 600 new local jobs. So let’s do it on October 27.  Look for the State Brand to ensure the company you’re buying from or dealing with employs locals and contributes to the growth of our state.

So no matter what sort of South Aussie you are – a foodie, a sports nut, a dog lover, a beer drinker, wine aficionado or traveller – we have you covered.

HOW TO CHOOSE SA IF YOU’RE…

A foodie

Foodies need not be reminded how good SA has it when it comes to gastronomic delights. Our state’s capital is home to Orana, the best restaurant in Australia as crowned by the prestigious Good Food Guide Awards.

Then there’s the slick Japanese-inspired Shobosho on Leigh Street in the CBD, stunning South African cuisine at Africola, and the New York-inspired bar and grill Sean’s Kitchen in the Adelaide Casino, just to name a few.

Adelaide’s suburbs are also home to unsuspecting eateries given recent high praise by the New York Times’s Australian bureau. Check out reviews of Parwana Afghan Kitchen in Torrensville, and Mexican delight Taco Quetzalcoatl in Salisbury.

But the big foodie event on October 27 and 28 is CheeseFest+FERMENT. Head along to Rymill Park/Murlawirrapurka in Adelaide to get a taste of all things fermented (e.g. cheese and wine!) You’ll find the I Choose SA toasties, including the delicious classic toasted sanga made with Skara Smallgoods ham, La Casa Del Formaggio mozzarella, and Spring Gully pickles.

In other foodie news, I Choose SA events are also happening at the Adelaide Central Market with cooking demonstrations by Sprout Cooking School.

We’ll also celebrate the launch of the SA strawberry season, with a live auction hosted at the central market by real estate industry’s Anthony Toop on October 27 from 11.45am.

Place your bid on a tray of the season’s first strawberries and show your support for local growers, with all proceeds going to charity.

At Plant 4 Bowden a chef from Jessie Spiby’s restaurant My Grandma Ben will also put on cooking demonstrations.

Pop into your local Foodland to find delicious SA produce and if you’re at the Happy Valley and McLaren Vale stores, spot foodie Bree May cooking up a storm. A number of farmer’s markets are up and running across the state weekends, offering fresh produce from the farm.

I Choose SA toasties (including The Classic, pictured) can be found at CheeseFest+FERMENT on October 27 and 28.

A shopaholic 

There’s no better way to choose SA than at the checkout.

Hit Adelaide’s main shopping precinct, Rundle Mall, to drop by a number of local boutiques and gift shops stocking SA wares, clothing, jewellery and gifts. Adelaide Arcade and Regent Arcade towards the mall’s eastern end are excellent places to browse through small stores stocking local art, makeup, homewares, skincare and gifts.

Womens fashion hub BNKR in Rundle Mall is home to brands under Australian Fashion Labels, one of Adelaide’s greatest fashion success stories. Head to Ebenezer Place in the East End to find more small boutiques.

If you’re not in town for I Choose SA Day or shopping from home is more your style, then hit up Shop South Australia, Brand South Australia’s online marketplace listing only local brands.

A party animal

Head to the buzzing Peel Street in the city’s West End, enter into a battle of the whisky and rums bars on Vardon Avenue or check out Adelaide from a few storeys high at one of the city’s rooftop bars, such as the Mayfair Hotel’s Hennessy or 2KW Bar and Restaurant. Think you’ve seen it all? Here’s 11 bars you might have missed.

Fancy some live music or a bit of a boogie? As a UNESCO City of Music, Adelaide knows how to play a good beat. Head to one of our many longstanding live music venues such as The Gov, The Grace Emily, Jive, Fat Controller, Crown & Anchor, The Exeter, Adelaide Uni Bar or The Jade Monkey.

Pink Moon Saloon on Leigh Street is one of Adelaide’s funkiest laneway gems. Photo: SATC.

A wine aficionado 

With Adelaide, South Australia, a member of the global Great Wine Capital Network and home to some of the country’s oldest vines, our state produces some of the best drops on the planet.

Our wineries are often headed by multi-generational family businesses producing the highest quality wines.

The Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Clare Valley, Langhorne Creek and Adelaide Hills can be accessed from the city in a day. Tip: the magical D’Arenberg Cube in McLaren Vale is a must-visit.

A beer drinker

Twist the top off a Coopers, crack the can of a West End or knock the froth off one of our characteristic craft brews.

SA is home to a large gang of brewers – both large and small scale producers – who are pushing the boundaries with brewing and experimenting with new flavours.

If you’re a traditionalist, we recommend the classic Original Pale Ale by the biggest Australian owned brewery, Coopers. If you’re thirsty for something a little funky, here’s 10 SA beers you really need to try.

The Wilkadene Woolshed Brewery on the banks of the Murray River at Murtho is another must-visit. Photo: SATC/Adam Bruzzone.

A sports nut

You’re scoffing down a Balfours pie at Adelaide Oval every fortnight during footy season and sipping on a West End Draught in the peak of summer at the Big Bash League.

You dust off the deadly treadly at Tour Down Under time, you’ve watched the Adelaide Bite baseball team swing a few and you’ve been decked out in pink at Priceline Stadium in true Adelaide Thunderbirds style.

But aside from professional levels, SA also is home to a family of grassroots sporting clubs that often make up the fabric of our suburbs and regional towns.

So head to the local cricket and cheer on your team, have a swing at your local golf club, hit your local swimming centre or go for something a bit niché. Archery anyone?

A café crawler 

Treat yourself on October 27 to a latte, cappuccino, flat white, espresso, long black – however you have it – at one of the dozens, probably even hundreds of cozy cafés throughout SA.

Many of our cafés use local milk from brands like Fleurieu Milk and Tweedvale, and coffee beans roasted locally too. Ask where the muffins, biscuits and slices are made and chances are they’re baked on site or locally. We did all the hard work for you when we hunted down the best coffee spots across the state. Check out our story here.

More of a tea drinker? Check out T BAR, Adelaide’s first tea salon, stocking 120 blends and varieties sourced worldwide.

Avoiding the delicious pastries at La Moka on Peel Street is impossible, just do it. Photo: SATC.

An adventurer

Pack the swag, check the tyre pressure and stock the Esky. SA’s landscapes are a camping, fishing, 4WDing, mountain biking and bushwalking playground.

If going off road is your thing, check out these Top 6 4WD and camping spots in SA, including spots in the Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, and Limestone Coast.

SA is also renowned for its mountain bike trails, some of them more suited to skilled downhill riders, others appropriate for young families. We also have the Murray River, an ideal spot for water sports, while the state’s coastlines provide some of the top surfing spots.

Want to really lift your heart rate? Go shark cage diving in Port Lincoln and swim with great whites.

Lincoln National Park on the Eyre Peninsula offers a 4WD experience. Photo: SATC.

A dog lover

Take your furry pal to one of these dog-friendly venues we’ve scouted out or treat your pooch to a little something from your local pet supplies store.

Check out SA business Doggy Grub, who make ready-to-eat dog meals made with 100% natural and human-grade ingredients and deliver straight to your door.

Is your four-legged friend easy to please? Hit your local butcher shop and pick up some raw meat bones for them to chew.

A traveller 

Keep the tourism dollars in SA by choosing a local holiday destination for a weekend away.

Explore your own backyard by visiting quintessential country towns, camping under the stars, or even booking a night in a luxurious city hotel.

Jump aboard the SeaLink ferry and fall in love with Kangaroo Island, home to a gin distillery, honey farms, Australian sea lions, cellar doors and conservation parks.

Shuck fresh oysters while paddling your feet in the sea off the Eyre Peninsula’s Coffin Bay, throw a line off the jetty along the Yorke Peninsula, sleep under the stars in the Flinders Ranges, or head underground at opal town Coober Pedy.

You can experience the best of SA and book your next local getaway with RAA Travel. 

A Pure Coffin Bay Oysters boat among the pristine waters of the Eyre Peninsula. Photo by Mark Fitzpatrick.

A local business owner

The best thing you can do to show your support for the state, and let consumers know you’re local, is to grab some of I Choose SA merchandise and run your own activities in store.

Get in touch with the I Choose SA team at ichoosesa@brandsouthaustralia.com.au and let them know what you have planned for the day.

And something for the kids…

Hit the Adelaide or Monarto zoos, support longstanding family business Wallis Cinemas or check out the newly opened Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary at Mylor in the Adelaide Hills.

Westfield Marion’s Food Hall will also celebrate I Choose SA Day with kids cooking classes, live music and face painting.

Monarto Zoo is the largest open air zoo in the world and will provide a full day of wonder. Photo: Zoos SA.

However you spend I Choose SA Day in 2018, we wanna hear about it!

Snap your local purchase, destination or activity and use the #ichoosesa hashtag, and follow us on Instagram @brandsouthaust, Facebook @brandsouthaustralia and Twitter @brandsouthaust.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

30 years of paddock to pallet at the SA Produce Market

The champion of South Australia’s horticultural sector – the South Australian Produce Market (SAPM) – is celebrating 30 years in the field.

It’s a time over which the state’s only wholesale market has achieved a self-sufficient energy supply and a continued reputation for supporting local growers who attribute much of their livelihoods to the fruit and veg hub.

SAPM trades 250,000 tonnes of fresh produce between 45 wholesalers, 60 growers and hundreds of retail operators each year, worth an estimated wholesale value of $550 million.

Although the SAPM is celebrating its 30th anniversary in northern Adelaide this month, its extended history dates back to the days of the East End Market on East Terrace in Adelaide’s CBD.

The East End Market operated for more than a century until its closure in 1988.

SAPM CEO Angelo Demasi says three decades of innovation, growth and business philosophies have led to the special milestone for the market’s Pooraka home.

The SA Produce Market is celebrating 30 years of supporting the state’s food and agricultural industry.

“We recognise how important the grower, wholesaler and retailer supply chain are to the public and the efforts that they go to, to provide fresh fruit and vegetables to the public,” he says.

“We are undertaking many projects to ensure the sustainability of the market, and the businesses that rely on it for many more years to come.”

Many of the market’s growers and wholesalers are long standing or multi-generational fruit and vegetable growers including Mercurio Bros, Parker and Sons, and Ceravolo Orchards.

The market is renowned for its early morning activity, with growers rising in the wee hours to transport their goods from farm to pallet. Buyers include IGA, Foodland, independent retailers and greengrocers.

The SAPM has continued to transition over the past 12 months, with an expansion project set to open the market to the general public for the first time.

“The development will include a retail component which will include a factory or more like a farm-gate outlet for consumers to purchase fresh food and affordable produce direct from market,” Angelo says.

The food precinct expansion will also allow food processors an opportunity to take their business “to the next level” with shared infrastructure including loading docks, and education and cooking areas.

The market is also home to the state’s first onsite energy microgrid, comprising a 4.2MWh lithium-ion battery, a 2.5MW solar PV system comprising 8500 solar panels, and a 2.5MW onsite generator.

It will supply the site’s entire energy demand and also export power to the National Electricity Market.

A forklift whizzing by with pallets of fresh fruit or veggies is not an uncommon sight at the market. Photo by SA Mushrooms.

“This will enable all of our growers and wholesalers to enjoy cheap reliable power to ensure they continue to be cost competitive both on a local, national and international level,” Angelo says.

The market holds the interests of the horticultural industry at heart, often playing an advocacy role in tough times such as major flood events that affect growers.

In more recent times, SAPM has backed the strawberry industry by installing a metal detector to help boost consumer confidence following the national strawberry needle crisis.

In September 2018 a number of needles were found deliberately planted inside strawberries sold across the country.

SA is on the cusp of its strawberry season which typically runs between October and May.

The metal detector – supported by $50,000 from the State Government – will be communal, so it can be used by all local strawberry growers as well as other horticulture-related commodities.

The state produced about 6000 tonnes of strawberries with a farmgate value of $42 million in 2016/17.

Angelo admits the running of the market isn’t without its challenges, but SA’s food industry is ramping up.

“The optimism is good and we have started to see a surge in exports,” he adds.

Header photo is SA Produce Market’s Greg Pattinson, left, and Angelo Demasi.

Industry in focus: Agribusiness

Throughout the month of October, the state’s agribusiness industry will be under the magnifying glass as part of I Choose SA.

South Australian farmers, producers, agricultural researchers and biosecurity workers are the lifeblood of our country communities and are big players in the state’s overall economic welfare. Read more stories here.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Harvey The Label stitches towards a sustainable future

In a world of fast fashion, one South Australian label is standing out from the crowd by designing and producing socially sustainable clothing.

“One of the core elements of our mission statement is not to mass produce,” explains Harvey The Label founder and designer Mim Harvey.

“I only order enough of each style to fulfil our wholesalers’ orders and stock our Rundle Street flagship store.”

The garments themselves are naturally sustainable due to their multiway styling – some having the ability to be worn up to 17 ways.

Adelaide’s Mim Harvey, of Harvey The Label on Rundle Street.

With the designs not being tied to seasonal trends and made with trans-seasonal fabrics, they can work back with every wardrobe for years to come.

“The Harvey ethos is to make designer clothing accessible, wearable and versatile,” Mim says.

“All clothing and prints are designed in-house from our Rundle Street office, above the store, which gives us daily feedback direct from our customers to our design room.”

This year has seen Harvey The Label take flight from Adelaide to the runways of New York, for the 2018 Fashion Palette show, held during New York Fashion Week (NYFW).

“The organisers of Fashion Palette had seen us via our Instagram and the influencers we work with and extended the invitation,” Mim says.

“We were amazed with the outcome. After the runway show, we had five meetings a day with agencies and stores reaching out to us. To say we were overwhelmed when we got back is an understatement.”

Harvey The Label at NYFW’s Fashion Palette.

Mim has since been in contact with major US-based PR and sales agencies and has signed with POSH Showrooms in LA to begin the wholesale expansion of Harvey The Label into the west coast.

“Our US expansion strategy is a slow and curated one which we are not rushing as we need much more re-con and to see the fruits of the seeds we planted while over there.”

Mim is now back on home soil and gearing up for this year’s Adelaide Fashion Festival (AFF).

“It’s an amazing opportunity for our local fashion community to shine and showcase their work on a well-publicised and celebrated platform.”

Harvey The Label will feature in the SA Designer Showcase on Thursday 18 October alongside a number of other talents who have pursed their fashion careers in the state.

Harvey The Label at NYFW’s Fashion Palette.

“We will be showing our SS19 collection from the NYFW runway and also debuting some pieces that will be shown on the AFF runway for the very first time,” Mim says.

“It’s a romantic collection with a clash of prints, colour, signature multiway pieces juxtaposed with florals and bold linear prints.”

Joining Harvey The Label on the runway in the SA Designer Showcase is a mix of emerging and familiar favourites, including: Binny, Cinquante, Georgy Collection, Holiday Trading, Katya Komarova, Naomi Murrell, Ryderwear, Stephanie Chehade, Sylvy Earl, The Daily Edited, Tiff Manuell, and The Wolf Gang.

The runway show will be styled by Vogue Australia fashion editor Philippa Moroney, who has featured local designers and models regularly in the pages of the famous title.

Connect with Harvey The Label on Facebook and Instagram.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

New theatre course is music to ears of Mamma Mia stars

A new musical theatre course recently announced by the University of Adelaide is attracting great interest not just locally, but from interstate and international students.

The new Bachelor of Music Theatre kicks off in 2019 at the University’s Elder Conservatorium and will be run by renowned music theatre expert and educator George Torbay.

He says the benefits of such a course are not just that aspiring musical theatre stars no longer need to study interstate, but there will also be flow on effects for the South Australian arts scene more broadly.

“The whole point of a course like this here is to add to the cultural scene in this state,” George says. “However, more than just keeping young artists here, the course is already attracting applicants from all over Australia and even international applicants.

“SA has been crying out for a degree like this. Music theatre is a rapidly growing art form and incredibly popular across Australia.”

The course will include singing lessons and song coaching, classes in acting, voice and speech, song repertoire and audition technique, ballet, pas de deux, tap and jazz. Students will also have the opportunity to connect with current writers and explore new works as well as gain professional-level experience working within Adelaide’s thriving festival scene.

Zoe Komazec is now living in SA and will teach dance as part of the University of Adelaide’s new musical theatre course.

Musical theatre star Zoe Komazec, who grew up in Adelaide and is currently starring in the hit production Mamma Mia! The Musical which begun this week, is particularly excited about the announcement as she and fiancé Matt Geronimi will be teaching dance as part of the new course.

“When I was contacted about the course I thought it was one of the most exciting things to happen,” says Zoe, who has been based in Sydney for the past five years but is now living in SA.

“Adelaide has produced so many incredibly talented people in various industries, particularly musical theatre. You’d be surprised how many times I mention I am from Adelaide and at least five people are also born and bred Radelaidians.

“Not having to leave this wonderful state straight away is such a bonus, I think it will allow more aspiring young South Aussies an avenue that they thought wasn’t an option.”

Zoe began dancing at age two at her mum’s studio Barbara Jayne Dance Centre in Norwood, seeing her first musical at age eight – The Sound of Music.

Annie Chiswell.

Annie Chiswell is another local musical theatre performer who trained here, at the Adelaide College of the Arts. She too is starring in Mamma Mia! The Musical, which will be her first major production appearance in front of a hometown crowd.

She agrees Adelaide is a breeding ground for great musical theatre talent, although she says time spent interstate can be of benefit.

“For me personally, I believe in any career it is important to take risks and break out of your comfort zone,” says Annie, who saw her first musical The Lion King, in Melbourne at age 10.

“I felt for my career that Melbourne was calling my name, but this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. I know Adelaide is up and coming in musical theatre training and so hopefully there will be more opportunities to study here.

“I’m also a huge believer in it’s not where you study, but how. I will always be thankful for the artist foundation that SA gave me, and cannot wait to come home and perform.”

Phillip Lowe is yet another Mamma Mia! The Musical star who grew up in SA.

Phillip, who plays Harry Bright in the hit Abba musical, grew up in Jamestown and had no idea as a kid that people were paid to perform as a job.

Jamestown-raised actor Phillip Lowe is back in Adelaide for Mamma Mia! The Musical.

His mother was the piano player for the local production of Pirates of Penzance when Phillip was four years old and he remembers turning the pages for her and singing along as she practiced.

It wasn’t until his brother went to study at WA Academy of Performing Arts (WAPPA) that Phillip realised musical theatre was an actual career path.

However, he didn’t follow his dreams into musical theatrical when he finished school – first, he got a job at a bank and dabbled in amateur theatre.

“I thought I had to have a ‘real’ job. However, one day we got held up by two guys with shotguns so I decided that I was done with real jobs and I auditioned for drama school. I never looked back after that,” says Phillip, who also went on to study at WAPPA and has maintained a stellar career over the past 25 years, appearing in Crazy for You, The Producers, Dusty, Mary Poppins and many more.

Phillip has been based in Sydney for the past 23 years and Mamma Mia! The Musical will be his first time on the Adelaide Festival Theatre stage.

“I cannot wait. It’s a lifelong dream come true,” he adds.

Mama Mia! The Musical is on at the Adelaide Festival Centre until November 18. Click here for tickets.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Newly polished Grevillea House has country carers at heart

A cuppa and a chat, a lunch with friends or a day trip exploring South Australia’s Clare Valley.

These are just some of the simple pleasures not-for-profit organisation SA Country Carers in the state’s Lower Mid North is helping unpaid carers take the time to enjoy.

Supporting unpaid carers of family and friends with disabilities or of frail age is at the heart of the Clare-based community organisation that mainly services the Mid North, but is also visited by clients across the state.

It is estimated that 245,000 people in SA provide unpaid care to family and friends who have a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, terminal illness, drug or alcohol abuse, or are frail.

Carers often provide physical and personal care and assistance including dressing, lifting out of bed and up from chairs, showering, feeding, providing transport to attend appointments, and managing medications.

On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in June, SA Country Carers held free hand massages for carers. The services were provided local business Unique Beauty.

Almost half of carers provide up to 20 hours of care every week, while more than 30% provide over 40 hours a week – more than the equivalent of a full-time job.

SA Country Carers provides information, counselling and advocacy to carers who are often faced with physical and emotional fatigue from their caring role.

In 1996 the organisation was established by a group of locals who saw a need for greater carer support.

Now the community organisation supports more than 500 unpaid carers and has offices at Clare and Balaklava, as well as a short-term respite facility, Grevillea House, in Clare.

CEO Eve Rogers says support systems are crucial for regional areas.

“It’s important for carers to have a break and for them to know that there are others out there, that they’re not alone in the world,” she says.

“It’s important to have trusted services in regional communities.”

SA Country Carers volunteers are thanked at an annual luncheon in appreciation of their services.

The short-term residential respite facility, Grevillea House, allows unpaid carers to take a break, while knowing their loved ones are safe and being looked after.

Carer recipients stay at Grevillea House for a short period of time, while the carer takes time out for themselves, or attends day trips, retreats and activities put on by the organisation.

Sometimes the activities are attended by both the carer and care recipient to allow for bonding time.

This month Grevillea House will officially celebrate an overhaul of the facility, which Eve says needed a little TLC.

“In 2016 we renovated the kitchen using donations from loyal supporters and the local community, including the Rotary Club which was very generous with their funding,” she says.

“But once we did the kitchen we looked around and realised that everything else looked really old.”

The finished hallway at Grevillea House.

A refurbishment of the house began in August this year with a paint job, new floor coverings and window furnishings.

Grevillea House’s landlord, Helping Hand, also chipped in to the facility’s rejuvenation by replacing all light treatments and heaters at its own cost.

Eve says many care recipients, who can be as young as five or of frail age, end up calling Grevillea House their second home, with activities, facilities and support on hand to meet their needs.

SA Country Carers relies on the community for support, conducting a number of fundraising activities throughout the year.

Its group of volunteers are key to these fundraising efforts and boosting the organisation’s profile in the community.

SA Country Carers is one of five carer support organisations in the state.

Access to SA Country Carers services can be provided through the Commonwealth Home Support Program, NDIS, and My Aged Care.

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by brandsa2018

Yorke Peninsula boutique winery stacks high against the rest

Vineyards and rustic cellar doors are not usually associated with the towns that line the traditional barley belt of South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula.

The coastal playground is more likely associated with camping and fishing, with its economy running on an engine fuelled by agriculture.

But 12km from Maitland not far off the Spencer Highway is a boutique winery offering visitors an unexpected experience.

Barley Stacks Wines husband and wife duo Lyall and Cynthia Schulz opened the cellar door 10 years ago and are now the largest wine producers on the peninsula.

While winemaking is usually left to the state’s wine-centric regions such as the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale the Yorke Peninsula still knows how to make a good drop.

Aside from Barley Stacks Wines, the region is home to a small handful of vineyards and another cellar door Emoyeni Wines at Ardrossan.

The Barley Stacks Wines cellar door.

“Because of the fact we are surrounded by wheat, barley, canola and lentils it’s probably the pollens that are impacting our grapes in a positive way, giving us flavours that a lot of people don’t expect,” says Lyall Schulz.

“We’ve done the Cellar Door Fest at the Adelaide Convention Centre for the past four years and people say to us that our wine is so different to anywhere else in SA.

“We have people drive up the road and come to our cellar door thinking it’s a practical joke because there is a winery on the Yorke Peninsula, but they come in and they’re amazed.”

Lyall and wife Cynthia bought the property 10 years ago from its previous owners, the Gregory family, who planted the original vineyard in 1996 and later launched Gregory Wines.

While Cynthia is originally from the Barossa, Lyall is a “local born and bred farmer”, harnessing his skills on the land producing wheat, barley, canola and lentils.

So when the pair decided to give viticulture a crack, they sought the help of local consultants and have since welcomed two esteemed winemakers, Tim Smith, who is widely regarded in the Barossa, and Colin Sheppard, of Flaxman Wines in Eden Valley.

Lyall Schulz of Barley Stacks Wines.

Colin is also well versed in the culinary arts having made it to the top 10 in the TV series MasterChef in 2014.

Over the past decade the Schulz’s have built the Barley Stacks brand through word-of-mouth and making appearances at a number of industry events.

Over the years they’ve also scooped a number of awards including medals at the Yorke Peninsula Tourism Awards, the Australian Small Winemakers Show and a gold medal at the Winestate Magazine World Shiraz Challenge in 2015.

Their wines are influenced by the peninsula’s climate, sea breezes and limestone sub-soils, with past reviews describing tasting notes of ‘plum’, ‘lingering liquorice’, ‘apricot’ and ‘passionfruit’.

Barley Stacks produces 25 different lines from four grape varieties, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and viognier.

They aim for an average production of 40 tonnes of grapes and between 2500–3000 cases of wine each year.

All growing, picking, processing and bottling occurs on site, except for the whites and sparklings which are bottled elsewhere.

The 2013 shiraz.

Most Barley Stacks Wines are sold direct from the cellar door, with some also sold through the Barley Stacks website, and at a couple of Cellarbrations stores in the region.

Aside from the four main varieties, Barley Stacks also puts out a rosé, sparkling wines, a fortified range and a verjuice.

Verjuice is a sour drink made from unripe grapes, made famous by SA cooking queen Maggie Beer who produces her own line.

“It’s like a Granny Smith apple juice and kids can drink it, it’s not alcoholic and you can mix it with soda water,” Lyall says.

“On the Yorke Peninsula we have the new Sunny Hill Distillery about to start up at Arthurton, so you could mix your verjuice with gin.”

Barley Stacks Wines also caters for weddings, functions and events.

Speaking of the new distillery, Lyall says he’s working with its owners as well as two other local business operators to look at ways of leveraging each other’s success.

“We are looking connectively to run tours and do things together to give a tourism experience on the Yorke Peninsula that’s quite unique,” he says.

“The tourism side of the peninsula is growing exponentially, we now have Watsacowie Brewing Co at Minlaton who are doing a great job at driving high volume tourist interest.

“We want to collectively work together.”

Barley Stacks Wines is open seven days a week at 159 Lizard Park Drive, South Kilkerran.

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Header image courtesy of SATC.

by brandsa2018

Robern Menz begins Violet Crumble production in SA

What’s wrapped in yellow and purple and shatters into glistening shards of honeycomb when crunched?

The iconic Violet Crumble chocolate bar this week began production in Adelaide after South Australian sweets maker Robern Menz acquired the brand from Swiss confectionery giant Nestlé earlier this year.

Thirty jobs have been created to oversee the production and management of the chocolate honeycomb treat, increasing the Robern Menz factory’s overall output by 37% – equating to enough Violet Crumbles to stretch from Adelaide to Sydney if laid end to end.

It is the first time in 46 years that the Violet Crumble is Australian owned.

With financial support from the State Government, Robern Menz acquired nine semi-trailer truckloads of equipment from the Melbourne Nestlé factory, a process taking three months and more than 100 people working on the project.

The Robern Menz factory at Glynde in Adelaide’s east has also undergone a $4m refit and extension with new warehousing facilities added.

Robern Menz has more than 150 years of sweet tradition and is mostly known as the maker of local favourite the Fruchoc, a chocolate coated apricot and peach-centred sweet that is National Trust Heritage listed.

The fourth-generation family owned business is now the custodian of the original Violet Crumble recipe, which it says it will keep using, in addition to sustainable and ethically sourced cocoa.

Phil, left, and Richard Sims from Robern Menz.

Robern Menz CEO Phil Sims says it’s a privilege to have custody of one of Australia’s greatest chocolate bar brands, and to produce it in a way that does justice to its history.

“The recipe and process technique is top-secret,” says Phil, also an I Choose SA ambassador.

“That’s why the Violet Crumble explosive and shattering honeycomb experience is so unique and so loved by generations of Australians since it was first created in Australia by Abel Hoadley as Australia’s first chocolate bar in 1913.”

“It’s exciting to be part of the legacy.”

The Violet Crumble was invented by Melbourne man Abel Hoadley in 1913 and was made in Adelaide by previous manufacturer Rowntree Hoadley until 1985.

Nestlé later bought Rowntree and the Violet Crumble has since been made in Melbourne – until now.

The crumbly sweet is known for the tagline ‘it’s the way it shatters that matters’.

Robern Menz is one of the largest Australian-owned confectionary businesses and aside from Fruchocs produces over 100 other products included Crown Mints and JeliChocs.

It exports to the US and throughout Asia.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

On the Run drives boutique South Aussie milk sales

Dairy farmers are tasting success in a growing number of boutique ventures with a leading light, the South Australian owned Fleurieu Milk, preparing to launch into 135 On the Run stores in the next few weeks.

The Myponga-based business was started by three local families when dozens of dairies facing tough market conditions were closing in the early 2000s.

Now, it is part of a brave new independent approach being embraced by SA consumers.

At peak body South Australian Dairyfarmers Association (SADA), CEO Andrew Curtis lists Tweedvale Milk in the Adelaide Hills, Udder Delights, Jersey Fresh, B.-d. Farm Paris Creek and Robe Dairy among others creating a new boutique world for local farmers.

Then there’s SADA itself playing its part in changing the dairy landscape.

Andrew says the industry group joined forces with a Mt Compass dairy farmer and a former MP to broker a deal to support local farmers with supermarket giant Coles in 2012.

As a result, Coles now sells local milk packaged and distributed by Parmalat Australia in Clarence Gardens as SADA Fresh – sending 20c/litre sold back to SADA.

“We use this money for education and projects, introducing kids to dairy farming, and working around on-farm practices such as irrigation efficiency,” Andrew says.

Dairy is now Australia’s third largest agricultural industry with about 230 dairies in SA producing nearly 10% of national production.

In April, 2016, many of these dairy farmers hit rock bottom with farmgate prices plummeting and feed costs rising.

Struggling major national processor Murray Goulburn slashed its price for milk sending shock waves through the industry, already reeling from supermarket giants selling milk as low as $1/litre.

There was a two-pronged fight back for SA farmers.

A major campaign was launched encouraging consumers to support local dairy farmers that Andrew says activated a 10% shift in consumers moving to branded local milk.

Fleurieu Milk are one of many local SA dairy producers helping support local farmers and provide consumers with more choice.

Growing numbers of dairy farmers also realised that a steady movement already underway from the early 2000s to create more independent, boutique brands could be a saviour.

Nick Hutchinson, the general manager of Fleurieu Milk Company, says the incredible support shown by Australians in buying locally branded and owned milk drove an upswell in his company’s sales.

“We had huge growth two years ago when the dairy industry really hit the media, the consumers became more aware and there was a big push to buy local milk where profits didn’t go to companies overseas,” he says.

“It declined a bit after the campaign but this has now stabilised and in the last three months we’ve had substantial growth.”

In two weeks the company, which now also has two other farms supplying milk and has launched a range of flavoured milks and yoghurts, will launch the brand through On the Run service stations.

Products are already sold through Foodland stores, IGAs and other independently-owned stores.

It is also planning to launch a new line of yoghurt celebrating unique, native plant flavours including Kakadu plum and quandong.

Nick Hutchinson, general manager of Fleurieu Milk Company.

Nick says the venture with Indigenous and SA-owned company Something Wild – that sources the ingredients – was a local job creator.

“The industry as a whole is evolving, there’s a push for long life and skim milk products and it’s extremely price competitive, for Fleurieu Milk we’re niche and that works for us,” he says.

While his business is on the Fleurieu Peninsula, about half of SA’s dairies are in the state’s South East, the rest are in the Adelaide Hills, Lower Murray, and the Barossa, with most milk still sent to larger processors.

Andrew from SADA says dairy farmers are facing fresh challenges with the drought creating feed shortages but believes the growing boutique approach will help.

“That’s the great thing about SA in the food space, we are innovative, our artisan brands like Udder Delights or Golden North ice cream all do well,” he says.

The SA dairy industry supports not only local farmers but local producers too, including cheesemakers.

He says Tweedvale in the Adelaide Hills was established in 1974 to process and sell milk and cream from neighbouring dairy farms in Lobethal.

While in the Barossa there’s a group of 14 dairy farms who joined forces to negotiate a higher, fixed minimum price with Woolworths that now sells their milk under the Farmer’s Own brand.

The Alexandrina Cheese Company started on the shores of Lake Alexandrina in 2001 while Alexandrina Farm sells its milk through the B.-d. Farm Paris Creek label.

Then there’s Robe Dairy on the state’s Limestone Coast – milking its own small herd of Jersey cows to produce farmhouse cheese, milk and yoghurt, using the latest and kindest of practices.

“We’ve had a growing number of those companies starting as backyard, kitchen operations to being significant businesses,” Andrew says.

A list of SA milk producers and artisan products can be found at dodairy.com.au

Industry in focus: Agribusiness

Throughout the month of October, the state’s agribusiness industry will be under the magnifying glass as part of I Choose SA.

South Australian farmers, producers, agricultural researchers and biosecurity workers are the lifeblood of our country communities and are big players in the state’s overall economic welfare. Read more stories here.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Adelaide Hills shoppers nuts about Charlesworth

Longstanding family-owned business, Charlesworth Nuts, will have a crack at the Adelaide Hills retail market when it opens its 11th South Australian store in Mt Barker later this month.

The new nuts, dried fruit and chocolate store will open on October 17 in the Mt Barker Central Shopping Centre, with four staff soon to settle in their roles, plus another 12 workers employed in time for the peak pre-Christmas period.

It will be the first time the 80-year business has branched out into a regional area, and CEO Brett Charlesworth says the company has already been warmly welcomed by the local Hills community.

“We are really happy to be opening in Mt Barker,” he says. “The area has a lot going for it, with new estates opening, as well as a new sports centre recently announced.

“We have been pleased by the level of enthusiasm from the community. We had around 500 people send in a résumé once word had spread that we were recruiting.”

New Charlesworth Nuts employees undergo an in-house training program both away from the shop and in-store.

“The main thing we look for is a bright and bubbly personality and someone who is interested in helping our customers,” says Brett, who is also I Choose SA ambassador.

“We are very passionate about what we do, and we have built up the business on our reputation for quality, fresh products.

“We take a lot of pride in our work, and our people do as well. We have many employees who have been with us for 20, 25, even 30 years. We are very lucky to have such genuine people working with us.”

Charlesworth Nuts CEO Brett Charlesworth is also an I Choose SA ambassador.

There are also those who are second, or even third generation employees – taking after the Charlesworth family, with Brett and his brother Mark, chief financial officer, the third-generation business custodians and Brett’s sons Rhys, Kain and Liam also working in the business.

The Charlesworth legacy began in March 1934, when Herb Charlesworth bought a small nut stall in the Adelaide Central Market, one of the largest undercover fresh produce markets in the southern hemisphere.

The store continued well for the next 20 years, but when Herb’s health began to deteriorate, he called upon his son Chappy to take over the business.

Chappy built the business further, laying a strong foundation for Brett and Mark who took over and were able to open the company’s first new store in 40 years in the Westfield Marion Shopping Centre.

Four more retail outlets soon followed at Colonnades Shopping Arcade, City Cross Arcade, Tea Tree Plaza and Elizabeth Shopping Centre. New stores have since been opened in Rundle Mall, West Lakes Shopping Mall and Burnside Village.

“We are careful about the locations we pick,” Brett says. “We are all about making sure we are in the right centre, and the right site at that centre.”

Brett says the fit out of the shops is kept similar between outlets, but that the Mt Barker store will include some ‘experimental’ displays.

“Our shop fitters have just finished refitting the Tea Tree Plaza and Marion stores, so it was straight from those projects onto the Mt Barker build,” he says.

The shop displays take around 2-3 weeks to be built off site, then another 2-3 weeks in store when the displays are installed.

“One of our core principles is that customers should be able to buy fresh nuts, cooked on-site, at each of our stores,” Brett says. “The hot nuts are certainly a product which leads people in with their noses!”

The Charlesworth family at the Marion store.

With the retail market set to enter the busiest time of year – the Christmas shopping period – the nuts, dried fruits, chocolates and other treat maker is set to experience yet another influx of consumers.

“At this time of year our gift sales go through the roof, as do our mixes, cooked products, and chocolate range,” Brett says.

“We find that people are looking for something to either take with them to a party, or to serve when they are entertaining.

“Now is also the perfect time to pick up one of our Christmas cake ingredient packs which have the dried fruit and nuts you’ll want to make your own cake – and the tried and tested recipe to put it all together.”

Charlesworth Nuts also has a new product out – Salty Macadamia Pearls – with a portion of the proceeds going towards a local cause.

The new line has been launched in conjunction with the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation with 20% of the proceeds donated to the foundation’s Beach House Project.

“The Beach House Project is a holiday house at Encounter Bay which has been fitted out with all the equipment necessary for families with children in palliative care to have a relaxing holiday,” Brett says.

“It is all about creating beautiful memories and making the most of the time the family has together. We are really pleased to be supporting this worthy cause.”

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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Adelaide Fashion Festival 2018 rundown

From the fairytale creations of internationally renowned Paolo Sebastian to the stylish minimalist garments by Acler – (of whom Beyoncé is a fan) the 2018 Adelaide Fashion Festival (AFF) will showcase the best in the business.

The city’s most anticipated fashion event of the year will spread across various locations from October 17–21, showcasing South Australian fashion success stories as well as new kids on the block.

With runways to be walked, trends to be set and collections to be revealed, the activity will come alive at the event’s hub, the AFF Runway at the Torrens Parade Grounds, as well as various other locations across the city.

We’ve bundled up some highlights to give you an idea of what’s in store. But it’s just a snippet of the action, so head to the website to check out the full program.

Be enchanted by Paolo Sebastian
SA has birthed some of the Australian fashion industry’s greatest talents, notably Paul Vasileff, the creative genius behind Paolo Sebastian and a past I Choose SA ambassador.

The couture house will open the fashion festival on October 17 with its AW 2018/19 collection The Nutcracker, inspired by the works of Russian composer Tchaikovsky.

The showcase will be accompanied by a live score by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and is likely to take you somewhere magical.

When: October 17, 5.15pm, 6.45pm (sold out) and 8pm
Where: AFF Runway, Torrens Parade Grounds
Tickets: from $99

Paolo Sebastian ‘Once Upon a Dream’, 2017 AFF. Photo by Shauna Voon.

Hear from the industry’s elite
AFF goers will have the chance to hear from two fashionistas who have helped shape fashion in Australasia for the past decade, Vogue China editor-in-chief Angelica Cheung and Vogue Australia editor-in-chief Edwina McCann.

The trend-setting pair will host an intimate breakfast event alongside The Australian’s fashion editor Glynis Traill-Nash.

Angelica, who founded the up-market magazine and played a crucial role in surging China’s fashion industry forward, is no stranger to SA, having achieved her Master of Business Administration at the University of South Australia in 1999/2000.

When: October 18, 7.30-9am.
Where: Electra House, Adelaide.
Tickets: from $99

Check out local threads
SA’s top fashion talents will share their creations at the SA Designer Showcase, including some of our Shop South Australia vendor favourites Julie White and Naomi Murrell.

The runway will include showings by old favourites and newbies, such as men’s swim short label, Vacay Swimwear, who will hit the AFF for the first time, as will activewear champions Ryderwear, among others.

The showcase will be styled by Vogue Australia fashion editor Philippa Moroney.

When: October 18, 7pm and 8.30pm
Where: AFF Runway, Torrens Parade Grounds
Tickets: from $79

A model wears a GretaKate skirt and Ryderwear top.

Hit the mall
Rundle Mall will be even more stylish than usual, with a two-day Vogue Festival taking over the central shopping precinct, offering consumers a sneak peek at the hotly anticipated new H&M store.

Shoppers have the chance to win vouchers ahead of the store’s opening on November 2 in the newly redeveloped Rundle Mall Plaza, as well as the chance to be the first to shop there ahead of the public opening.

During last year’s Vogue Festival Rundle Mall recorded $45 million in sales and a 21% boost on its usual activity. About 230,000 visitors are estimated to have poured into the shopping strip across the festival.

The 2018 Vogue Festival will also bring entertainment, styling sessions, pop-up bars, DJs and exclusive shopping offers.
David Jones ambassador Jessica Gomes and Vogue Australia editors will also make an appearance.

When: October 19, 20
Where: Rundle Mall
Tickets: free

Spot the next generation in fashion
Emerging local designers will showcase their pieces for the AFF TAFE SA showcase, entirely produced by TAFE SA students from hair and makeup, lighting, visual merchandising, catering, event management, and music and graphics fields.

Second and third-year design students will present looks that represent their vision of ‘athleisure’, which is one of the fastest growing sectors in the global fashion industry.

When: October 19, 6pm
Where: AFF Runway, Torrens Parade Grounds
Tickets: front row $50, second row $30, standard: free.

Slow it down on Saturday
The fashion world revolves around new trends. But what about designers who are slowing it down and championing for sustainable and ethical fashion?

October 20 is Slow Saturday, a three-part day where guests will attend a runway styled by Vogue Australia fashion editor Philippa Moroney featuring a collection of sustainable brands. Vintage threads and surplus stock will also get a restyled run.

Tasting Australia’s Simon Bryant will prepare a three-course lunch teamed with Wicks Estate Wines.

The day will also include a discussion with Vogue Australia’s sustainability editor at large Clare Press and a team of local SA designers who are also slow fashion enthusiasts.

When: October 20, from 11.30am
Where: AFF Runway, Torrens Parade Grounds
Tickets: from $120

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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