Farmer Brown's Pastured Eggs, Outback Lamb, Gourmet Goat Lady win Regional Platters pitch

Fiona Averyard has joined forces with Angus Maurice from Wellington’s Farmer Brown’s Pastured Eggs and Gourmet Goat Lady’s Jo Stewart from Warren, and were among a number of producers to take part in Dubbo Regional Council’s Regional Platters initiative.

As well as taking part in intensive workshops, participants were given the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges.

Outback Lamb, Gourmet Goat Lady and Farmer Brown’s Pastured Eggs combined to create 3 Farmers Freight. Their idea was to purchase a truck together to take their produce to Sydney.

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3 Farmers Freight won the pitch, earning $10,000 and a business plan. It was also awarded the $5000 People’s Choice prize.

Ms Averyard said, while she came on board much later, the producers found getting produce to Sydney either in one piece or at the right time was quite difficult.  

“For Gourmet Goat and myself to get full carcass’ into Sydney can be quite tricky … freight is important in transporting fresh products … because we are branded as a quality product, we want to deliver in quality as well,” Ms Averyard said. 

As well as being a more reliable option, the producer said it was also more cost-effective for the businesses.

The businesses are also working together to make their products available from the same stockists. Butchers who are selling Outback Lamb products can also sell Farmer Brown’s eggs.

The trio formed the partnership through the Regional Platters program. There were 31 businesses involved in the initiative, which focused on diversifying and expanding the agri-business sector across Orana. 

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“They’re a very supportive group I love it,” Ms Averyard said. 

“What has amazed me is that 90 per cent of sales are in a two-hour radius … people in the region love local product, and support growth in the region. “

Ms Averyard said Regional Platters taught her to take time out to look at her business and was an opportunity for farmers, who are usually geographically isolated to get out and work together. 

“The key thing I took away was when you have a hand in a business, it’s very difficult to work on your business, so it’s important to take some time out to have a look at what your doing and fine tune it.”

She said that despite being in one of the worst seasons of drought, it is a time when the agriculture sector is continuing to grow. 

“We have amazing produce out here.”

“The future is bright,” she said. 

As part of the program, the council has launched the 2018/19 Regional Platters Guide. It can be viewed at dubbo.com.au/regional-platters.

Ms Averyard said she was very grateful to all the council’s who were on board and gave them the opportunity to participate in the program.