Barossa Food - Organisation Story
Barossa Food - a feast of true produce, people and their stories
The food of Barossa is as diverse and respected as the region’s wines, and similarly shaped by an unmatched history. Barossa Food brings this rich tapestry together under the one banner to showcase its producers, large and small.
Barossa Food was established in 2001 at grassroots level to preserve and promote the farming and culinary traditions of the region. The focus rapidly evolved as membership grew, representing a multi-faceted modern food industry anchored by the culture of its pioneers.
Today, Barossa Food collectively showcases the region’s food offer and the people behind it. Through information sharing and pooling of resources, that offer continually grows.
Members’ products include poultry, pork, game and lamb; milk, cream and cheese; bread, pastry, lavosh and cookies; preserves, pickles and condiments; artisanal small goods and the region’s famed smoked meats. The common link is a commitment to the integrity of the region handed down over six generations.
Other members include local restaurants that work faithfully with this produce, independent grocers who stock their shelves with Barossa grown ingredients, wineries that share the region’s food across their tables, and the vibrant Farmers Markets in Angaston and Mount Pleasant.
Co-founder, Board Member and Barossa producer Jan Angas says Barossa Food’s efforts over the past 12 years has established the region’s name as a mark of quality.
“No other region can present the diversity and heritage Barossa can, and it continues to gather momentum as new members join,” Angas says. “Barossa was one of the first names to appear on menus as chefs embraced the importance of provenance, and continues to be so.”
The national exposure has attracted a new generation of producers and providors from outside the region who have since made Barossa home, ensuring Barossa Food is at the forefront of the Australian food movement.
The collective nature of Barossa Food extends beyond produce and works directly with the Barossa Grape & Wine Association, Tourism Barossa, Eat Local, South Australian Tourism, and the Department of Primary Industries and Regions of South Australia, to cooperatively promote Brand Barossa and its connection from ‘dirt to plate’.
“Food is a major driver of tourism in the region, and we work hard to ensure visitors can experience the breadth of our regional produce. Local restaurants and retailers support the local producers, and our members are active participants in local markets.
“Barossa cannot be just a place. It is an experience, an attitude and a destination.”