Beerenberg Farm

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Beerenberg Farm is an Australian producer of preserves, jams, mustards and sauces, located in Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia. The company premises are a tourist attraction on the state's food-and-wine trail[1], and has gained an international reputation due to the use of its portion-sized products in Australian and international airlines and hotels.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

The original farm was founded in 1839 by German migrant Johann Paech, as a dairy farm. When the farm was inherited by descendent Grant Paech and his wife Carol in 1969, they sold the dairy cows and named the farm "Beerenberg" in reference to the Paech family's German heritage.

Originally selling home-made jams from a roadside stall, the company introduced a single portion jar that which resulted in them being awarded several major airline contracts.[3]

Beerenberg's has received a South Australian Premier's Food Award for its contribution to horticulture and the food industry.[4]

[edit] International exports and major contracts

Beerenberg pioneered the concept of portion serves (miniature jars) for its premium quality jams and preserves, in order to fulfil a contract with Qantas, Australia's flagship airline, to cater for their first and business class meals.[3]

In 2002, the company exported a first instalment of 40,000 jars of jam to China[3] which were used as part of the Hong Kong-based Dragonair airline's food service. The company is one of the best-known brands in the Asia-Pacific region's hotel industry.[5]

Twenty percent of the company's sales are exports to Asia, with a small amount exported to the United Kingdom.[3]

[edit] Products

Beerenberg's primary product, accounting for about a third of their total business, is the company's strawberry jam.

The company also produces a range of mustards[6], marmalades, chutneys, sauces and marinades, pickles, dressings, dessert toppings and olive oil.

[edit] Tourist attraction

The Beerenberg Farm is an Adelaide Hills tourist attraction amongst the breweries and wineries in the German-influenced Hahndorf region. Visitors can pick their own strawberries (during the strawberry season from October to May), as well as visiting the on-site jam kitchen and farm shop.[7]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hahndorf - South Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 February 2004.
  2. ^ Harcourt, Tim: When the Great Wall comes down: China's economic resurgence means opportunities for Australian exporters, Austrade, 26 March 2002.
  3. ^ a b c d Adams, Prue: Strawberry Farm, Landline (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), December 6, 1998
  4. ^ Past Winners of the Premier's Food Awards, Government of South Australia.
  5. ^ Open Learning - Managing People, Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).
  6. ^ Dunlop, Rob: The wurst of times, The Australian, 23 September 2006
  7. ^ Adelaide Hills Attractions, South Australian Tourism Commission (Singapore).

[edit] External links