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South Australia (SA) is more than frog cakes and Farmers’ Union iced coffee… it’s also known for its fresh produce, regional food producers and world-class wines. Our Client Services Manager for South Australia, and Head of Health & Medical, Trent Woodward, checked in with three family-owned local businesses to learn more about what makes these businesses unique and how Honan has helped the next generation to scale up and thrive in regional South Australia.
Location:Tanunda (Barossa Valley, 70km north-east of Adelaide)
What is your unique business proposition?:
Apex Bakery use traditional Barossa recipes dating back to the 1800s. With house specialities including ferment doughs/breads, together with pies and pasties all baked in the wood fired oven, you will taste the difference at this acclaimed regional favourite.
Tell us a fun fact about Apex Bakery:
The Apex Bakery wood oven has been continuously fired since 1924, making it what is believed to be the longest continuously fired commercial wood oven in Australia. All Apex breads are slow fermented for up to 12 hours, producing an unforgettable taste. With a little help from Maggie Beer, Apex Bakery's infamous wood oven supplied the coals to light the Tasting Australia wood oven in Adelaide Town Square.
How has working with Honan helped you?
Apex Bakery is a brand well known in the local community, particularly for their artisan approach to baking. The importance of maintaining these techniques, and their priceless history, has been critical to the owners, the brand and the community more broadly. Through quality ongoing advice and robust insurance policies, Honan has provided the critical assurance the Apex team has needed to focus on what they do best - baking amazing products!
Location: Barossa Valley
What is your unique business proposition?:
Tomfoolery wines is a family owned business producing some of Australia’s best handmade wines. They provide a unique cellar door experience, and a premium bed and breakfast on the winery site too.
Tell us a fun fact about Tomfoolery Wines:
The winemaking at Tomfoolery is traditional, with wild yeasts, open fermenters, hand plunging and basket pressing the order of the day. Ben “Chippy” Chipman prides himself on putting an approachable spin on wine. For instance, all Tomfoolery wines have a name which captures the brand story; from ‘Trouble and Strife’ rose to ‘The Dust Up’ and flagship ‘Artful Dodger’ … all labels are highly memorable by name, and unforgettable by the taste! One of Tomfoolery’s leading wines, ‘Benito De Soto’ is named after a Galacian pirate Benito De Soto. This notorious captain of the Burla Negra, was the last of the great ships to plunder the Atlantic. Many a sailor's heart sank in fear at the sight of her dark sails. The inspiration for this wine was fleeced through voyage and vintage in the far vineyards of Benito’s Galacian homeland. The wine takes 5 years to finally reach the cellar door, and is Ben’s nod to Spain where he spent a vintage early in his career.
How has working with Honan helped you?
With the opening of a cellar door, to their thriving bed and breakfast accommodation, Tomfoolery has achieved substantial growth over the past few years. Over this time, Over this time, Honan provided a full review of their program highlighting areas which would allow the business further to adapt and scale. The ongoing advice and support of their program allows Tomfoolery to take their wine and passion to more people with confidence.
Location: Mundoo Island, Fleurieu Peninsula
What is your unique business proposition?:
This unique property is a privately owned cattle and sheep station 1.5 hours drive south of Adelaide in the Coorong on the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia. Mundoo Island (MI) Station is also the last farming property on the River Murray - where the river meets the sea. The station is run over a series of islands nestled in the mouth of the River Murray, the largest being Mundoo Island - 3,000 acres (approx. 1,200 hectares). Fresh water passes through the barrages (under normal river flow) and mixes with the salt water corridor of the Coorong, flowing out to the Southern Ocean via the Murray mouth, taking with it the accumulated salts, pollutants and nutrients from the entire length of the Murray-Darling Basin System.
Tell us a fun fact about Mundoo Island Station:
Three of the five River Murray Barrages, in the Coorong at the end of the river, dissect MI Station. Thus, Mundoo islands has the salt water of the Coorong on one side and the fresh water of the River Murray on the other. Due to its extensive wetlands, MI Station is home to myriad birdlife and native animals including several endangered and vulnerable species. How has working with Honan helped you? Honan provided Mundoo Island Station’s owners with the security and peace of mind to focus on scaling their agriculture and tourism businesses, and ultimately showcase their unique part of the world to more people. The Station now offers farm stay, birdwatching and station tours, photography workshops and Coorong camping – additional revenue streams for their business.
Trent WoodwardHead of Health and Medical
Please feel free to contact Trent at any time on trent.woodward@honan.com.au , +61 437 080 655 or connect with him on LinkedIn.
