Welcome to our Winter Newsletter!
Nearly 6 months into the new year and what a year it has been...
We do not mention any of this anymore as we are all to aware of the situation.
Life as it was only 3 month ago doesn’t exist anymore and we have to adapt to our new way of life. Until there is a breakthrough how to combat viruses like these we have to be at our best to stay safe. As we mentioned in our special newsletter earlier we are all affected. Businesses small and big are suffering from the economic downturn and many will not survive.
We took it as a forced holiday, there hasn't been such a long time before without cooking as we can remember, but we do not sit still and we started with research for future releases.
Even if you’re a small business like ours costs are the same if you are busy or not. Bills need to be paid, bills you have for running a business, tax, utilities, insurances, run an online shop, consumables. Freezers running with stacks of produce we all of a sudden can’t sell.
We got on the way with our relocation to a bigger premises, just 2 weeks before the shutdown. Everything from there on was a struggle. As of today we’re 4 weeks behind schedule and counting, that means we are moving business very close to Christmas a time hopefully filled with busyness.
Registration, requirements for the kitchen, equipment, flooring, water quality etc. all need to be taken into consideration. Not an easy one if you’re on a timeline.
Late last year we applied for a government grant to allow us to expand our operation and to create employment opportunities in the country. After waiting month after month we follow-up again and then got notified after 5 (!) months that our application had been rejected despite the fact that the local Regional Development Victoria government department classified our application as likely to be successful....
Our normal business operations never really stopped. I guess we are the lucky ones who could put the isolation out into the countryside and harvesting lots of berries and fruit.
It feels like being out there is to escape the reality that life throws at us at times.
Your mind is at ease as we do our job.
Harvest has now come to an end and we harvested our last raspberries for the season. It was again a terrific harvest. So we’re safe for some time, cooking Raspberry Vodka Jam and Raspberry Banana Jam. Netting will be stored and a big clean up-in the orchard is on the cards.
Saying that we are still around and operating and even that there weren’t any farmers markets to go to, our online business saved us initially from going under.
We take the opportunity to say a big THANK YOU to all our customers and stockists in Ballarat, around the country and even from overseas who so gratefully supported us during this difficult time. And we were lucky to add even some new stockists to our family.
Discover our stockists
The recovery from the fires and from this economic disaster will take some time but we will do our best to still be here whenever you need some sweet, savory and/or healthy fix.
Out of this reason we have some new releases for you, because everybody needs a little sunshine in their life right now and it is citrus time!!!
So here they are...
