LOST River Produce, the new place to get all your fresh fruit, vegies and meat, is opening this Saturday August 21 in the old Crookwell Fruit and Veg shop.
Young entrepreneurs, Phillip and Rebecca McCormack, bought the business in July and in a month have revamped the entire premises.
IN the Lost River Produce premises you will walk into polished floorboards, displays of fresh fruit and vegetables with corrugated iron and stained timber.
A massive walk-in coolroom is a major feature where you will find all of your fresh meat including beef and lamb straight from their farm.
But this is not an entirely new venture for the young couple.
Lost River Produce first began selling farm fresh beef and lamb four years ago when they started going to Canberra Markets at Exhibition Park on a Saturday mornings.
Either Phillip or Rebecca will get up at 2.30am, load up, and head off.
They return by 2 or 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
The couple plan to continue this practise even with the business in Crookwell.
They then began selling direct to the customer’s door through phone and internet orders.
“With agriculture being such a volatile industry we were looking for a way to stabilize our business and produce a guaranteed return for our products, whilst passing the savings onto our customers,” said Phillip.
With their business building up, they built their own on-farm processing facility in November 2009.
“This has enabled us to control the whole production line from the paddock right through to your plate,” said Phillip.
Their facility is fully licensed with NSW and ACT Food Authority.
They employ five full time staff – Melinda Kennedy, Anne Warren, Craig Hills, Graham Day and Greg Cooper.
Melinda will be at the Crookwell store full-time.
“The people that work at home are very important to us,” said Rebecca.
“They keep the wheels turning.”
Lost River Produce also sells their lamb and beef direct to local businesses and further a field.
Every Thursday they do their weekly run from Crookwell to Goulburn, Southern Highlands, Taralga, Laggan and back home.
All meat is cut and packed to individual requirements and delivered to the door within 24 hours of being packaged.
An added bonus to the business is Rebecca’s background.
She is a fully qualified accountant, having worked and trained with Boyce Accountants in Goulburn for
10 years.
Two years ago, Rebecca left Boyce to have their second child, Ellie, and to help manage the family business full time.
The store in Crookwell will be designed for full customer convenience as well as supporting our agricultural industry with a majority of products coming direct from farmers.
As well as their own produce, in season fruit and vegetables will be offered, as will chicken and pork.
The pork is locally sourced from Stephen Evans of Peelwood.
Organic milk, yoghurt, fancy cheeses and bread will also be available.
“Obviously there are products that we will slowly build up on,” said Rebecca.
“Like any business you have to see how it goes and build it up gradually.”
Lost River Produce will also be offering a number of ready-made meals, great for the busy lifestyle.
“The basil pesto crusted lamb cutlets are to die for,” said Rebecca.
“Twenty minutes in the oven is all it takes and they are beautiful!”
Lost River Produce guarantee premium beef and lamb. One hundred per cent no hormones, no antibiotics, grass fed, aged for optimum tenderness and consistent quality
“It’s a unique product we are going to do here,” said Phillip.
Lost River Produce opens this coming Saturday at 8am - 4pm, 40 Goulburn Street, Crookwell. There will be opening specials and a barbecue. Drop in and have a look at the new premises and say hello to Phillip and Rebecca.
Normal opening hours will be from 8am-6pm Monday to Friday, 8am - 1pm Saturday.
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