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Vegies

Vic Grown

By the time he was 18, Norm had 300 beehives in the Yarra Valley, and as business expanded, he began to source honey from across Victoria. Norm’s youngest son Richard, a trained chef, is the third generation of the Collins clan to be involved in the business and remains committed to its core values. 

“We do it all,” says Richard. “From beekeeping to extracting to packing and labelling. I like to call it real world honey made by real people.” Now based in Bendigo, Collins Honey’s range of products includes honey from ironbark trees in the Bendigo region, red stringybarks from Benalla, giant mallees from Hattah and red river gums around Mathoura on the Murray River. 

The availability of these varieties is dictated by the seasons so the honey flavours change throughout the year. Collins Honey is widely available from supermarkets, farmers markets and other outlets. And it all started with a dad paying attention to his son.

[collinshoney.com](http://collinshoney.com) [@collins_honey](https://www.instagram.com/collins_honey/?hl=en)

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Products:

* Pure honey in 500g and 1kg glass jars, 1kg plastic bucket or 400g squeeze bottle
* Creamed honey in 500g glass jars

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Collins Honey

First planted in 1943 and originally known as Toscana Olives, the grove here now has more than 28,000 trees, all grown using sustainable farming practices, free from pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers. 

Among the varieties are some that are relatively rare in Australia, including Verdale and Bouquettier. The grove’s low-density, dryland planting method results in a low yield, but the quality and flavour of the fruit is excellent. “Our beautiful organic olives produce some of the finest organic cold-pressed, unrefined, unfiltered extra virgin olive oil in Australia,” says owner Greg Matthews. 

“We’re very proud of it and the fact that it’s loved by both chefs and families all across the country.” An emphasis on quality over quantity means all GOC oil is bottled by hand in small batches, ensuring maximum freshness, while table olives are handpicked and immediately brined to ensure freshness and flavour. The flavours used in the company’s infused oils – truffle, herbs, blood orange, garlic – are organic too, keeping the standard and sustainability of the range impeccable.

[grampiansoliveco.com.au](http://grampiansoliveco.com.au) [@grampiansoliveco](https://www.instagram.com/grampiansoliveco/?hl=en)

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Products: 

* Organic extra virgin olive oil in quantities ranging from 100ml to 20 litres
* Infused extra virgin olive oil
* Verdale organic olives

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Grampians Olive Co

**Good Brew** produces kombucha and the “Champagne of kombucha”, jun, a lighter, bubblier drink made with green tea and honey rather than kombucha’s more robust black tea and cane sugar. Dean has built his business with triple-bottom-line aims: to be good for the health of customers, to be good for other brewers by promoting their brews alongside his own, and to be good for the planet with an environmentally friendly approach that includes solar-powered brewing and the exclusive use of organic and local products such as Daylesford spring water, local honey, organic teas and sugar, and an impressive range of flavours, from strawberry gum and passion flower to lemongrass, ginger and purple corn. 

Good Brew sells home brew kits and runs workshops for those wanting to become experts in all things kombucha and jun. Blending science, herbal medicine, sustainable practices, good attitude, healthy probiotics and delicious flavour, Good Brew is a drinks company right for our times.

[goodbrew.com.au](http://goodbrew.com.au) [@goodbrewco](https://www.instagram.com/goodbrewco/?hl=en)

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Products:

* Good Brew kombucha (nine flavours) and jun (two flavours)
* Kombucha and jun brewery kits: “Brewery in a box”

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The Good Brew Company

Neville Mock, part of the fourth generation of the family to work the orchards, continues the tradition of nurturing and nourishing the apple trees without using any herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilisers, and making ciders and juices in small quantities with no added sugar, colours or flavours. “Our classic cider is made from pink lady and royal gala apples and tastes like a mouthful of fresh pink ladies,” says Neville. 

“It’s a perfect blend of traditional technique and modern attitude – not too sweet or too dry.” 

Mock products are available in retail stores and online but the best course of action is to buy direct from the farm gate and Cider Lounge located in the refurbished packing and cool store buildings at the Red Hill property. In winter you’ll find hot mulled cider; in summer, cider-based cocktails. 

History, family and excellent cider combined are a compelling argument.

[mockredhill.com.au](http://mockredhill.com.au) [@mockredhill](https://www.instagram.com/mockredhill/?hl=en)

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Products:

* Classic apple cider
* Apple and pear cider
* Sparkling apple juice
* Apple cider vinegar

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Mock Red Hill

This has meant working with locally sourced biodynamic and organic ingredients, as well as a large solar array, which powers all the baking and the electric delivery van. 

Simon believes that good relations with producers are vital in ensuring his baked goods are the best they can possibly be. “We've spent years getting to know the producers that make the stone-ground flours and grains we use,” he says. “We know them, but more importantly, we like them. 

They are all good people, and the love and care they bring to their craft shines through in the produce they make.” 

**Millett Road Maker** no longer operates from the family kitchen – a purpose-built bakery on the property has enabled Simon to expand production, though he still bakes in small batches and sells his range through small retailers and farmers markets across the Macedon Ranges and in Melbourne.

[millettroadmaker.com.au](http://millettroadmaker.com.au) [@millettroadmaker](https://www.instagram.com/millettroadmaker/?hl=en)

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Products:

* Spitfire wholegrain wheat sourdough crumpets
* Burrum wholegrain spelt sourdough crumpets

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Millett Road Maker

What Michael and Jenny Bogicevic began in the early 1980s as a small, enterprising market garden business on 45 acres on the Mornington Peninsula has expanded into an innovative and award-winning enterprise that grows more than 150 varieties of salad greens and 14 different culinary herbs on more than 1000 hectares of farmland across Victoria. 

Michael and Jenny’s move from market gardeners to leafy green specialists started at a school function when a fellow parent, a Frenchman, introduced them to mesclun, a mix of colourful leaves that originated in Provence. They were immediately hooked, and **Coolibah Herbs** was born. 

The couple’s children work in the business now, carefully monitoring every aspect of the process – from germination and growing to harvesting, packing and final delivery – to ensure quality. 

State-of-the-art equipment and, increasingly, organic farming are part of the Coolibah model too. “Michael’s a perfectionist and an entrepreneur who’s passionate about farming and organic produce,” says Jenny. It’s passion and perfectionism put to very good use.

[coolibah.com.au](http://coolibah.com.au)

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Products

* Organic and Conventional Salad Mix
* Organic and Conventional Wild Roquette
* Organic and Conventional Baby Spinach

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