Inside our farming business - The Weekly Times, November 2021

We recently had the pleasure of welcoming journalist Kate Dowler from The Weekly Times, along with local photographer Karla Northcott, to our farm to learn more about our Australian garlic business. 

With the headline and caption "Inside multimillion-dollar Western District farm business" - The Schild family from Victoria’s Western District are aiming to grow their Grange Garlic enterprise into a $80 million dollar enterprise, we featured in the Focus section of the 12 November edition of The Weekly Times.

As the only commercial garlic grower in our region, and only one of about four companies in the country growing garlic at scale, it was a real privilege to be able to share our story with The Weekly Times.   

After what was a tough start for the Schild family, launching just as COVID-19 hit, and entering unchartered territory,  the Australian garlic business is now taking off, with huge potential. 

So, here's some of the highlights of the article {if you'd like to read the whole article, head on over to The Weekly Times and take out a subscription)

• Garlic crops have never been grown locally at commercial, broadacre scale with Grange Garlic carving out a new local intensive horticulture industry in the Southern Grampians region of Victoria, 3.5 hours from Melbourne 
• Lead by husband-and-wife team Wayne and Tracey, and children Daniel and Tara, the family has faced numerous setbacks and acknowledges some 'tricky hurdles' ahead
• This has the potential to be a dynamic new industry for fellow farmers throughout the Western District
• Big Vision - the Schild's saw the need and the huge potential for locally grown product, high in quality, that could be supplied in fresh, wet minced form, allowing for a year-round supply
• The growing conditions in the Southern Grampians region are very conducive. The winter crop is dry sown into raised beds in April-May and harvested in November-December. 
• Garlic is an incredibly low water user however water licencing has proved difficult; irrigation is needed to get the crop safely out of the ground
• Almost 4 million garlic plants have been sown over 11 hectares, and yields are doubling as knowledge of the crop expands
• Within the next five years an $80 million industry could be created, employing in excess of 75 people.
• Grange Garlic has also invested a lot of research in to how to preserve allicin, the key health-giving, immune-boosting component that is formed when garlic is crushed.  
• Wayne says "We've been able to stabilise the product under the lid, and because of its healthy-giving properties, none of the food pathogens can survive in it"
• The 100% Australian garlic in its fresh minced form will be sold via retail stockists Australia-wide and in the food service and food processing industries.

Wayne says "The marketing part now is really a joy because our product is so potently normal, all Australian grown and natural, opposed to being watered down or imported. You only have to use about a quarter compared to others."

The product delivers true value - which is not only about what you pay for it, but the full flavour and aroma profiles deliver premium results when used in cooking, the health benefits of garlic are widely acclaimed and we have peeled and chopped it for you, reducing time spent on food preparation. 

So, be sure to grab some if you haven't already!   

Credit to: The Weekly Times, Kate Dowler Journalist and Karla Northcott Photographer.