Rural
9 February, 2021
Maleny Dairies’ Milk on Tap in Brisbane
HISTORY was made in December when Harris Farm Markets officially opened their Clayfield store with - for the first time anywhere - milk from Queensland’s multi-award-winning Maleny Dairies on the Sunshine Coast hinterland on tap.
Harris Farm Markets gives shoppers the chance to buy Maleny Dairies’ famous full cream Guernsey milk on tap, in a huge coup for Queensland milk lovers.
“It’s about as close as you’ll get to milk straight from the cow. Come into store and one of our staff will pour a bottle of Maleny Dairies milk straight from the tap, or pick up a bottle already prepared by us,” said Harris Farm Markets co-CEO Tristan Harris.
“We are extremely proud of our On Tap Milk offering, given it champions the dairy farmer and their local area. It’s how milk is supposed to be, and taste!”
Maleny Dairies owners Ross & Sally Hopper, whose family began farming the land in 1948, said, “We are very excited that Harris Farm is prepared to support our great dairy products and, in turn, support Queensland dairy farmers and our Queensland Dairy industry well into the future.”
The family-owned Harris Farm Markets will open not one, but two stores in Brisbane, beginning with Clayfield before opening a flagship store at West Village in West End mid-2021. Champions of truly seasonal product, Harris Farm Markets have operated for over 40 years. The two Brisbane stores will offer produce from more than 300 Queensland growers, creators and producers, including Maleny Dairies milk on tap, My Berries from Caboolture, Brisbane’s Roza’s Gourmet sauces, organic chicken from Hobbs Family Farms Organic in Pittsworth.
In addition, combined the two stores will employ over 200 staff, a welcome injection to the local economy. Queensland is the first state for the NSW-based business to expand into, and there’s a reason: Queensland has a history with Harris Farm Markets.
Harris Farm Markets opened at the site of the current Clayfield Markets on Sandgate Road, home to an outstanding fruit and vegetable offering for 25 years, and run by much-loved locals, Carlo & Susan Lorenti. It’s this site that holds the history.
“We are incredibly excited to be opening at this site because Harris Farm used to own it 30 years ago before selling it to Carlo and Susan. It’s a full-circle story and we are thrilled that Carlo and Susan are staying on as our managers, along with as many staff as possible,” said Harris Farm Markets co-CEO Tristan Harris.
“The Clayfield store is now home to the best in fruit and vegetables, including an organic produce section and a leaderboard of Queensland strawberries and mangoes, as well as a gourmet grocery section of boutique local products, an extensive deli and offering of more than 200 cheeses, a bakery section with the best breads from sourdough to brioche, and a premium meat selection.”
Sustainability is a driver for the business. In addition to an incredible range of the best local produce, Harris Farms Markets also celebrates Imperfect Picks in every store.
“This is the seasonal produce that might not look perfect on the outside but are as perfect as ever on the inside. Imperfect Picks helps reduce the astonishing statistic that 25 per cent of farmers’ crops currently never leave the farm gate simply because they may not look ‘normal’, and do not meet the visual specifications of some consumers and supermarkets.
This means every time someone buys an Imperfect Pick, they are helping us take more of our farmer’s crops, helping to reduce food wastage and most importantly, saving 50 per cent at the checkout,” said Harris.
