Who: Jacqui Harvey, Yarra Valley Gourmet Foods
Where: Seville, Yarra Ranges Shire, Wurundjeri Country
Jacqui, take us back to the beginning.
In 2013, I decided to explore food tourism and built a little factory on our farm in Seville where I would bring people and show them how I value-added to my farm produce. I had an orchard and a greenhouse. What I wasn’t expecting was the success and growth. Today, that greenhouse is barely able to keep up supplying just one of my lines – tomato relish.
You have several brands?
We have Yarra Valley Preserves and Mad Dog Chilli Sauces. We also contract-make preserves for many of the cherry growers in the valley and other businesses. We sell across Australia and also export overseas.
You’re proudly Yarra Valley.
It really annoys me that there are manufacturers who use the Yarra Valley brand but have factories elsewhere in the state. I proudly use berries, raspberries, redcurrants, green tomatoes, and other raw ingredients from across the Yarra Valley and make it all here in Seville with our 11 local employees.
Can we still visit you?
Of course. There is a window in our farm gate so you can see how we make everything.
What are your favourite products?
That is a hard question, but if I had to choose, I’d say Horseradish Mustard made with freshly picked Victorian horseradish root. I also love my Rosemary Jelly, made with my own home-grown rosemary and apples from neighbouring orchards, as well as the Rhubarb, Raspberry & Vanilla Bean Jam – it outsells the other jams three to one.
Where do we get it?
Come and visit us at our farm gate in beautiful Seville or go online to check out our retail stockists or place an online order at yarravalleygourmetfoods.com.au.