The Northern Adelaide Plains is home to a horticulture industry that produces approximately 200,000 tonnes of fresh produce and over $300 million in farm-gate value annually.
Television program Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield recently visited the region and cooked up a storm using products from four local growers and producers.
Everyday Gourmet airs nationally and internationally to 69 countries exposing the region, and our food and beverage business community to key export markets.
Justine's stopover will be aired later this year on Network 10, with recipes available on the Northern Adelaide Plains website.
The Family Spirit
Con and Jon Liolios, brothers behind the family business 36 Short.
Boutique distillery Virginia Spirits is gaining national acclaim, with five Australian Distilled Spirit Awards and four SIP International Spirit Awards under its belt for the 36 Short range.
The family business, run by siblings Jon, Con and Helen Liolios, pays tribute to their Macedonian-born father Pando's suit size, 36 Short.
"We have distilled and launched the first rakia to be licensed and sold in Australia, using the secret recipe passed down from father to son over generations."
"Our late father used to make white and gold Rakia, so we started the business with rakia, and then decide to give gin a go."
Health Food, Healthy Heart
T.Musolino & Co is a traditional land-based open-field farm producing premium-quality cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and iceberg lettuce.
Director Frank Musolino said the family have been operating in Virginia for over 60 years.
"I am proud to live and work in the state's food bowl."
In 2016 the business diversified into value-added processed products through Healthy Heart Produce, which specialises in the production, packaging and distribution of innovative vegetable rice, namely cauliflower and sweet potato rice.
Healthy Heart Produce director Christopher Musolino said "cauliflower and sweet potato rice products are low-carb alternatives for health conscious people.
Mushroom Magic
Nick and Nat Femia from SA Mushrooms.
SA Mushrooms is owned and operated by Sam, Nick and Nat Femia and is the second-largest privately owned mushroom farm in South Australia.
The climate-controlled Waterloo Corner facility recently expanded, growing the business from 65 staff to up to 100 employees by December.
Mushroom production will increase from 20 tonnes of fresh, Swiss brown, white buttom and field mushrooms to 50 tonnes per week, enabling a national distribution.
Managing director Nick Femia is proud of the company's latest product, Rosetta's Mushroom Cream Sauce, named in honour of his mother who was an exceptional cook.
"The sauce is made with the freshest mushrooms from the farm and 100 per cent natural ingredients."
Lighting the Way
Nick Goode, Andrew Potter and Harish Kumar Chauhanfrom P'Petual
Buckland Park-based P'Petual is among Australia's largest greenhouse farming businesses, growing a variety of tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplants, under the brand Ausfresh.
Director Henry Liu said the company's state-of-the-art greenhouses provide a protected environment to help control growing conditions to ensure high-quality fruit that is available all-year round.
Nick Goode, P'Petual's Project Manager, is managing an ambitious expansion of the horticultural facilities.
"At the completion of the expansion it is expected that up to 250 jobs will be created in the areas of harvesting, sorting and packaging the produce on-site."