Sunshine Coast to shine at Regional Flavours

Sunshine Coast food and beverage producers will soon be on show to more than 90,000 people during the annual Regional Flavours event, Brisbane’s free food and wine festival on July 15-16 at South Bank Parklands.

Sunshine Coast Council in partnership with Visit Sunshine Coast and the Food and Agribusiness Network (FAN) have sponsored a Flavours of the Sunshine Coast regional hub which will showcase 10 local food and beverage companies, while local celebrity chef Peter Wolfe will create a number of locally inspired dishes for the Taste of Queensland stage and the region’s menu hub.

The Flavours of the Sunshine Coast regional hub will demonstrate the supportive environment in the region for food and agribusiness innovation, showing why it’s a great place for the industry to locate their business and expand, as well as promoting the region as a food tourism destination.

FAN general manager Emma Greenhatch said Regional Flavours was a key event on the calendar and gave producers a valuable opportunity to connect directly with thousands of consumers and to promote the diverse range of quality products produced in our region.

“FAN is delighted to be partnering with Sunshine Coast Council and Visit Sunshine Coast on this initiative, which will see the Sunshine Coast with one of the largest regional hubs at the event,” Ms Greenhatch said.

“With so much happening in the Sunshine Coast’s food and agribusiness industry, it’s timely to take advantage of events such as this to showcase our quality products and capabilities to audiences beyond the region.

“It is also an opportunity to demonstrate the region’s supportive business environment and the collaboration that is occurring at both the business level and with industry stakeholders.

“Ultimately events such as these are all about raising awareness and driving new sales, and we hope the participating businesses have a fantastic couple of days.”

Supporting the regional hub will be local celebrity chef Peter Wolfe, otherwise known as the “Free Ranging Chef”, who will be producing a local reef fish dish during the Queensland Taste show, as well as running the menu hub where he will serve regional dishes incorporating produce from some of the stallholders and also other producers from the region.

Economic Development and Innovation Portfolio Cr Steve Robinson said food and agribusiness was a vital industry for the Sunshine Coast with its contribution to our economy valued at $670 million.

“The industry is one of the seven high-value industries identified in our Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS) and it’s important to council to continue to support and assist our local businesses to achieve success, both locally, nationally and internationally,” Cr Robinson said.

“Strong growth is continuing to be seen in the region’s processing sector which recorded a 13% value increase in 2016 compared to the previous 12 months.”

Division 5 Cr Jenny McKay, whose division contains many of the region’s leading producers and will be among those attending Regional Flavours, said the event was a great opportunity for council to partner with FAN and Visit Sunshine Coast to highlight the region’s food and agribusiness links.

“With more than 900 food and agribusinesses calling the Sunshine Coast home, this event provides an opportunity to continue to position the region as the food innovation capital of Australia,” Cr McKay said.

“I would encourage our residents to go to Brisbane during the two-day event to support our local businesses, while also enjoying the food, wine and activities on offer.”

Visit Sunshine Coast chief executive officer Simon Latchford said Regional Flavours was an exciting event to be part of.

“I believe the Sunshine Coast is qualified to own the title of Queensland’s leading ‘food tourism’ destination and attendance at Regional Flavours will help visitors get a taste of the region’s extensive and diverse food offerings,” Mr Latchford said.

“While our beaches and sunshine may be a primary attraction for many visitors, there is far more depth to the region’s tourism menu.

“The beauty is that you can enjoy time at the beach in the morning and head off to the Hinterland for a food discovery tour in the afternoon.

“Our attendance at Regional Flavours follows the development of a new interactive website that enables visitors to create their own personalised food trail taking in the region’s best producers, markets, restaurants, cooking schools, events, wineries and brewers.

“We will also giving away an exclusive three-night Sunshine Coast foodie getaway valued at $3000.”

For more information about Regional Flavours, visit regionalflavours.com.au.

To find out more about food and agribusiness on the Sunshine Coast, visit invest.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au or to view the Sunshine Coast food trail go to www.visitsunshinecoast.com/foodtrails.

Fast Facts:

The following local businesses will be on show as stallholders during Regional Flavours:

• Woombye Cheese Co.
• Maleny Black Angus Beef
• Hum Honey
• QCamel
• Ten Acres
• KOKOPOD Chocolate
• Fresh Chai Co
• Pip’s Real Food
• The Bear and the Ladle

Photo caption: Visitors enjoying the 2016 Regional Flavours event.