FREYCINET Marine Farm at Coles Bay is now Tasmania’s only commercial mussel grower and its reputation is growing having recently been named a national winner in a prestigious award.
Julia and Giles Fisher, who bought the farm in 2005, have been named winners of the national “From the Sea” category of the Harvey Norman Delicious awards for their fresh mussels.
The delicious, juicy and fresh mussels are the basis for the Fishers’ range of four pickled mussel products, and an upcoming range of gourmet mussel-based soup mixes, under the Fishers of Freycinet brand.
The development of the products has been supported by Seedlab Tasmania run by Dr Hazel MacTavish-West.
Dr MacTavish-West said an important step towards export success for any business was to scale-up.
“Freycinet Marine Farm has recently decommissioned a kitchen container from the Devil’s Corner and moved it back to home base at Coles Bay,’’ she said.
Last month the car park was dug up to connect plumbing to the fully kitted out commercial kitchen. “Having the kitchen on-site will mean Julia can pickle mussels all day every day, as well as pack the soup mix products, instead of working after hours using the kitchen at the Freycinet Farm Café,’’ Dr MacTavish-West said.
Ms Fisher will be speaking about value-adding at an upcoming Seedlab workshop in Launceston on Friday, November 26.
To register and buy tickets go to valueaddingfoodanddrinktasmania.eventbrite.com.au