Local business, Big Heart Bamboo has been celebrating their recent win at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show.
The Gourmet Bamboo Pickle Elixir brought home gold after scoring 91.3/100 at the event. This was the product’s first round of official judging.
Business founder Rebecca Dart was very happy to hear the news.
“The pickle was originally designed to be a gut health tonic and an elixir so to hear that it has been so well commended by high end judges at the Sydney Fine Food Show was a very rewarding moment,” she said.
“The process to develop the pickle recipe took about 18 months all up, I wanted to make sure all the ingredients were going to be in alignment with our brand values of using local and healthy ingredients to bolster wellbeing.
“It seems we nailed it though, all the ingredients are 100 per cent Queensland grown (mostly from the Sunshine Coast) are free from artificial preservatives such as sulphides, and all contribute their own health benefit. The product itself is shelf stable for one year.
“It’s been such a journey working with and learning about the bamboo, it has so much to offer, not just as a sustainable, regenerative food source but also its ability to pull down masses of carbon and create cooling microclimates.
“I see a lot of issues coming to a head globally, deforestation, global warming, soil erosion and food shortages – bamboo provides some of the solution to all of the aforementioned, which is why I am so dedicated to working with this plant – fun fact, bamboo is the world’s largest grass and can grow up to one metre per day in the right conditions.“
Big Heart Bamboo is now into full swing of their dpring harvest which was about one month behind schedule due to cooler conditions this year so it’s a case of all hands on deck while harvesting fresh shoots and simultaneously creating more pickles, chutneys and relishes, destined for retail, online and market purchases.
“We are getting ready for another big Christmas sale this year. Last year we nearly sold out so I want to make sure we have more than enough stock dedicated to to the retail condiment side of the business this year,“ she said.
You can find Big Heart Bamboo at Witta and Kin Kin Markets and online.
“At present we have two sales/retail outlets, Kenilworth dairies and Eumundi Service station, however, in 2023 we will be announcing our new retailers, so keep a look out for our new-look labels.“
