Indigenous fresh food business expanding

What is said to be Australia's first commercial Indigenous fresh products company has been launched at the Adelaide produce markets.

The Matjarra brand has grown from a small family operation on Yorke Peninsula in South Australia to an operation employing 25 people.

They produce herbs and spices which are being supplied to IGA and Foodland supermarkets across SA.

Company founder Ron Newchurch said there was potential to expand the concept across Australia.

"During our winter a lot of our stocks stop growing. If we can get Indigenous people around Brisbane and the top of New South Wales growing in the winter, they can sell produce to us down here," he said.

Mr Newchurch borrowed to get the business up and running, but has now had support from Indigenous Business Australia.

He has paid back his loans and the business is now a profitable enterprise.

"Now we've had to buy a refrigerated van to bring 50-60 boxes down, three times a week."

Mr Newchurch is hoping to triple production in the next few years.

"We've got 80 acres of land, we've got three hectares under irrigation and we want to develop another 10 hectares of produce to become one of the main suppliers to the [Adelaide] market," he said.

"We're trying to create jobs now to get the Aboriginal people out and get them off welfare."

Source: ABC News, 4 July 2012