A small family business at Thomastown has become hot property after picking up four gold medals at the Australian Food Awards.
The awards, run by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria, celebrate Victoria’s best fine foods producers.
Plough to Plate Fine Foods won gold medals for its chilli jelly, garlic and parsley pickled chillies, ajvar, and tomato and chilli dip.
Plough to Plate’s Natasha Petrovska said all produce used in its products was organically grown on the family’s Strath Creek farm. She uses traditional Balkan recipes, reflecting the family’s Macedonian heritage.
Ms Petrovska began making dips, pickles and spreads at home as a hobby about 12 years ago, before deciding to sell them at farmer’s markets.
She said being recognised at the Australian Food Awards was a “fantastic” achievement for the company. “We felt we had great products.”
Three other Thomastown businesses also won gold medals at the awards. Jalna Dairy Foods won two gold medals for its Lyttos Greek-style yoghurts, Bertocchi Smallgoods won gold for its festival ham and pastrami, and Floridia Cheese won for its ricotta and casalingo.
