We've had a blast working with Brad & Caz from Inverloch Quality Meats. It's a great local business that's so much more than a butcher's shop. We took some time between a constant stream of customers to find out a bit more about the couple & their Inverloch business and find out what makes them tick. Tell us about your history in the meat industyBrad – I started my apprenticeship in 1986 straight out of school, since then I have worked as a Butcher solely in the local area including Leongatha, Foster & Wonthaggi before owning my own shop in Tarwin Lower and now Inverloch. I did work in an abbatoir for a short time which gave me a broader view of the industry. I took a break from butchering between Tarwin and Inverloch, it made me realise how passionate I am about the meat industry, providing top quality products and the business aspect of running a small business which can be incredibly challenging and rewarding, often at the same time. Caz – Prior to owning our shop my experience in the industry didn’t exist. I have however got a very strong interest in nutrition and feeding myself and my family food that nourishes, my passion comes from there. Why Inverloch?We have both been born and bred in the local area, Brad Leongatha, Caz Dumbalk then Leongatha and we have settled in Koonwarra. We love the whole area. Inverloch appealed because it has a lot of people living there year round plus the huge influx of visitors over the warmer months. We love the feeling that Inverloch invokes in people, the great community feel, holiday atmosphere and beautiful surroundings. When we heard the butcher shop was available almost 5 years ago we jumped at the opportunity. What do you love most about the area?We love that the area is so family friendly with great schooling options. People are hospitable, the beaches are safe, it gets busy in Summer and you’re in a holiday destination so as soon as you finish work you can enjoy yourselves. A great work, life balance. Caz, you are passionate about gut health and Whole Foods, tell us how you select items to stock?I studied nutrition as part of a Sports Kinesiology diploma before meeting Brad and his kids, Dylan, Lani & Adam and having our girls Remy & Ivy. I discovered a huge passion for health and nutrition that I am constantly ‘feeding’ and learning more about. I hope to one day when time permits to be able to combine kinesiology with nutrition. The next best thing is being a stockist of all of these great products and making them readily available to the community. I’d love to help get the word out there about gut health and clean eating. I chose these products predominantly because they are made from real ingredients with no nasties, the Kombucha because we love the convenience of having it available on tap and the sustainable option of reusing bottles. Peace Love and Vegetables are a leader in their field so I am thrilled to stock their products after using them myself for quite some time. Why is it so important to shop local?It is so important to shop locally because it is the only way small business can survive is if the community it is in supports it. If we don’t support small business supermarkets will only increase the monopoly they have on each and every food producing industry. Therefore dictating price to suppliers and making it very difficult for them to survive. As small businesses we strive to provide quality over quantity, the more we shop locally the more we help quality industries survive. Is there a difference between the meat I buy from the supermarket and Inverloch Quality Meats?There certainly is. Brad arrives at work before 6am each morning to go over his window and restock it. He is a stickler for freshness and quality. We guarantee grass fed beef and lamb. We are thrilled that we can now start stocking genuine new season spring lamb this week. We cryovac a lot of our products which increases the life span without gas or preservatives. What’s your favourite cut and recipe?Caz – Definitely a boned and rolled leg of lamb in the slow cooker with some lemon, apple cider vinegar and herbs, served with roasted vegetables and gravy made from the juices. Brad – A grass fed beef rib eye cooked on the BBQ with Worcestershire sauce and served with steamed vegetables and a creamy pepper tomato sauce. These great meat recipe guides can be downloaded free on our website How do you see Inverloch developing over the next 5 years?We see it continually evolving, with businesses and community coming together to work with one another to boost the town. The tourist industry will keep building and spreading the word. Do you have any offers running currently?We are always running great promotions and special offers for our customers - the best place to find out what's available is on our website. We loved working with Inverloch Quality Meats to get their business online, it's what we do :-) click HERE to find out how we can help your local business |