Beerenberg Farm facts for kids
 |
|
A family picking strawberries at Beerenberg Farm
|
|
| Privately held company | |
| Industry | Manufacturing and Retail |
| Headquarters | , |
|
Key people
|
Anthony Paech - Managing Director |
| Products | Jams and preserves |
| Owner | Paech family |
|
Number of employees
|
85 (2018) |
Beerenberg Farm is a famous Australian company. They make yummy jams, sauces, and dressings. You can find them in Hahndorf, a town in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia. The farm is also a popular place for tourists to visit. Many people from all over the world know Beerenberg. This is because their small, single-serve products are used by airlines and hotels.
Contents
How Beerenberg Farm Started
The farm began in 1839. A German migrant named Johann George Paech started it. It was first a dairy farm, where cows were kept for milk. The old barn you see on Beerenberg labels was built a long time ago. It was made between 1845 and 1850. This barn is very special. It was built with strong red gum wood and wooden pins. In 1990, it was named a historic building.
From Dairy to Berries
Grant Paech grew up on the farm. His father, Hermann Christian Paech, ran the dairy. After school, Grant studied farming. He then joined his dad on the farm. In 1969, Hermann got sick and passed away. Grant and his wife, Carol, took over the farm. They changed its name to "Beerenberg". This German word means "Berry on the Hill".
The first strawberries were planted in 1967. Two years later, in 1969, they planted more. This time, it was a bigger area, about half an acre. In the early 1970s, they sold fruit at markets in Adelaide. They also sold it right from their farm shop. Soon, they started making jam. At first, they sold jam in milk cartons. Later, they found a way to get glass jars.
The Family Continues the Farm
In 1998, Anthony Paech became the boss. He is Grant's son. Anthony is the sixth generation of the Paech family to run the farm. He works with his brother Robert and sister Sally. Robert manages the farm, and Sally handles marketing. Their mother, Carol, is still very involved.
The Paech family works hard to keep the business in the family. They have special rules and meetings for this. Beerenberg has won many awards. These awards are for their farming and food products. The family also started The Beerenberg Foundation. This group helps keep Hahndorf town looking historic.
What Beerenberg Makes
Beerenberg's most famous product is its Strawberry Jam. This jam is made from strawberries grown right on their farm.
The company makes over 50 different products. These include:
- Mustards
- Marmalades (like orange jam)
- Chutneys
- Sauces and marinades
- Pickles
- Dressings
- Dessert toppings
- Olive oil
All these products are made in small batches. They use old family recipes. They do not add fake flavors, colors, or things to keep them fresh. In 2007, Beerenberg made a special sauce. They worked with another famous South Australian company, Coopers Brewery. It was a Coopers Ale Barbeque Sauce.
Beerenberg Around the World
In 1987, Beerenberg had a great idea. They started making tiny jars of jam. These "portion serves" were for Qantas, Australia's main airline. They used them for first and business class meals.
In 2002, Beerenberg sent 40,000 tiny jam jars to China. These were used by Dragonair, an airline based in Hong Kong. In 1993, they also started making small foil packs. These were popular with hotels and tourists. Now, Beerenberg sells a lot of these small products. They make 25 million foil packs and 11 million tiny jars each year. About 40% of these stay in Australia.
New Ideas and Growth
Tracking Your Food
In 2009, Beerenberg launched a new website feature. It's called the 'Provenance Pathway'. This lets customers trace their product. You can enter a barcode from your jar. Then you can see where the ingredients grew. You can also find out when the product was made. You might even see the name of the cook!
Bigger and Better Factory
In 2018, Beerenberg Farm made its factory bigger. They also improved their main office. The new factory has two new kettles from the United Kingdom. This means they can make twice as much product. They can now make over 15 tonnes (60,000 bottles) in one 8-hour shift. This also helps them control quality better.
Fun Things to Do at the Farm
Beerenberg Farm is a "major tourist attraction". It's in the Hahndorf region, which has many breweries and wineries. Visitors can pick their own strawberries. You can do this from October to May. You can also visit the jam kitchen. And don't forget to check out the farm shop!
