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THE BEST OF BYRON BAY DOING BUSINESS THE BYRON WAY This month Retail World explores what makes Byron Bay businesses unique. We speak with the locals on how their geographic location impacts the food and beverage sector. TBy Emily Devon. he first associations that come to mind when someone says Byron Bay are ‘laid back’, ‘beautiful’ and ‘arts’. After speaking to people behind a range of local businesses, I find their own definitions aren’t too far from my own. From puffed corn to chilli, tea, peanut butter and the Hemsworth family, Byron Bay on the north coast of NSW seems to offer it all, which presents the question: why are businesses so successful in this relaxed, peaceful town and its surrounds? A foundation for longevity A common theme among Byron Bay brands is that they have all made their way around the sun a number of times. Madura Tea Estates Marketing Manager Tanya McPhee tells of the brand’s beginnings more than four decades ago in the hills of Clothiers Creek, north of Byron Bay. “The name of our estate means 32 RETAIL WORLD OCT, 2020 ‘paradise’, and we’re lucky enough to call it our work office,” she said. “For us, it all started in 1978, when the pristine site for our ‘office’ was handpicked by third- generation tea planters Michael and Norma Grant-Cook.” Another local business, Brookfarm, was established at “a dinner party held with family friends in Melbourne some 30 years ago, where a map of Australia was produced and a blindfold fixed – where Byron Bay was randomly pinned – and the adventure began”, says Brookfarm CEO Will Brook. As for Byron Bay Chilli Company, the family business has been operating for 30 years as well, with owner John Boland recalling: “Thirty years ago we came to Byron Bay, felt the good vibes, were overwhelmed with the natural beauty, and had no choice but to move here. The only challenging thing left was how to make a living.” And make a living, they did. Adding spice to Byron The Byron Bay Chilli Company began with the help of the Australian government’s New Enterprise Incentive Scheme. “We started small, growing chillies and making Mexican food at the local