Page 41 - Retail World Tob - May 2020

MAGGIE LENDS A HELPING HAND WMith several initiatives in place, Maggie Beer has reconsidered how food can be delivered and enjoyed during the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. aggie Beer launched the ‘Cooking with Maggie’ campaign in late March to support and inspire people in the kitchen during these “extraordinary times”, using simple pantry ingredients. The campaign has showcased Ms Beer, founder of the Maggie Beer brand, reaching out to her community online, demonstrating how she creates “simple, delicious and nourishing” meals using traditional pantry staples and vegetables from her garden at home. Her recipes are said to be easy to follow, using minimal and long-life ingredients that consumers can find in their own pantry. An offshoot of this has been the opportunity for people to send in details of ingredients in their pantry that they regard as difficult to use, to see if Ms Beer will create a way of making the most of these ingredients at home. “I love to cook every day, and given these unprecedented times it’ll be fun for me to share easy, quick dishes full of flavour, just making the most of the ingredients we have \\\\\\\[on\\\\\\\] hand in the pantry and in the garden,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for me to give back to the community for the incredible kindness I’ve been surrounded by, as I know well that finding comfort in food sustains us. I love the idea of making the most of the family being home together and sharing the chores.” Direct to the customer Maggie Beer kicked off a home delivery service last month, allowing the brand’s products to be dropped off at a customer’s door. South Australians can choose from a range of products including cheeses, fruit pastes and the newly launched plant-based meals. “Forty years ago, when we began our business, it was direct to customer, which was always the perfect scenario,” Ms Beer said. “\\\\\\\[Now\\\\\\\], with our world upturned, \\\\\\\[we’re taking\\\\\\\] the chance to do this again. “The Maggie Beer Products cheeses and fruit pastes are perfectly accompanied by some products from my orchard to create indulgent in-home entertainment packs. They really do go so well together.” She adds that with the Maggie Beer Farm Shop & Café and The Eatery restaurant at her farm in the Barossa Valley being closed because of COVID19, “I’m thrilled that our products can still provide comfort and nourishment to people”. Meanwhile, the Maggie Beer brand has partnered with Galipo Food Company, a South Australian family owned business, to offer Maggie Beer’s chilled and frozen range for home delivery through Galipo at Home. Products available include Maggie Beer’s “legendary” ice-cream, pâté and cheese, and newer products such as the brand’s plant-based meals and soups. Both Maggie Beer Products and Galipo are said to have modified their protocols and are undertaking heightened hygiene practices including daily health checks and regular sanitisation, as well as offering contactless delivery to protect both customers and staff. ROADSHOW: SOUTH AUSTRALIA “I love to cook every day, and given these unprecedented times it’ll be fun for me to share easy, quick dishes full of flavour, just making the most of the ingredients we have \\\\\\\[on\\\\\\\] hand.” MAY, 2020 RETAIL WORLD 39