Ben Evans had worked in dairy factories since leaving school and had always dreamed of having a small factory of his own.
It started with hand-bottling milk at night when Ben’s wife, Bianca, finished work, with Ben delivering the bottles the following day. After four years, St David Dairy now bottles five days per week and sends out five delivery trucks each day.
What makes Fitzroy’s St David Dairy different from any other business is that it is reversing the industry trend for large-scale factories built in the outer suburbs or regional areas.
“We have a lot of local engagement and believe being right here in front of people reconnects them with the source and origins of their food,” said Ben.
The desire of chefs and businesses in Victoria to connect directly with the producer or manufacturer has also been beneficial, with the farm being just 100km from the factory door.
For St David Dairy, it’s all about leaving the products as close as possible to their natural state.
“We don’t thicken our cream with thickeners or gums, there are no stabilisers or additives in our yoghurt and our full cream milks are not standardised over the entire year, going to bottle exactly as it arrives from the farm.”
St David is also showing support for the local community, donating milk each week to soup kitchens including St Mary’s House of Welcome, St Mark’s Fitzroy and Moira Kelly and family.
As a small business competing with large multinationals, winning an award at the Australian Food Awards provides a non-biased, industry-recognised accolade that St David can use to help level the playing field.
“What’s next for us? We hope to continue to improve our offerings and to keep working to give clarity in the areas of ethics and sustainability in the dairy industry,” said Ben.
St David Dairy products can be found at the shop window in Fitzroy, in Leo’s Fine Foods, Toscano’s, several IGA’s and various smaller grocers and specialty stores. These are all listed at http://stdavid.com.au/.