Feature Image: Ellie Falkenberg.
A western victorian mother-and-daughter food business that began in a home kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic has crossed the border to open its first South Australian shopfront in Robe.
Freshly Fed will officially open at 39 Victoria Street on Wednesday, August 5, trading from 11am to 4pm, marking the next chapter for founder Ellie Falkenberg. She has relocated the business after several years supplying customers across south-west Victoria and the Limestone Coast.
“I studied nutrition during COVID, and Mum and I had the idea to make take-home meals from Hamilton in south-west Victoria,” Ellie said.
“During COVID we started cooking out of the kitchen at home, and then I was delivering locally.”
Freshly Fed officially launched in May 2022 before Ellie travelled overseas to further develop her cooking skills, completing a five-week course at the renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland and gaining experience in farm-shop, café and hotel kitchens in the United Kingdom.
After returning to Australia, the business moved into a commercial kitchen at Hamilton Racecourse, where demand continued to grow.
“People were picking up from there, and I was delivering to Port Fairy and Robe. We did that for nearly two years.”
The new Robe shopfront is Freshly Fed’s first permanent retail store and will continue offering the homemade fresh and frozen meals that have built a loyal customer base across the region.
The range includes pies, lasagnes, quiches, soups, curries and slow-cooked meals, all made without preservatives, artificial colours or additives.
“The focus is on wholesome take-home meals with no preservatives or artificial colours,” Ellie said.
“Our pies, lasagnes, quiches and soups are really popular. The chicken pie is probably our best seller.”
“We’re going to have hot pies and things like that in the hot cabinet so people can take them away,” she added.
Ellie said the business would continue servicing its Victorian customers through monthly deliveries to Hamilton and surrounding communities, while also expanding into small-scale catering from the Robe base.
“Now we’ve moved into a shopfront, we’re excited to become part of the Robe community,” she said.
Freshly Fed
When: Closed Monday and Tuesday, open 11am to 4pm Wednesday and Thursday, and varying hours on Friday and Saturday (see social media and website for opening times)
Where: 39 Victoria Street, Robe
To find out more, click here.
