Craig and Rita Herbert, the new owners of Bindoon Fresh Meats, have become the talk of the town after winning the Open/Gourmet section in the WA Sausage King competition with their patriotically coined ‘Bindoon Banger’.
Originally cooked-up by apprentice Rhys Gaskell, the Bindoon Fresh Meats team fine-tuned the recipe of the oversized banger, a sizzling combination of beef, cheese cracked pepper and parsley, to compete in the competition and were gob-smacked to be crowned kings at the state championships held as part of the Perth Royal show.
“When they called out third place we were a little disappointed,” recalls Rita, “and when they called out second, we thought, ‘Oh well, we were lucky to be in the top ten.’ When they named us as the winners we were shocked and ecstatic – it was just surreal.”
The only non-Italians to win that evening, Bindoon Fresh Meats were up against some pretty stiff competition, with long-established Perth butchers usually taking home all the trophies.
“Everyone turned to us and we could see them thinking, ‘Who are they?’ when we stood up” smiles Rita.
Whilst the Herberts have only owned the Bindoon shop for a few months, they are not newcomers to the industry and chief-of-operations Craig has been involved in many aspects of the meat industry in his 25-year career, from running retail shops to overseeing an abattoir as well as working in the export market. His wife Rita keeps the business in focus and acts as general manager. They have embraced young apprentice Rhys as a valuable asset to the business. “He’s worth his weight in gold” says Rita, “He is so dedicated and hardworking and we have really gelled as a team ”
The evidence of this dynamic teamwork is in the jam-packed shop. “We have customers coming to Bindoon from as far away as Mandurah and Mindarie,” says Craig proudly. And it’s not just the famed bangers, or the other 25 delicious varieties of creatively flavoured sausages that brings them – shop patrons are lapping up the opportunity to buy locally grown meat, including the organic Bindoon Estate Beef and the grass fed and finished Moore River Lamb.
Evolving at lightning speed, Craig has plans to add a smokehouse to the shop next year, expanding their range of locally sourced produce to meats cured on the premises. Also in the new year Kel, a new addition to the team, will become an apprentice as Rhys steps up to a more senior role.
The team will join other state winners at the National Sausage King Finals to be held in Adelaide on Saturday, February 7, 2015, where they will compete for Australia’s Sausage King. We wish them the best of luck, but I don’t think they’ll need it – I think they’ll make their own!
