03/08/2025
How true is this. Goodness think what would happen if WE ALL PURCHASED Victorian foods, wines - not Barossa SA wines or international wines and many other amazing Victorian products. There are over 4,300 Victorian businesses closed down this year!!! Think about that. How many people have lost their jobs? Support local…..
“I want French cheese.”
This image isn’t fiction. It’s based on a real moment at the shop.
A customer stood in front of a wall of award-winning Australian cheeses, scrunched her face, and said those exact words. Then walked off… while carrying a tote that said “Buy Local.” The irony.
It stung. Not because I don’t love French cheese (I do!). But because it revealed something deeper, a blind spot we have in Australia.
We’ve come so far in championing local wine, coffee, and produce. Yet when it comes to cheese, we still assume the best must come from overseas.
Why?
Because we’ve been conditioned to think “local” means “lesser.” Because media, supermarkets, and habits keep telling us that imported = better.
But the truth? Australian cheesemakers are producing world-class cheese. From nutty alpine styles in Denmark (WA) to oozy bries in Gippsland (VIC), our cheese scene is vibrant, innovative, and bloody delicious.
Foreign visitors get it. They taste the terroir. They ask for more. They’re amazed.
Many Aussies? Still ask for French brie. Or think Aussie cheese is just cheddar.
So here’s my challenge: if we say we want to “support local,” let’s actually do it. Not just with slogans or tote bags, but with our taste buds, our choices, and our pride.
What we put on our plate reflects what we value.
It’s time we backed our own.
