REDFERN: On July 21, I was lucky enough to attend the launch of the new website for Native Botanical Brewery (NBB), and to talk to the team behind this new and innovative business.
NBB aims to place Bush Foods at the forefront of Australia’s food industry: sharing a cultural knowledge of caring for country; revitalising passion for native foods and flavours; raising awareness of traditional and sustainable methods of food production.
As I entered the launch venue, I was warmly greeted by enthusiastic founder, Corey Grech.
Speaking with Corey before the launch, it became very evident that his passion for creating outstanding products is related to his own journey – a sense of belonging and connection.
Corey’s interest in the promotion of Bush Foods is shared with his family and really took off when he began working with his sister, Suzanne, at her innovative cafe, The Purple Goanna.
Since then, Corey has worked on a number of projects ranging from community development to his Aboriginal-owned food business, Meat Brothers.
While the journey has not always been easy, he has learned a great deal from his experiences. He is very frank and open about the obstacles First Nations businesses face.
Talking with Corey about the current climate for small businesses, particularly First Nations-owned businesses, Corey opened up about his past struggles to break into existing marketplaces – having to compete for investment and support with non-Indigenous businesses.
Corey is now entering this new chapter with an optimistic outlook. “I think scars are cool,” he said.
The launch was a heartfelt promotion of a product line made with love and care. Family members and friends expressed their admiration for Corey, sharing deeply touching stories of how this business came to be.
Love for family permeates the whole product line, down to each can’s graphic design. The illustrations have been drawn by Corey himself in homage to his sister, depicting places with spiritual and physical connections.
