When COVID_19 restrictions escalated from social distancing measures to stay-at-home isolation, many local Brisbane businesses were forced to close their doors - particularly those in our hospitality industry.
At Q Roasters we were able to adapt to the situation and quickly set up an outdoor takeaway service and thanks to incredible community support we have been able to keep trading throughout this period. But we could see that our customers wanted to shop for groceries safely and there were lots of food suppliers who were doing it tough.
With people staying home, online sales for our roasted coffee beans increased and we decided to launch our Local Produce Pack with some of the basics that we already had in store such as Ray's fresh sourdough bagels, Barambah organic milk and pasture-raised eggs by Piggy in the Middle. The concept was really well received and customers appreciated being able to shop safely. To be able to offer more than the basics and to support local business, we connected with Suncoast Fresh, a fresh produce supplier who had been hard hit by the closure of restaurants. To keep trading and meet demand for contact-less shopping, Suncoast Fresh started doing a veggie box scheme that is now available for pick up at the Q Roasters roasting shed.
Closer to home, we heard from our neighbours at The Cheesboard Cave that there was an over supply of cheese because many makers (pre-COVID_19) had increased production following good rainfall. So, our Friday Cheese Pack found it's way into our Local Produce Pack. Even in lockdown, its important to celebrate the end of the week with wine and cheese and feel good that you are supporting local business.
If you would like to support local business during the COVID_19 recovery, you can order from our Local Produce Pack online. Order your Suncoast Fresh veggie box Wednesdays by 3pm for pick up Friday after 10am.