Your cart is currently empty!
Ben and Meghan Garnock left city-based careers in engineering and project management to raise a family in Dorrigo. Along the way, they ended up purchasing the local butchery in 2019, added a deli to the mix in 2021, and haven’t looked back since.
What led you to open both a butchery and a deli?
Meg: In our previous lives, Ben worked in engineering and I was in project management. We were living overseas and decided we’d like to have a family and move to regional Australia, to be closer to my parents Michael and Cynthia who own Demlane Farm here in Dorrigo. So in 2017 we did it. We started working on the farm, making sauces, cordials and a variety of other things that we were growing and took them to local markets.
Ben: We’ve always been passionate about good produce, farming and celebrating local, so it was a great fit for us. My in-laws then transitioned from cattle to heritage-bred meat sheep and we wanted to be able to market that. One day, I popped into the local butcher and he asked me if I wanted to buy a butchery. My immediate response was ‘no’ – but I went home, chatted to Meg and we realised that if we wanted to really celebrate local and leverage off the farm, owning a butchery made a lot of sense. So I went back in not long after and told the guy, ‘you know what, I think I do want to buy a butchery’. It was a baptism of fire when we first started. I dived straight into an apprenticeship and am now fully qualified… there have been a few cuts along the way, but it’s also been great fun.
How are you working to celebrate local produce?
Ben: As a regional butcher, we’re ideally situated in some of the best growing country around. We couldn’t have a business like this in the city – we’re so lucky to be surrounded by really good farmers. So we can always source great meat here in beef country and most of our lamb comes from Meg’s parents, but obviously that’s seasonal so there are a couple of guys in Guyra we can turn to as well. We’re also thrilled to source produce from an excellent pasture-raised pig farmer, Mirrabooka Pork, just down the hill at Lawrence near Grafton. In the deli we’ve got a number of local makers and growers, which we’ve had a great response to. Travellers walk through our door and ask one question: ‘what’s local?’ – they want to taste Dorrigo.
Tell us a bit about your own products…
Meg: We’re developing a few different brands at the moment. Demlane Farm has a citrus orchard, so we have a line of citrus products including cordial and marmalades and have recently released Waterfall Soda, a refreshing lemon squash thanks to a little help from Wicked Elf Brewery in Port Macquarie. There’s also a range of products from The Dorrigo Butcher, including our smoked jerky and beer sticks, ham, pastrami and bacon, as well as our chilli and onion jams, tomato relish and truffled black garlic mustard that are made by Eric, The Other Chef, down in Port Macquarie.
If you had one piece of advice for someone considering launching a business in a regional location, what would it be?
Ben: We would really recommend focusing on quality, local produce, celebrate your provenance and be proud of what you’re doing – that’s the thing that can differentiate you from everywhere else. And just know that there will always be new challenges, but it’s also hugely rewarding. To be able to do this with Meg, to be with our kids every day, grow something good for the community and support local growers is so important to us and we’re thrilled to be here for the ride.
Support local
Did you know that Ben and Meg’s products have won a whole range of awards? Try them for yourselves at the The Dorrigo Deli.
28 Hickory Street | Dorrigo NSW 2453 | 0414 807 080 | Website | Facebook | Instagram | Monday to Friday 7.00am–5.00pm | Saturday 8.00am–1.00pm
While in town, grab supplies for a weekend barbie at The Dorrigo Butcher.
42 Hickory Street | Dorrigo NSW 2453 | (02) 6657 2023 | Website | Facebook | Instagram | Monday to Friday 7.00am–5.00pm | Saturday 7.00am–12.00pm
