Choose local this Aussie Artisan Week

Leading Australian butter producer Pepe Saya has announced Aussie Artisan Week, banding together with fellow food artisans to encourage Aussies to consciously choose to support and buy Australian-made, sourcing direct from artisans when they can.

Aussie Artisan Week will run from August 17 to 23, and aims to introduce Australian consumers to a range of high-quality products as well as the benefits of choosing local. Because of taste and quality, but also because you’ll be supporting farmers and small businesses, particularly as they continue to grapple with COVID-19 restrictions.

Over the past four months, Pepe Saya has had to transform its business after both on-premises and direct-to-consumer sales dropped dramatically with the forced closure of restaurants and growers’ markets in line with COVID-19 restrictions.

Through that time, Pepe Saya has seen an increase in people coming to the website directly to purchase from the artisanal range, which includes Australian cultured butter, buttermilk and ghee, as well as specialty butters ranging from maple butter (the perfect pancake-topper). There’s also a new addition – a moreish nduja butter made with nduja (spicy spreadable pork) from Pino’s Dolce Vita Italian grocer in Kogarah, NSW.

Pepe Saya created these newer products to be able to continue to grow their direct-to-consumer sales throughout the pandemic. It’s also offering gift packs that have seen the brand partner with and support other Aussie artisans such as Crumpets by Merna, Olsson’s sea salt, Yarra Valley Caviar, Block 11 Organics and Ovvio Organics tea.

“We’ve been incredibly appreciative of all our customers who have supported us by buying Pepe Saya through our online store over the past four months.” says butter maker and Pepe Saya co-founder Pierre Issa. “We’ve realised that Australians do value Australian-made, and we want to continue to share how many amazing options there are out there, from dairy and meat to fresh vegetables and even homewares.

“Plus, when you buy small and buy local, the product comes to you fresh, the process is more sustainable and the money you spend goes directly back into our economy.”

To raise awareness of why we should buy small and local, and the importance of Australia’s diverse, quality producers, Pepe Saya is leading the charge with Aussie Artisan Week.

“I hope we see this change behaviour not just for the week, but ongoing,” says Pepe Saya CEO and co-founder Melissa Altman. “We could all do with the reminder to stop for a minute before we click ‘add to cart’, and think about what we’re buying, where it comes from and who we’re supporting when we buy it.”

In the lead-up to the week, Pepe Saya will be sharing the stories of other artisans on Instagram, and encourages all Australian artisans to get involved by sharing stories of their own products and how Australians can support our talented food producers.

Aussie Artisan Week runs from August 17 to 23. During the week, Pepe Saya asks all Australians to shop locally and share their artisan-made purchases using the hashtag #AussieArtisanWeek. To find artisans to support, head to Pepe Saya’s online listing.