Local Member of Parliament, Tony Piccolo; Minister Kyam Maher, Co-Owners Nadia Matko and Paul Keilly; and Stretton Centre Director, Dermot Cussen

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Local agribusiness, Red Centre Enterprises is relocating and is significantly expanding its workforce to meet growing demand for native food products.

The good news is the company, which was until recently operating from the Stretton Centre at Munno Para, is staying in the local area and relocating to bigger premises in Kudla.

The small business is focussed on the commercialisation of value-added native plants products.

Local Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo stated that it is one of five small businesses, which successfully applied for the Home to Curated Office Environment component of the Northern Entrepreneur Growth Program (NEGP).

Minister for Manufacturing and InNovation Kyam Mayer visited the new site this morning to meet with the directors of Red Centre Enterprises, Mr Paul Keily and Ms Nadia Matko.

The Home to Curated Office Environment initiative provides home based business with one to one business mentoring along with the opportunity to operate their business from the Stretton Centre’s curated co-working office space.

Since its participation in the NEGP, Red Centre Enterprises has hired three additional staff and will employ a further 10 staff by the end of January 2018.

Mr Piccolo said the small business has developed a supplier relationship with Vili’s Family Bakery and has established a collaboration with Flowerdale Farm (which operates out of Glenburn, Victoria) and Tantanoola based Holla-Fresh to commence commercially growing Australian native herbs.

“I understand that product lines co-branded Flowerdale Farm and Red Centre products will be distributed by Flowerdale Farm through its stores at the Melbourne and Sydney Wholesale Markets and its national network of agencies,” Mr Piccolo said.

The NEGP commenced as a pilot $114,000 program in 2017 under the Northern Economic Plan that was championed by Mr Piccolo.

Mr Piccolo said the objective of the NEGP is to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurs, businesses and jobs in the greater Gawler region.

“The NEGP is being delivered through the Stretton Centre in partnership with the Gawler Business Development Group and Business SA,” he said.

The NEGP provides a range of training and mentoring, which includes:

business basics for start-ups and individuals looking to start a business ; skills and knowledge to support established companies increase their growth and profitability; interactive training and group problem solving, with one to one mentoring with a business coach; and co-working from the Stretton Centre with one to one mentoring with a business coach. NEGP initiatives are being delivered from the Stretton Centre and the Town of Gawler.

40 businesses or individuals seeking to start a business have or are participating in NEGP initiatives.