Winkie Peach Patch
Surrounded by orchards in the lush Riverland fruit bowl, Nicola Kregar and Brad Maitland from Winkie Peach Patch spotted an opportunity.
Who are Winkie Peach Patch?
Making use of their surrounding family orchards, the couple started bagging dried fruit in their spare time.
Think evenings and weekends —adding a local dried product to the offerings of the Riverland. Selling fruit from a stand outside Nicola’s grandmother’s property, they were inundated with orders from passersby. Not to mention the interest generated with advertising on local social media groups, they were shocked by its popularity.
With an aim of tapping into the local market, and giving consumers fresh produce options, Nicola and Brad take care in bagging individual fruit and medley combinations.
The family affair, based on properties between Berri and Barmera, is built on solid foundations set by Nicola’s parents Johnny and Gaynor, and grandparents before them. The Kregar’s possess a long-standing knowledge of the industry, withstanding a raft of conditions over the years.
We’ve been inspired by our hardworking family, who has a long history within the industry.
Nicola Kreger
Why you’ll love their produce…
Each piece of fruit is treated individually with care. It’s handled thoroughly and observed for any potential imperfections.
Only the best-looking fruit is selected, resulting in a superior product on the shelf. This takes time, hours and hours. Nicola aims to keep this quality consistent, with repeat customers knowing they can rely on a quality product. Presented in clear bags with limited labelling gives the customer optimal viewing of the fruit.
Hours are spent in the cutting shed with lots of hands at the ready. Cutting in the same shed that Nicola’s father was cutting in as a young lad, with generations of knowledge and family tradition at the helm.
Last year more than 2000 trays were cut—equating to about 30 peaches per tray—the biggest haul to date. Everything is done traditionally, manually, with the sun doing the rest. The Riverland boasts the perfect climate for drying fruit, with the entire process controlled on-site.
