Seeking a slower paced lifestyle and stronger community connection, the couple moved from Sydney to Wagga in 2016 and bought a small established frozen meal company.
Farm Door founder Zoe Lamont said their professional backgrounds in food and finance provided the perfect combination of skill and experience needed to take on this new challenge.
“We started out manufacturing around 600 frozen meals a day for the aged care sector, Meals on Wheels and local hospitals, but with everyone’s lives being busy we saw that even more people wanted convenient access to good food,” Ms Lamont said.
“We rebranded, introduced some new recipes and expanded into supermarkets, but by 2021 with post COVID cost increases we needed to rethink our direction.”
The change into a chilled meal range wasn’t without its challenges, with the pair conducting exhaustive research into market gaps and opportunities, global best practice, eco-packaging, and nutrition.
“We are passionate about food, preventative health and wellness – and delivering a quality product that makes people feel good,” Ms Lamont said.
“Food has the power to nourish our minds and bodies, and as well as good food we are giving people the gift of time back with their loved ones when they don’t have to cook.”
From a humble start in local stores, today the company manufactures over 50,000 meals per month and stocks locations across the country as well as offering a delivery service.
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Executive Director Harriet Whyte said the success of Farm Door Riverina shows what passion and innovation combined can do.
“This business has grown from three people in a Wagga Wagga shopfront, to a company employing over 30 local families and delivering thousands of healthy meals a month to busy people and retirees across Australia,” Ms Whyte said.
Farm Door Riverina received $180,000 from the NSW Government for a second packing line with a cook-chill machine and cool room renovation, with the expansion creating the equivalent of nine additional full-time jobs for locals.
Frank and Zoe plan to share the Farm Door philosophy even further, inviting foodies far and wide to their family farm for the inaugural Riverina Long Lunch and Good Food Weekend on 20-21 September 2025.
For more information go to the Farm Door Riverina Website
