SPECTATORS at the new Optus Stadium will munch on gourmet Mrs Mac’s pies made exclusively for the venue.
Mrs Mac’s will be one of the first suppliers to the new venue, having signed a five-year agreement in partnership with the Dardanup Butchering Company (DBC) in October to provide pies, sausage rolls and other savoury treats.
But it announced last week it would a make an exclusive new product, the Dardanup EverTender Steak Pie, with special gravy and pastry, exclusively available at the new stadium.
The new pie will be available in 10 locations around the stadium, including at the new Mrs Mac’s pie shop on Level 1.
Mrs Mac’s chief executive officer Paul Slaughter said the company was committed to supporting local suppliers because it benefited the local economy.
“The WA food sector is alive and well, the new pie endorses our regional uniqueness and the quality for our local agriculture to a large national and international audience through the stadium,” Mr Slaughter said.
Mrs Mac’s produces 100 million savoury products annually and sources 2800 tonnes of prime WA beef from the South West, as well as 4800t of flour made from local wheat.
DBC has been in partnership with Mrs Mac’s for more than 30 years, with both family-owned businesses based in WA.
DBC representative Blake Panizza said it would supply Mrs Mac’s with premium Angus beef for the new pie, sourced from its “most respected, long-term producers” in the South West.
The filling of prime-cut, slow-cooked beef will also have a new Mrs Mac’s gravy and premium WA-grown vegetables.
DBC set the foundations for its quality beef in 1950 throughout the Dardanup and Ferguson Valley region.
“The relationship between DBC and Mrs Mac’s, I believe, is one that is truly mutually beneficial and it’s also beneficial to the local economy and the 500 Western Australians that we collectively employ,” Mr Panizza said.
Mr Slaughter said the partnership with DBC was a boost for the South West region, which is becoming known worldwide for the quality of its products.
Sport and Recreation Minister Mick Murray said the deal was evidence that the economic benefits of the $1.6 billion stadium would be shared.
“It’s proving that the benefits of this stadium are going to come not only to the city area, but certainly down into the country as well,’’ Mr Murray said.
More than 30 contracts have been awarded to WA companies to supply food and drinks to the stadium.
“It’s all about creating jobs and making sure WA has a fair shake of contracts that come out of the Optus Stadium, which is something we have pushed as a government,” Mr Murray said.
Family-owned and operated WA companies, New West Foods and Food Packaging Australia (FPA) have also secured contracts at the stadium.
Annually New West Foods will supply more than 200t of frozen potato chips to the new venue, as well as seafood such as prawns, barramundi and crabs sourced in WA.
FPA will supply 500,000 hot chip containers, 200,000 burger boxes and 1.5 million beer cups annually for stadium food packaging.
Other WA businesses that have secured a spot at the stadium include Little Home Bakery (bread), Morley Growers (fruit and vegetables), Oil 2 U (oil), Mondo Meats (meat), Mahogany Creek (poultry) and Total Food Distributors (meat).
“It’s fantastic to welcome these local businesses to Optus Stadium,’’ said Optus Stadium chief executive officer Mike McKenna
“They all submitted highly competitive bids, in many cases beating national competition.
“Ahead of the stadium opening, more than $150 million of contracts will be awarded to support the first five years of operation.
“Food throughout the venue has been predominantly sourced from WA companies with more than 75 per cent of the food supplies provided by locally-owned and operated businesses.”
