It is peak season for fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, wines and gourmet lines coming out of Western Australia's Southern Forests region in the lower South West.
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And Perth shoppers will get a taste of this local produce through a new retail marketing campaign being run by Genuinely Southern Forests.
Hosted for the seventh consecutive year at Gilberts Fresh Market outlets in Hilton, Midland and Willetton, an array of amazing quality produce from the Southern Forests region will be showcased between now and late May.
The campaign features nine in-store cooking demonstrations and tastings, deluxe gourmet hamper giveaways and delectably gorgeous content to inspire shoppers.
Adding extra flair to the campaign this year will be former MasterChef contestant and creative Samira Damirova who will be hosting three of the in-store events.
She shares a passion for food and a postcode with Southern Forests producers and has a unique approach to creating recipes that reflect her Azerbaijan culture, while allowing produce to shine.
"I am so thrilled to be working with the amazing produce from Genuinely Southern Forests and creating a connection with customers through delicious and simple recipes," Ms Damirova said.
The Southern Forests campaign started at Gilbert's Fresh Market Hilton last weekend, featuring summer berries from the Southern Forests region.
The instore activations will then rotate through Gilbert's Fresh Market Hilton, Midland and Willetton stores on Saturday mornings from 9.30am to 12.30pm with new seasonal recipes, handy tips and tastings of Genuinely Southern Forests produce.
"Gilbert's Fresh Market shares a passion for fresh local produce and values our partnership with Genuinely Southern Forests which allows us to share and promote the incredible range of fresh local quality produce with customers throughout our three stores," said Gilbert's Fresh Market Hilton manager Charlie Opferkuch.
The campaign will highlight the range of premium produce that is grown in the Southern Forests region and include shopping basket staples such as plums, potatoes, apples, cauliflower and broccoli.
It will also shine a spotlight on some of the lesser-known produce, such as feijoas, finger limes, gold kiwifruit and tamarillos.
Some of the incredible gourmet products from the region include passionfruit soda, honey, truffle products, walnuts, chocolate and even kangaroo.
Southern Forests Food Council (SFFC) vice chairwoman Monica Radomiljac said the retail marketing campaign was incredibly valuable to WA's food, beverage and agriculture industry, as it provided a direct connection from the country to the final customer.
"Genuinely Southern Forests is extremely proud to bring the magic of our region to Perth and looks forward to this campaign ahead," Ms Radomiljac said.
"Genuinely Southern Forests brand recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and is proud to have Gilbert's Fresh Market alongside us for our seventh retail campaign."
The Southern Forests Food Council was founded in 2010 by a group of passionate local producers who recognised the wealth and abundance of produce grown in the region made it perfect for major food production and agri-tourism.
Its role was formalised in 2012 after receiving a $5 million investment under the State government's Royalties for Regions program.
The investment is part of a $7m Royalties for Regions allocation to the Shire of Manjimup for its Agricultural Expansion Project.
The SFFC has received a further $725,000 from the government to focus on activities and implement strategies that secure its long-term sustainability and enhance the Genuinely Southern Forests brand.
SFFC is committed to unifying the area's world-class and diverse producers to strengthen the region's economy, attract investment and export opportunities, promote regional pride and create sustainable jobs.
SFFC represents more than 100 local producers, culinary and agri-tourism operators who live and work in what is WA's premier food bowl, aiming to ultimately establish the Southern Forests as an internationally-recognised agricultural region and culinary tourism destination.
The Southern Forests region produces more than 50 different types of fruits and vegetables, truffles and boutique produce, dairy, sheep, pork and cattle, as well as award-winning wineries and exceptional culinary experiences.
