JASON O’Loughlin, Fair Dinkum Meats, Springsure, Blackwater and Emerald is a man with a plan.
Four years ago Mr O’Loughlin, alongside his wife Tracey, opened their butcher shop and now he has two more, a plan for a smallgoods factory and feelers out to purchase a slaughter yard.
He said the inability to access local meat was something he wanted to address – and hoped to see the proposed abattoir for the Central Highlands go ahead.
“It would mean we would be able to source local beef, we have had talks with different local producers and people do like to know where their beef is from,” he said.
While he only sells Australian beef, currently he is unable to tell customers what property or even region, that beef came from.
His goal to build a small goods factory is underway – with plans drawn up and only council approvals and revenue left to handle.
Mr O’Loughlin said he wanted to support the Queensland pork industry as much as possible.
“All the larger companies are bringing in the imported pork so they (Queensland producers) are really feeling it at the moment,” he said.
“Our pork is all from Queensland, locally killed at Maclagan on the Darling Downs. We have a really good constant and consistent supply from there.
“But our next step is to build our own small goods factory out back in Springsure.”
The Springsure shop was the family’s first and was opened in April four years ago.
After opening the Emerald shop earlier this year, Mr O’Loughlin handed the Springsure reins to his son, Grady, 19.
If the small goods factory gets off the ground, it will be Grady who handles that arm of the business.
“The Springsure shop is now our son's shop, so he'll be doing all the small goods, but also because he's younger than me,” Mr O’Loughlin laughed.
But our next step is to build our own small goods factory out back in Springsure.
- Jason O'Loughlin, Fair Dinkum Meats
“I've just hired a small goods man though, so that's one step - I could do it, but I can't do it all, so we needed that extra person.”
Mr O’Loughlin said despite the higher price of beef it was still popular within the three shops.
He said the decision to open the Blackwater shop came after the town’s only butcher shop closed.
“Every town needs a butcher shop,” he said.
Kelly Butterworth
Rockhampton-based journalist covering all things ag.
Rockhampton-based journalist covering all things ag.
