Toowoomba’s reputation as a powerhouse regional economic incubator, highlighted on Thursday by the Prime Ministerial visit to the city, was enhanced that evening when Food Leaders Australia hosted the largest gathering to date for its first Meat Up social event of 2018.
The new RB Sellars store, Queensland’s first, opened last September in the 1900s heritage-style warehouse that’s adjacent to the Walton Stores redevelopment, was the venue for the casual beer and barbeque occasion, and Richard Sellar-Jones told those gathered that it had been trading very well.
“We have found the key to success is to go directly to the fabric mills in Pakistan and China to source quality material, rather than the other way round,” he said.
To highlight that, each guest was given a gift bag containing an RB Sellars beach towel using Australian cotton sourced from the Darling Downs region.
“It’s certainly on our agenda for the future, to use Australian cotton and wool.
“It’s a balancing act between quality fabrics and affordable prices but it’s what we aim for.”
Food Leaders Australia general manager, Bruce McConnel, described the rural outfitter as a great example of growth in the wider Toowoomba region.
“Today really highlights where Toowoomba is on the scene,” he said.
“We had Alibaba ( Chinese online retail giant) in town as well as the Prime Minister and deputy Prime Minister.
“Toowoomba is getting tremendous exposure for what it’s doing.”
Attendees heard that a revamp of the Meat Up formula was planned, via afternoon bus journeys to showcase the region and what it has to offer, such as feedlots, horticultural production and so on.
As well, an intensive agriculture conference is planned for the Western Downs at the end of February, and an emerging exporters program will start in early March.