Producer Profile – Rocky Gardens Fine Foods
Small-batch Tassie production is Tim’s jam
We caught up Tim Mason, owner of Rocky Gardens Fine Foods, at Hill Street Devonport’s Producer’s Night recently. Find out about this Tassie family business, why their jams and relishes are just so delicious, and Tim’s favourite way to eat jam.
Tim and Alison Mason own and run Rocky Gardens Fine Foods, a small-batch jam and relish business at Shearwater on Tassie’s North-West Coast, where they also run a very popular café. Rocky Gardens have supplied us for the best part of a decade and we love their carefully-made, delicious, all-Tasmanian jams, jellies, relishes, chutneys, pickles, sauces, fruit cakes and plum puddings.
We caught up with Tim recently at Hill Street Devonport’s Producer Night and asked him to tell us all about his business.
What do you produce and where do you produce it?
We manufacture Tasmania’s biggest range of jams, sauces, relish, fruit pastes and cordial syrups. They’re all made from our kitchen at the back of the Rocky Gardens Café in Shearwater, using Tasmania’s best produce.
How did you start in this business?
We brought Rocky Gardens 13 years ago from a couple who were looking to retire.
Tell us about your business today.
Today we manufacture over 55 different products including Fruit Cakes and Plum Puddings.
How did you come to work with Hill Street?
We started working with them from when they opened their Northern stores in 2015 and we now supply the whole group. Hill Street Devonport has the biggest range of our products and Hill Street South Hobart is also a great supporter.
What is special about your products?
We are truly small-batch and this helps us produce traditional, high quality products. We have one big kettle which we use for our relishes and the jams are all done in pots. Each batch is only about 6-8 kg. So we can monitor quality and don’t need to put in any additives, setting agents or anything else. All you get is that whole Tasmanian taste!
Which is your personal favourite and why?
The Rhubarb and Raspberry Jam. I like the tanginess.
What do you like most about being a producer in Tasmania?
The quality and variety of Tasmanian produce. For example, our raspberry jam is quite a dark red colour because we use a special heirloom variety of raspberries grown especially for jam. We source them from Richard Clark at Westerway.
What are the challenges?
We sometimes have to wait for things like glass jars and bottles to be brought into the State, that can be frustrating.
Which is your favourite way to use your products?
I love our jams on scones with cream!
Rocky Gardens products are stocked in all Hill Street stores. Check with your local Hill Street store for individual product availability.
