Albury sauce and dressing business, McGrath Fine Foods, is taking the lead by rolling out Australia’s new Country of Origin Labelling (CoOL) early, making it easier for consumers to buy locally made products.

Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, Luke Hartsuyker, and the Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley, visited McGrath Fine Foods to thank the McGrath family for starting the rollout of CoOL well ahead of the 30 June 2018 deadline.

“McGrath Fine Foods understand the labels will make their products stand out to consumers who want to buy Australian made products,” Minister Hartsuyker said.

“It’s a system that’s a win-win for Australian consumers and for local food producers.

“Australians want to know where their food is grown, made or packed, and how much is sourced from Australian farmers, and it’s great to see this information front and centre on a range of products.

“For most food made, grown or produced in Australia, labels will feature the kangaroo in a triangle symbol and a bar chart indicating the percentage of Australian ingredients.”

Ms Ley said it is great to see McGrath Fine Foods showing the way for other Albury businesses.

“The McGrath family has been a staple of the Border’s food scene for decades, and by adding CoOL to their products we can all proudly show we are supporting a truly local business,” Ms Ley said.

“Long may the secret poppy seed recipe remain ‘secret’ so it can, with McGrath’s other delicious sauces and dressings, remain exclusive to Albury-Wodonga and Australia—that’s what this new labelling is all about.”

An online tool and other support for business can be found at business.gov.au/foodlabels or by calling the contact centre on 13 28 46.