It has been exactly ten years since Farro Fresh’s inaugural store, in Mount Wellington, opened its doors for the first time. To celebrate this significant milestone, the company has gathered its suppliers at Farro Fresh Grey Lynn.
When Farro Fresh Mt Wellington came to life, the Stonefields development was still in its infancy. As Farro’s co-founder Janene Draper recalled, “There wasn’t even one house. It felt like we were in an industrial wasteland and wondered if all our hard work over the previous years to finally open the doors to our dream food store was going to be a disaster.”
Ten years on, Farro has grown from its suburban beginnings with 12 staff to become the one-stop shop that Draper and her husband James had been dreaming of: a hub for the NZ’s lively community of artisan producers with three strategic stores in Auckland (Mt Wellington, Grey Lynn and Epsom) and one in North Shore, employing more than 380 staff and supporting over 550 producers. A fifth store is set to launch in February.
“It has been a real journey of learning, maybe involving a few tears, but compensating with plenty of smiles and amazing experiences,” said Draper. “As we move into our next decade, we can see how the landscape will change again, shifting to offer us even more delicious and diverse options.”
