Family owned and grown for 50 years, Zavaglia’s Gourmet Produce has been with the Carriageworks Farmers Market since it began, offering our visitors a range of unusual produce varieties as well as crowd favourites such as zucchini flowers and raspberries. Placing great care in everything they do, Zavaglia’s customers are often treated to trays of lovingly hand-shelled peas and broad beans, warm hugs and expert advice on how to store, cook and enjoy your basket of goodies. Zavaglia’s Gourmet Produce is also very popular with leading chefs and features on the menus of some of Sydney’s top restaurants.
We were delighted to speak with one of the growers, the self-proclaimed ‘market mum’, Carmel Zavaglia, to find out more about their highly regarded produce.
Can you tell us about your gourmet produce?
We intimately know our produce as it is grown by us, the Zavaglia family. Our gourmet produce is a source of great seasonal offerings, specialising in baby vegetables. Our love for simplicity and great flavours is integral to everything that we do.
What makes your produce stand out?
We pride ourselves in delivering freshness and value with our range of high-quality fruits and vegetables. The colour and crispness of our gourmet selection is the way we measure quality in our fresh goods. We grow lesser-known produce such as Mexican sour cucumbers (aka cucamelons) which adds discovery and excitement to our customer’s dishes. We put our heart and soul in everything we grow.
Is there a particular product that your customers know about and love?
Our baby zucchinis are loved by our customers along with our other baby produce. A favourite among our regulars are our zucchini flowers as they are beautifully succulent and tender. We eagerly look forward to the arrival of our widely popular raspberries each year, offering a perfect balance of both sweetness and tartness in flavour.
What’s your favourite thing about trading at the Carriageworks Farmers Market?
As a long-time stallholder at the Carriageworks Farmers Market, the neighbouring stallholder care and compassion is really appreciated. There is an attentiveness to looking after one another as a community. There is a genuine sense of belonging.
I love being here and I can’t wait to arrive every Saturday morning!
Make sure to visit Zavaglia’s Gourmet Produce next time you’re at the Carriageworks Farmers Market. Open from 8am – 1pm, every Saturday.