Pure ingredients, pure spirits

The planning and development of the Echuca Distillery and Cafe (located in Campapse Shire) was a slow process but well worth the effort. Since opening the doors, it’s been committed to a 100% natural product policy and it’s paid dividends. Co-founder and head distiller David De Vries has played with flavours, perfumes and essential oil distillation culminating in quality artisan spirits.

Echuca Distillery and Cafe is founded in the historical Port of Echuca, a go-to tourist destination receiving over 1.5 million visitors per annum. Being only an hour and a half from Melbourne makes it a popular weekend destination offering stunning natural surrounds, gourmet food and beverages, and historic architecture. Echuca Distillery and Cafe has become a centrepiece for Echuca’s agri-tourism industry.

Innovation in the distilling process is what’s underpinned the business’s success. Pure ingredients, knowledge and craftsmanship contribute to a superior product; and investment in efficient equipment and sustainable practises has allowed the company to grow to the point of requiring more equipment and commercial space. “Being in a regional tourist town has been very rewarding including the thought that we have improved the Echuca tourism offering,” says David De Vries

The lifestyle of Echuca-Moama has been the reward for choosing to move to the region. “We’ve now run businesses both in a capital city and in a regional town,” says David De Vries. “The lifestyle is a huge improvement and the stress levels are reduced significantly. It’s easy to travel around town and we have more time for family and friends.”

“Our region has a long history in the food sector ensuring a good variety of potential employees and the country work ethic is an asset to the business. There’s a good feeling around the town and we’re noticing little or few vacant retail spaces. The growth of the domestic housing market and the annual growth of our business has led us to a position of requiring further equipment and commercial space in the foreseeable future, leading to many more employment opportunities.”

“The Port of Echuca is growing, vibrant, and a mainstay of the tourism industry. This is the area all our visitors come to stay, either as a day trip or an extended holiday. My strongest advice for anyone wanting to start or relocate a business to our region is to talk to the local council. They are all there to assist with planning and business development.”