Number 20 Map 1B Hawkesbury Harvest Farm Gate Trail Maps
Photos of china ducks may not be what you are expecting to see when reading about Australia's largest provider of ducks, some 3.5 million of them per annum to Bbq, Thai and Chinese shops mostly, from the east to west of Australia.
The fact is that up until a couple of years ago I would have been able to visit a duck farm owned by Pepe's Ducks and take photos there to my heart's content. I could have visited one of 21 farms the company owns around the Hawkesbury and met many more of the 128 employees.
I am instead at the company's offices in South Windsor, talking with its General Manager of thirteen years, John Houston. And photographing china ducks. The reason for this is that biosecurity throughout the farms is a major component of the duck industry. Stringent bisecurity rules, including the washing of hands and boots and ensuring the security of vehicles entering the farms is now a fact of life.
Another significant issue in the industry is animal welfare and that is why Pepe's Ducks is a member of Animal Health Australia. The company works very closely with AHA to ensure that it implements any changes to laws and regulations as and when required.
Times have certainly changed since Pepe Bonaccordo started the company over 30 years ago with 22 ducks in his backyard. Pepe may be small in stature but according to John he has a huge and generous heart. He could be heard laughing with his staff as he wandered around the office and factory whilst I was there.
Pepe Bonaccordo
What started almost as a hobby is now a very significant business in the Hawkesbury district. John talks at length about the company's core values of honesty and respect. Throughout the world, he believes, companies now espouse the virtue of "clean green." To him though it is also absolutely critical that the company deals with employees, farm managers, farmers and of course customers in an honest and respectful fashion.
John Houston, Craig Baldwin (Production Manager), Peter Bonaccordo, Pepe and David Fox, Accountant...
The company is a keen supporter of Hawkesbury Harvest, using the logo in its packaging and on its vehicles. John firmly believes that whilst the business distributes Australia wide it is very important to support endeavours to promote local produce. To this end it is possible to purchase products from the offices/factory in South Windsor. These include whole duck, duck maryland, duck breast, fillet and sausages.
John himself regularly attends the farmers markets where Pepe's Ducks are sold. He loves talking directly to the customers, giving them recipes and chatting about the product.
Oh, and if you happen to see a car driving past you with the number plate "Quack" you can probably now make an educated guess as to who is driving it!
Pepe's Ducks
17 Walker Street
Windsor
02 4577 4233
Please visit the Hawkesbury Harvest website
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