In 2012, a group of independent pipi harvesters in the Fleurieu Peninsula joined together in 2012 to form The Goolwa Pipi Company with the help of the South Australian Government as a partner. They used their $12,000 Innovation Voucher to find a way to make their business viable in international markets. Here’s how.
The pipi, or as it is known locally - the Goolwa cockle – was once used for fish bait. A decade ago savvy catchers started to “de-sand’’ the pipis (making the animal spit out the sand it harboured) to make it an appealing seafood meal. That caught the attention of celebrity Australian chefs like Simon Bryant and Matt Moran. Pipis are now found on the menus of top hatted restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne.
This presented the Goolwa Pipi Company with an opportunity. So the company began to investigate how to extend the shellfish’s shelf life to make it viable in overseas markets, particularly in Asia where it is already a seafood staple.
So the pipi industry used a $12,000 Innovation Voucher granted by the South Australian government, to explore Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) with the assistance of the South Australia Research Development Institute, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia and the Fishery Research and Development Association.
One of the main causes of the spoilage of any food is the growth of microbes such as bacteria, yeasts and mould that are present everywhere. The appearance of food can also change over time when exposed to air. Keeping seafood fresh for as long as possible without additives has always been a challenge for the food industry. One of the breakthroughs in this long term challenge has been technology that allows food to be sealed in a package that contains a mixture of natural gases in carefully controlled proportions that significantly slow down the process of decay by inhibiting processes of oxidation and the growth of microbes. This is the essence of MAP.
“Using what we learned from the MAP trials we were able to produce a Proof of Concept plan which gave us the confidence to invest in a manufacturing plant,’’ explained Roger Edwards, independent chair of the Goolwa Pipi Harvesters Association, which represents about 60% of the catch quota.
“The vacuum-seal style of the packaging greatly increases the shelf life of the pipi while also allowing a use by date to be stamped on the bag.”
In the past 10 years the edible pipi industry has grown from $700,000 a year to $4 million a year with the bulk sold to restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne.
The pipis are harvested by raking a 60 kilometre stretch of beach on the Young Husband Peninsula, south-east of the Murray Mouth in South Australia.
“About three quarters of the current quota of 450,000 kilograms goes to Sydney and Melbourne,’’ stated Tom Robinson, director of Coorong Cockles.
“We export about 5% of the catch overseas – primarily to the Asian markets – and that is what we have identified as a major growth area for us. With the MAP packaging in place and the extended shelf life, it opens up markets for us that just weren’t possible previously.”
Following the development of the new MAP packaging system, The Goolwa Pipi Company has opened a new packaging factory to help the pipi industry to secure new export markets and create employment in the region. This, too, was established with the help of a State Government grant ($75,000).
“Pipis are an important commercial and recreational fishing species in South Australia, and the commercial fishery has developed rapidly during the past 15 years in response to a growing human consumption market. In the 1990s, the fishery was worth about $750,000 a year. In 2012-13, it generated $3.2 million for the local economy,” Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister Leon Bignell stated.
“The new facility would allow the industry to develop a range of product formats and pack sizes for domestic and international markets. The industry was now looking to the future and how to value-add so it could continue to be a significant contributor to the economy of Goolwa and the Lower Lakes.”
According to Edwards, the Goolwa Pipi Harvesters Association plans to invest a further $500,000 to create a fully commercial modified atmosphere packaging plant following the success of the initial market trials and the purchase of the new facility.
“We believe that within two years the plant will have the ability to produce up to 500 kilograms a day, allowing the packaged Pipi to expand into both domestic and international markets."
View Matt Moran’s pipi story here:
