Opening of Italian food factory in Balcatta

1/2/95

Premier Richard Court says a small Italian food factory in Balcatta has demonstrated there need be no boundaries in expanding locally and overseas.

Mr Court said that from its humble beginnings in Osborne Park in 1981, Belmar Italian Food now served clients like Myer Australia, Qantas and had secured distributors in South East Asia.

"Belmar is a perfect example of Western Australia's dynamic and resourceful small businesses that are making a strong contribution to this State's position as the nation's leading exporter and the State with the lowest unemployment rate," the Premier said.

Mr Court was speaking at the opening of Belmar's new $1.5 million factory in Balcatta. The company employs eight people. 

He said Belmar had traditionally provided a range of fresh and frozen pasta products to the WA food and catering industry.  In recent years it had exported to Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand and was pursuing opportunities in Japan, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

"Belmar has received support from the Department of Commerce and Trade for the introduction of a quality assurance system known as Hazard Analysis And Critical Point - a system which resulted from the US space program to ensure food quality meets the most stringent standards," Mr Court said.

"It is a system which leads to certification of international quality assurance standards and it is these standards which will influence greatly our ability to effectively compete in international markets."

Mr Court said it was the willingness of owners Sam and Mary Chisari to introduce these types of procedures that had placed Belmar in the ranks of Australian companies looking to expand in both the domestic and export markets. 

"The State Government has also provided Belmar with marketing support to allow for the Chisari's to visit Asia to assess the potential for pre-prepared Italian-style food," the Premier said.

"Their subsequent participation at international food exhibitions has simply confirmed that there is a growing demand for their product, particularly among younger Asians."

Mr Court said Belmar was also supporting the Australian economy by utilising the variety of raw agricultural materials and transforming them into another internationally tradeable product.