The Good Food & Wine Show Melbourne recently concluded, leaving behind three remarkable days filled with culinary delights, sensory experiences, and unforgettable moments. As we reflect on this extraordinary event, we express our gratitude to everyone who made it a resounding success.

At the Good Food & Wine Show Melbourne, we had the pleasure of presenting our delectable Barramundi dishes to the public. The rich flavours and succulent textures of our dishes captivated the taste buds of all who indulged in them. We also got the chance to introduce to the public gourmet Barramundi pies & delicious fresh Poker Bowls. Our offerings were a true feast for the senses.

The event itself was a gastronomic extravaganza, showcasing a diverse range of culinary delights. From artisanal cheeses and freshly baked bread to exotic spices and fine wines, the Good Food & Wine Show Melbourne offered an unparalleled culinary journey. Attendees had the opportunity to savour a myriad of flavours, opening their palates to new experiences and expanding their culinary horizons.

Throughout the Good Food & Wine Show Melbourne, we were fortunate to capture several unforgettable moments. The vibrant atmosphere, buzzing with excitement and enthusiasm, created the perfect backdrop for cherished memories.

Gratitude to Our Incredible Partners

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible partners who contributed to the success of our participation at the Good Food & Wine Show Melbourne. Melbourne Cured, known for their expertise in smoking, enhanced our Barramundi dishes with their skilfully smoked products. Moonfishh_sushi delighted attendees with their exquisite poke bowls, complementing our offerings with their unique flavours. Wonder Pies, masters of gourmet pies, created an extraordinary partnership by adding their delicious Barra pies to our culinary line-up.

Cider Battered Infinity Blue Barramundi & Truffle Layered Chips

VIP ticket holders got the chance to feast on a delicious lunch menu designed by chef Andrew Ballard in the Margaret River VIP Lounge. The Barramundi dish was an instant hit and was sold out most of the days. We thank chef Andrew Ballard, his team and the team behind the Good Food & Wine Show!

In conclusion, the Good Food & Wine Show Melbourne was a truly memorable event that celebrated the best in food, wine, and culinary craftsmanship. Our Barramundi dishes left a lasting impression on the attendees, while the overall experience filled their hearts with joy and their taste buds with delight. We express our sincere appreciation to all who attended and made this event an extraordinary success. Until next time, let’s continue to embrace the culinary wonders that enrich our lives and create unforgettable memories.

MainStream celebrated the International Women’s Day (March-8) and our ladies are shining bright as ever. We operate multiple farms around the world and here’s a glimpse of some of our powerful and wonderful women staff (sadly some of them could not be included as their schedules did not match).

Women in Aquaculture play critical roles in the entire chain of operations from feed, management, hatcheries, retail, chefs, fishmonger and the list goes on. We would like to use this opportunity to highlight some great Women-focused Aquaculture programs and initiatives such as Women In Seafood Australasia – WISA. WISA take a practical and grass roots approach to the professional development of women and raising the profile of women involved in the seafood industry. Also, our very own Australian Sustainable Barramundi (Australian Barramundi Farmers Association) is led by our great Jo-Anne Ruscoe, whose determination and leadership has helped highlight and unite the voices of Barramundi producers all over Australia.

We appreciate you so much every day – mothers, sisters, daughters and colleagues all over in every corner and industry! Happy International Women’s Day!!!

Congratulations to the MainStream Aquaculture Hatchery team on producing its record 200th batch of Barramundi

MainStream Aquaculture is the largest supplier of Barramundi fingerlings in the world and proudly distributes high quality fingerlings to Barramundi producers in 28 countries across 5 continents. Our Hatchery team is a crucial part of the operations responsible for future generations of healthy and sustainable farmed Barramundi.

We are happy to announce that last week MainStream had its 200th batch of Barramundi spawning completed. This marks our second milestone from our previous 100th batch achieved in 2015. At this stage we have produced more than 400 million fish larvae. Our Hatcheries manager, Alpa Pansuriya, and her team were all smiles during the process and continue to contribute to our shared mission “To feed the world with premium, sustainably produced, and nutritious fish”.

If you want to learn more about our Fingerlings program please click here.

Summer is in full swing, and on these wonderous long and hot days nothing beats a weekend or weeknight BBQ. It’s so simple to throw some fresh barra portions or a whole plate sized fish on the barbie and team it with a super salad.

Firedoor Chef Lennox Hastie has shared his top tips for barbequing barramundi – these four steps will help you get the ultimate crispy skin barra and maximum flavour to your favourite fish each and every time.

• Firstly, you need to make sure the skin of the barramundi is beautifully dry. The best way to dry it out starts the night before you plan on cooking it. Simply unwrap the fish from any plastic or wrapping it’s in, pat it down with some paper, and leave it sitting on a plate in the fridge, uncovered overnight.
• The next day allow the fish to come to room temperature before you grill it, you’ll find the pockets of fat in the skin will render down to give you the beautiful crispy skin that barramundi is renowned for. This will require you taking your fish out of the fridge for a short time before cooking. Just be mindful not to leave it out of the fridge for more than one hour on a hot day pre-cooking, and don’t leave your barra sitting in direct sunlight.
• Speaking of skin, be sure to keep the skin on your barra, you’ll get a lot more flavour that way & it is also helping to protect the more delicate flesh of the fish from the hot BBQ.
• Aim to cook the barramundi 80% of the time on the skin side and 20% on the flesh side just to finish. Cooking time will depend on whether you have a whole fish or a fillet.

To inspire you here is Lennox Hastie’s recipe for Barramundi, charred greens, and anchovy dressing which can be cooked on the BBQ or over an open fire.

BARRAMUNDI, CHARRED GREENS, AND ANCHOVY DRESSING

Method

1. Remove your fish from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature
2. Blend the parsley in a blender along with the garlic and 1 large ice cube.
3. Add the capers, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, lemon zest and anchovy fillets and process on medium high until combined. Be careful not to overwork it or it will discolour.
4. With the blender running on medium speed, gradually add the 200ml olive oil in a slow and steady stream. Scrape down the sides with a spatula to ensure the mixture is evenly combining. Turn the machine to high and process for 10 seconds. Season to taste and reserve
5. Light your fire or BBQ. If cooking with fire, spread the embers evenly across the base of the grate and set your grill rack approximately 12-15 cm above the embers.
6. Season the flesh side of the fish with some sea salt and grill (skin side down) above evenly distributed embers for 8 to 10 minutes, turning the barramundi during the last 2 minutes of cooking to set the protein.
7. Transfer the fish to a clean tray, season with remaining sea salt, a squeeze of lemon juice from the lemon and just a drizzle from the 100ml portion of olive oil and leave in a warm place to rest for 2-3 minutes
8. Spray the kale lightly with remainder of the 100ml olive oil and grill for 2 minutes until crisp and lightly charred, season with sea salt, and remove to a clean bowl, dressing with resting juices from the fish
9. Serve the fish with the grilled kale and anchovy dressing, decorate with lemon.

Ingredients

• 1 fillet of barramundi, approx. 800g
• Sea salt
• 100ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 lemon

Anchovy Dressing

• ½ bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves picked, washed and dried
• ¼ cup of fresh capers, washed
• 1 tin (47g) anchovy fillets
• 20ml red wine vinegar
• 1 medium sized clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
• 200ml extra virgin olive
• Zest of 1 lemon

Serving up a Feast at the Australian Open 2023

Barramundi are rich in Omega-3s, and boasts high concentration of polyunsaturated fats, and high levels of selenium, which all help in recovery & maintaining a healthy body. This year we’re serving our large Etty Bay & Wyndham baby Barramundi, as well as new products such as hot & cold smoked products.

Previously we discussed the health components of Barramundi with National Performance Dietitian for Tennis Australia, Joanna Shinewell who recommended barramundi to players at Australian Open because of its competitive edge. Joanna said although fish is a reliable source of omega 3 for athletes, the high concentration of polyunsaturated fats found in barramundi makes it especially ideal for recovery.

“Proteins helps grow and repair muscles and omega 3 relieves muscle inflammation, which are both common problems for athletes during a tournament. EPA helps fight inflammation while DHA is essential for brain development and cardiovascular health, which is exactly what you want when you’re recovering between matches.”

“Barramundi also contains high levels of selenium, an antioxidant which helps cleanse the body of nasty chemicals that build when you’re pushing your body to the edge,” Shinewell said.

Among the 11 types of omega 3s, eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) are considered essential by health experts because they cannot be produced by the human body.

It’s been a fantastic year for us here at MainStream and although we can’t go through all of the happenings in 2022, here’s a quick recap.

Our People: The only thing we love more than fish is our people. MainStream’s talented and dedicated family keeps growing and growing, from Victoria to Queensland to Arizona, USA. We’ve had a challenging year but our people got us through it. And from the looks of it, the passion and dedication are higher than ever before.

Infinity Blue Barramundi: Our delicious Barramundi has continued to win the hearts and taste buds of customers of Australia’s best restaurants and most discerning retailers. We have revitalised the brand to focus on provenance and eating qualities. Customers, depending on their trade and need, now have the option to choose their fish, farm and provenance while remaining confident in the Infinity Blue quality in all its forms.

Hatchery: MainStream’s fingerlings continue to impress the world and we’ve added new countries into our customer portfolio now totaling 28 export markets. Our position as the world’s largest supplier of barramundi fingerlings continues to strengthen, with our fingerlings demonstrating a 5% per annum improvement in growth rates.

Ornamentals: It’s been a banner year for MainStream’s Golden Barramundi ornamentals. Our Golden Barramundi have been featured as part of David Jones’ 2022 Spring Flower Show right in the heart of Melbourne in the Bourke Street mall. Our Golden Barramundi continue to gain a cult following from rare fish collectors and monster fish enthusiasts.

Sustainability: We have finished installing a 516kW rooftop solar PV array, reducing our grid electricity consumption by around 11% annually. In terms of our farms, all seafood that is sourced from our farms can be trusted to be sustainably produced to the highest of industry standards. MainStream is dedicated to waste reduction and as such has a holistic business approach where nothing goes to waste. Investments: MainStream purchased a 1,100-acre fish farm in Arizona, USA. This transformational acquisition will see one of the world’s largest producers and suppliers of Barramundi expand its growing portfolio of assets to now include domestic production in the USA market.

MainStream Aquaculture is happy to announce an addition to our ever-growing fingerlings export market. Our customers in Tahiti have received their healthy Barramundi fingerlings successfully.

Really, we are very satisfied with our order and I thank you for your professionalism!! 

Juliette Fremery, Tahiti fingerling customer

Mainstream fish grow faster, demonstrate lower deformity rates, are more robust, have lower size variation, and have higher fillet yields – resulting in our customers being the most profitable in the industry. MainStream operates an advanced selective breeding program and remains focused on continued stock improvement. Our selective breeding goals include enhancing growth rates with improved feed conversion ratios, reducing growth distribution, increasing fillet yield, improving disease resistance, optimising omega-3 and improved colouration.

MainStream Aquaculture remains the largest supplier of Barramundi fingerlings in the world and proudly distributes high quality fingerlings to Barramundi producers in 28 countries across 5 continents.

MainStream Aquaculture’s beautiful Golden Barramundi have been featured as part of David Jones’ 2022 Spring Flower Show. Crafted by environmental activist and floral artist, Joost Bakker, the show includes all forms of nature, with hundreds of different species on display, all coming from suppliers, growers, and producers around Melbourne.

This included oyster mushrooms in candy hues, mycelium blocks, snails, a tank of MainStream’s rare Golden Barramundi, crickets and other insects, all housed under canopies of tulips, golden elm branches, yellow forsythia, apple and pear blossom. “I want to get people excited about the beauty that surrounds us,” Bakker said, “to understand and feel like they’re immersed in an ecosystem where every single element is connected.”

The existence of Golden Barramundi in the wild is extremely rare, with the chance of one being born one-in-ten million. MainStream’s dedicated Golden Barramundi breeding program, first commenced in 2008, nurtures a population of these exquisite fish, which are a popular addition to the most discerning aquarists. For more information about our Golden Barramundi breeding program please click here

MainStream Aquaculture was featured in the beloved Southern Farmer Newspaper. Our very own Dr. Paul Harrison gives up the company “secrets” and how our Barra are turning chef heads. Click here to read the full issue.

MainStream Aquaculture’s beautiful Golden Barramundi have been featured as part of David Jones’ 2022 Spring Flower Show. Crafted by environmental activist and floral artist, Joost Bakker, the show includes all forms of nature, with hundreds of different species on display, all coming from suppliers, growers, and producers within kilometres of Bakker’s farm.

This includes oyster mushrooms in candy hues, mycelium blocks, snails, a tank of MainStream’s rare Golden Barramundi, crickets and other insects, all housed under canopies of tulips, golden elm branches, yellow forsythia, apple and pear blossom.

“I want to get people excited about the beauty that surrounds us,” Bakker said, “to understand and feel like they’re immersed in an ecosystem where every single element is connected.

“I believe we need to transition into a world where we generate no waste and I think the David Jones Flower Show will be a great example of how future floral installations can be designed.”

The exclusivity of Bakker’s installation cannot be understated as the the existence of Golden Barramundi in the wild is extremely rare, with the chance of one being born one-in-ten million. MainStream’s dedicated Golden Barramundi breeding program, first commenced in 2008, nurtures a population of these exquisite fish, which are a popular addition to the most discerning aquarists.

The installation is available for viewing at David Jones’ Flagship Melbourne Bourke Street Store until October 23, 2022. Paying homage to Australia’s incredible array of native fauna and flora, MainStream’s Golden Barramundi are proudly gracing this installation for the public’s enjoyment.

MainStream Aquaculture has purchased a 1,100 acre fish farm in Arizona, USA. This transformational acquisition will see one of the world’s largest producers and suppliers of Barramundi expand its growing portfolio of assets to now include domestic production in the USA market.

MainStream’s rapidly growing aquaculture business in Australia provides a template for a successful USA business that can be scaled to meet domestic market demand. The Arizona farm is MainStream’s first international acquisition and a major step forward in its core long-term objective to globalise its sustainable seafood business model. MainStream’s business includes:

• Three world class hatcheries, which supply the global Barramundi industry with improved fingerlings from its class leading selective breeding program. The business exports into 27 countries across 5 continents.
• Two state of the art urban farms based in Melbourne, Australia, which deploy unique and proprietary closed containment aquaculture technology, raising Barramundi in pristine spring water. Infinity Blue Wyndham Barramundi are highly regarded for their delicate clean taste, sparkling silver colour and light flesh.
• Three Queensland based saltwater pond farming sites. Two Innisfail farms are nestled between the world heritage Wooroonooran Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef, along with a Port Douglas farm located in close proximity to the world’s oldest rainforest, the Daintree. Infinity Blue Etty Bay Barramundi are renowned for their award winning fine textured flesh and a succulent, buttery finish with excellent natural fat content.
• Contract Barramundi growing operations and an aquaculture consulting division.
• The new farming site in Arizona. A desert oasis with pristine natural water sources which will become a central hub for Barramundi production in the USA.

The USA business will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of the MainStream Aquaculture Group.

Boris Musa, MainStream Aquaculture Group MD and CEO, commented on the acquisition: “Barramundi is a delicious, nutritious, and sustainable fish ideal for aquaculture. We are immensely proud to expand our
operations in the USA after several years market testing the product and operating a pilot scale Barramundi farm in Arizona.”

“By applying the capabilities we have developed over 20 years in Australia, we are confident the venture will establish Barramundi as a premium, sustainable, ethically produced and widely appealing white fish in the USA.”

MainStream Aquaculture and Opal welcome the Australian Government’s announcement of a $30
million grant for the Latrobe Valley Aquaculture project.

Opal and MainStream Aquaculture, which is a global leader in barramundi aquaculture, are proposing
to develop the world’s largest indoor bio-secure aquaculture facility for growing and processing
sustainable Australian barramundi, in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria.

The cutting-edge $125 million aquaculture project would create a new industry sector for the region,
supporting high value, skilled jobs and opportunities for sustainable growth into the future.
Co-located at Opal Australian Paper’s Maryvale Mill, MainStream Aquaculture would design and
operate the state-of-the-art facility, which would grow and process more than 3,700 tonnes of
premium barramundi for the Australian market annually.

The barramundi would be processed into high value and nutritious products delivered fresh across
Australia. These products would meet growing demand and replace imports, enhancing Australian
competitiveness in the seafood supply chain.

The collaborative partnership with MainStream Aquaculture provides the project with a significant
competitive advantage. Locating the proposed Aquaculture facility adjacent to the Maryvale Mill,
means leveraging complementary resources and infrastructure, providing direct access to a wide
range of services such as heating, water treatment, energy and transport infrastructure.
The confirmation of government funding support is a major step forward for the Aquaculture project.
Opal and MainStream Aquaculture will now move into the final development pathway including
detailed facility design, regulatory and Board approvals.

Mr. Boris Musa, MainStream Aquaculture’s CEO, commented, “We welcome the opportunity to
participate in an innovative business initiative in such a critical industry. Using efficient and
sustainable technology for primary food production has significant merit. In addition to its world class
environmental credentials, barramundi aquaculture has potential to transform socially and financially
the local community by developing a new aquaculture precinct in the region.”

Mr. Craig Bosch, Aquaculture Project Lead Opal, says the announcement of the Federal Government
funding is an important milestone for this innovative project.

“The Latrobe Valley Aquaculture project showcases how leveraging complementary capabilities can
support opportunities for transformation in the Latrobe Valley.

“Thank you to the Australian Government for today’s announcement which is a major step forward for
our project. We continue to appreciate Darren Chester’s long-standing support for this important
project and for Opal’s Maryvale site, which is one of the largest employers in the Latrobe Valley”, said
Mr. Bosch.

The project would deliver significant positive economic and employment opportunities to the Latrobe
Valley. During construction, it would create 364 Victorian jobs and once operational, the facility would
support 263 direct and flow on jobs.

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