Christmas Hampers 2014

Way back in 1988, Hunter Valley Hampers started with Charity Christmas hampers for corporate and business to business gifts.

Christmas Gift Baskets

Since then, we have sold tens of thousands of hampers and our business enjoys an enviable reputation both in Australia and Overseas.  Each Christmas we ship gourmet hampers across Australia for delivery as Christmas presents, and it is a privilege we don't take lightly. 

We are still just as thrilled to receive an order for Christmas Gift baskets  in 2014 as we were back in 1988 - and we can proudly say we pay as much attention to detail and the little things that go into making your Christmas that bit extra special as we did back then.

Gourmet Hampers Australia

Just last year we celebrated our twenty fifth Christmas - and it has been an amazing journey watching the business evolve to the position it enjoys today.  From a hobby through a sheltered workshop and then back into our hands, Hunter Valley Hampers is an established authority brand when it comes to Christmas Hampers in Australia.

Hi, My name is Brendan and with my wife Kacy we own and operate Hunter Valley Christmas Hampers from the Hunter Valley wine country in New South Wales.  We'd love the opportunity to share with you and your colleagues, workmates and staff the delights that the Hunter Valley has on offer.  But first, I'd like to share with you three things that we offer that you might not find anywhere else when you are looking to buy Christmas hampers in 2014.

1- Handmade to Order

Every single gift basket and hamper we sell each Christmas is hand assembled to order.  We work along the lines of a restaurant - where once you place your order we get to work making your hampers exactly as specified - so if you want your steak medium rare - or in our case with the hampers you want a particular relish in place of the balsamic - it's not a problem to replace the product as we put it together. 

It's something that might make it take a bit longer to make - but we know you appreciate the attention to detail and personal service that goes into every single hamper we make.  (You won't see this at the bigger, corporate hamper businesses, where the pre-made hampers have often been sitting ready for shipping for months.)

2- We're Here for You

Here's how it works - if you pick up the phone right now and dial 1300 284 684 - guess what - you'll talk direct to either myself or Kacy, my wife.  Just like that!  We don't have layers of admin  stopping your call - so you can talk direct with the business owner to get exactly what you want!  Try it right now - see for yourself!

3 - Local and Regional and Australian Made

Since way back we have had a strong preference for supporting local independent businesses - just like ourselves.  You won't find ordinary, supermarket stuff in our hampers!  It such a massive point of difference - like who would really want some crackers you can buy at Coles in a Christmas Hamper? 

I remember talking about this with a customer and the customer said something like - "So you're going to put a packet of biscuits in the hamper and then ship it halfway across Australia - only for me to open it and see a product I can go buy myself down at the local shops?" It just doesn't make sense! 

Keep this in mind when you are looking at our competition out there - you'll notice decided plain bottles of plonk you probably wouldn't want to even cook with - let alone share with your valued friends at Christmas!  It's all about getting the moment right and making an impression of quality, abundance and

4 - Here's the final point - and the most important one

Ever since the beginning a hamper has been a symbol of plenty, of abundance and of sharing.  It just doesn't make sense that you can get a hamper for say, under $100 and adequately convey that feeling of generosity and giving when you are looking at such a low price-point.  It just doesn't make the hamper look good - it does it a real disservice to be seen as something budget and affordable. 

In the olden days a hamper was a big hulking thing crammed to bursting with all sorts of condiments and treats and food - and that is the very nature of what we are trying to share with you at Hunter Valley Hampers.

So here's to a Merry Christmas and making a meaningful and generous impression with your recipients.  And from all of us at Hunter Valley Hampers - the makers, the artisans, the handmade, the providores - please enjoy our products and all the best for the season and the New Year.!!

Newcastle Gift Baskets

Fruit Hampers Sydney

Edible Arrangements and Bouquets

Gift Baskets + Gift Hampers

This weeks round up of the best of the web in relation to picnic basket and fruit bouquet suggestions showcases an article on fruit reducing your wellness risks, the strength of refrigeration educing fresh fruit spoilage and some handy tips on conserving and keeping your fresh fruit over summer.

Among the best and most powerful ideas for edible bouquets is distributing hampers for men when they are sick or ill or in the course of a healthcare facility stay. We create so many gift baskets for shipping to hospital for every event and specifically when individuals are searching for a flower alternative.

Birthday Gifts

Heart disease is the primary cause of death and disability in Australia in 2014. Each year, around 65,000 men and women suffer from heart disease and 13,000 sustain a stroke. But a new study finds that the risk of contracting cardiovascular disease could be reduced by up to 40 %, just by eating fresh fruit everyday.

I know this may not be nes to many of you, however it simply highlights the energy of the fruit basket and fresh birthday gifts when you want to send healhty gifts. It's not a big deal to send baby gift baskets made of fresh fruit to celebrate the arrival of a newborn - or in the very same breath to share your condolences and sympathy when a friend dies.

Eating fruit daily could reduce the risk of CVD by 25-40 %, according to researchers.

The fresh fruit basket study team, led by Dr. Guaidonk Duko from the College of Oxbridge in the UK, recently offered their findings at the International Community of Cardiology Congress 2014. The findings were definite in favor of edible bouquets and get well soon gifts being made of fresh fruits which eating and sharing healthy gifts makes a difference in manifesting good lifestyles.

Hampers for Men

The results of their send a basket of fruit research study came from an analysis of 351,992 people from 5 non-urban and five urban areas of Asia who were a part of the China Chinoodir Biobank - a study established to investigate genetic and environmental causes of chronic illness. It showed that fruit has a remarkable effect of restoring gift choices less difficult.

Dr. Duker notes that numerous research studies have shown that improvements in diet and lifestyle, like sharing a free shipping fruit hamper are crucial to minimizing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). But she explains that the majority of these research studies have originated from Western countries, with very few from China. In China giving gift baskets and chocolate covered strawberries as thank you gifts is common.

"China has a different pattern of CVD," details Dr. Dupre, "with stroke as the main trigger compared to Western countries where ischemic heart illness is more widespread. Former studies have integrated ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, most likely due to the limited number of stroke instances in their datasets.".

Chocolate Gift Baskets
She adds that provided the variation in threat factors and physiology between ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, the group was particularly curious about how fruit ingestion influenced the problem of these stroke subtypes.

The more fruit taken each day, the lower the risk of CVD - specifically when integrated with the prosperous and generous giving quality of fruit basket delivery Sydney. Truffles and chocolate bouquets may not motivate in you among the most healthy state of mind - but when balanced with edible arrangements and thank you gifts, they perform.

At the beginning of the research study, the scientists asked the people how much fresh fruit these guys ate. Fruit intake was broken down into 5 categories: never, monthly, 1-3 days a week, 4-6 days a week or so as well as daily.

Gift Baskets + Get Well Gifts

The research study displayed that eating more fruit led to low amounts of disease and more popularized feelings of wellness and health and well being. Get well gifts and fruit basket elivery is not just out the gift box - it's also concerning the pamper hamper, the get well soon gifts and the hampers for men.

Whilst our team suggest delivering fresh fruit same day for delivery, fruit basket delivery sydney is still not possible without refrigeration and cool room storage. When looking for thank you gifts and chocolate fruit baskets remember the systems made use of for free shipping and same day delivery.

A giant English superstore chain is spending $ 31 million  to hasten its fresh produce quantity with a multi-store operation to boost chilling systems, while also establishing its assembly and strategies sites. This helps supply christmas hampers and gifts for delivey acoss the UK.

A spokeswoman mentioned to www.fruitbaskets.net.au the financial investment formed part of the merchants three-point plan; speeding up, prioritizing and chilling out fresh fruit for fantastic edible arrangements.

Personalised Baby Gifts
The main aim is to extend the service life of fresh fruit for gift baskets and vegetables by keeping them cool for much longer, and decreasing waste in the process. The spokeswoman claimed that for every hour an item was un-chilled, it shed eight hours of life in the home - this is really crucial when you imagine birthday gifts for delivery.

Saving and Preserving fresh fruit for eating later.

The next fruit I freeze on a routine basis is bananas. I purchase them weekly for the household. Sometimes they consume all of them quickly and in some cases not at all. When the bananas start to get the dark areas, I don't like them. This is especially crucial when you re sending a basket for delivery. So, equally as they are, peeling and all, in the fridge these guys go. Keep in mind they will turn black in the freezer but it's only the peeling that changes color. The interior is still ideal. The bananas thaw out quickly. But bear in mind when they thaw, they aren't solid but are ideal for banana bread and smoothies.

Strawberries are simple to prepare and freeze. I just wash, pluck the, stalk, cut and drop into the fridge bag. It's a quick and straightforward method. Now I have strawberries ready anytime for smoothies or strawberry pretzel salad when requested. Strawberries are a perfect gift box addition to make your pamper hamper look just right.

Apples are a varied story for me. I tend not to chill them raw. I don't like exactly how quickly these guys become brownish. I understand lemon juice will certainly keep them from turning brown, but, in my opinion, they still turn color. I prefer to prepare them to begin with, then freeze them in my freezer bags. Take some of the many fruits in your picnic basket and freeze them.

Thank You Gifts + Picnic Basket

It takes a little longer in order to prepare and cook them, but it is worth it to have the far better apple flavor and to keep a good coloration. This pre-cooking procedure will save time later on whenever you fix an apple pie or cobbler. The pieces offruit only have to melt out and included in the recipe.

Another easy fruit is actually grapes. Just rinse and pop them in the freezer. Now you have a terrific treat and natural sugar for smoothies and also a terrific way to keep your white wine chilled without diluting it. Every fruit hamper has grapes and they are so easy to eat as a snack.

What process do you make use of to freeze fresh fruit which you have obtained in a fruit gift basket? My favorite is peaches. I love in order to open up the freezer and see a bag of peaches ready to use. These guys taste so much better fresh compared to from a tin. It is the little things that make us happy.

Seinding baby hampers and baby gift baskets is everything about fresh fruit and the varieties of fruit you get in the basket. Baby shower gift ideas are exactly perfect celebrations for sharing a fruit hamper. Keeping in mind how strongly healthy and fresh fruit is - you are in the right place for sending a great fruit basket for delivery.

Hospital Fruit Gifts

Delicious Fruit Gift Hampers

In comparison to Japanese chain store and unique providers like Senbokiyu, Australians do not value their fruit as incredibly or place such an appreciation on luxury fruit gifts.

In Japan, luxury fruit belongs to a special product category that presents almost exclusively for providers of fruit gifts. Gift fruit-- which can include grapes, cherries, peaches and pears-- is nourished in a significant way, unique from average, normal fruit. And because of this it dictates a greater cost, whether it be in a fruit hamper or not.

Gourmet Gift Hamper

"Japan is probably the only nation in the world where you have fruit as a gift concept," said Ushio Ooshima, a director at Senbikiya, whose main store in Nihonbashi alone sells 40 to 50 high-priced melons a day and as many as 200 a day in the course of the mid-year and end-year gift-giving seasons. At Senbikiya, "99 percent of the transactions here are for gift," Ooshima said.

In the historic culture of get well gift giving, a melon may be provided as a special present to an important client, a business acssociate, to a professional to whom a financial obligation of gratitude is owed, or to an ill friend as a #get-well-soon gesture. Providing a fruit gift basket in Sydney is a completely different concept - where the focus is on cost and fruit share sizes.

The exceptional prices mirror exceptional strategies used in growing the fruit basket fruits. While an ordinary melon in grocery stores rarely costs more than $5, the high-priced version, usually a variety of musk melon, is nurtured by unique growers in certain locations, of which Shizuoka prefecture and Hokkaido are two of the best known. In Australia, we are most likely to be impressed with a tantalisingly fruit bouquet or edible bloom that features fresh fruit with free delivery.

Edible Fruit Gifts

Fruit Gifts for #discerning Friends

In Shizuoka, west of Tokyo, the hospital fruit gift melons are harvested in sophisticated green houses, complete with air-conditioners that fine-tune the temperate to optimal levels day and night. Melon vines are cultivated and farmed in a soil bedding that is separated from the ground, said Tsuneo Anma, general executive secretary of a growers' association based in Fukuroi city that produces the "Crown" brand of melons. Producing 3.5 million melons each year, the agricultural cooperative is the biggest specialty-melon grower in Japan. It is no wonder that hospital fruit and sympathy fruit are popular reason for sending a get well soon fruit hamper.

The soil separation is imperative to regulate moisture levels. "The moisture uptake by the tree roots must be optimized to promote proper amount of photosynthesis," Anma said. "If fruit gifts trees are raised in the ground, the roots will grow unregulated," making water absorption difficult to control. This is another reason free delivery fruit baskets are in a completely different league to thises prized luxury fruit presents.

Growers trim the vines so that only three melons will grow on each tree. When the baby melons grow to the size of a human fist, two are chopped off to allow the most promising one to monopolize all the nourishment from the vine. That one melon is counted on to mature into the juicy, beautiful and revered $100 dollar fruit. Imagine if we were to give fresh fruit at prices like this on FruitBaskets.net. au?

How diverse does the high-priced melon taste from a commonplace one? "They are absolutely different, from the scent of it to the texture of it," said Shigeko Hoshi who lives in Tokyo and occasionally eats the expensive get well fruit when her friends and family receives one in a fruit gift basket. "The sweetness is exquisitely balanced with the sourness of it.".

Many Japanese consider the exclusive melon, like the exclusive grape, cherry or pears, to be the perfect fruit gift, set apart by its aura of high-class and added value from what is otherwise a mass-produced pure product. When we shared this image on social media via twitter and facebook, we were astounded that people would pay such an extra price for luxury fruit gifts.

Hospital Fruit Delivery

"People go, 'What a difference does a get well gift melon make,"' Ooshima said. "People ordinarily don't eat the very best for themselves. They set it aside for others as a gift hamper," which is the very spirit of Japanese gift-giving.

"Less than 1 percent of the melons we grow certify as 'fuji,"' said Anma, referring to the top grading, which combines the greatest potential for fresh fruit taste with a perfect shape and appearance. "They need to look perfectly round with the mesh-like surface pattern impeccably even.".

While melons are the most expensive luxury fruit gifts as a category, even fuji-grade melons can be out-priced by out-of-season fruits, Ooshima, of Senbikiya said. Cherries in winter, from Yamagata prefecture in northern Japan, can fetch a ¥ 50,000 price tag for just 300 grams, or 10 ounces. When we compare Australia's easy accessibility and low-cost prices for fresh fruit, it is no wonder we are amongst the highest fruit gift basket sharers in the world.

Find Stallholder Application

Becoming a Stallholder at the local Markets is all part of the stallholder application journey of getting your artisan handmade items to market.  Australian locals are particularly fond of locally sourced artisan products, whether they be jewellery, candles, soap or children's toys.  It is with great pride that we share with you some of these local products who have made their own knowledge and experience available for you to take advantage of.  Seeing how experts work is one sure way of getting right into the mode of being a productive and successful stallholder.

Best Aussie Stallholders 

Halo Soy Candles.

Halo Soy Candles use soy wax, which is a product of soya beans, as it has a better scent throw than traditional wax-- this means the wax holds the essential oil throughout the candle media and releases scent in a measured, sustained manner. Also, soy wax burns at a lower temperature than other waxes, so it is safer, and you can actually touch the melted wax without being burned. So you might see masseuses using soy wax in massage to impart aromatherapy scents.


Two of the most popular scented candles are the essential sleep blend, which was originally created for an aunt, and once presented to the market has taken off as a viable selling proposition. Another handmade scent is simply called love-- and has a distinct therapeutic value as engaging and relaxing.

Using aromatherapy blends has proven especially successful, as buyers like to see a clear benefit for themselves away from the generic features of the soy wax itself. Findhandmade.com. au likes how highlighting the benefits for your customers works out as a sales tool-- and Halo Candles have clear descriptions which aromatherapy blend works for particular states.

Floral and Spot.

Raylee has just moved into bricks and mortar retail industry-- opening an outlet as part of a handmade collective in a building once occupied by that bastion of bourgeois David Jones. And belonging of a pop-up shop scene alongside other handmade artisans selling jewellery and handmade soap is a great way to establish a more permanent brand presence. Its as though handmade is entwined with the renaissance of main street retail and is an organic fit for projects like Renew Australia re-activating empty spaces in town.

Raylee has established for herself a workspace where she can actually do work on the production of her designs in the quiet moments in between selling retail-- and it makes for great shop-theatre to see the dressmaker/designer hunched over her fabric, holding pins in her mouth. There's something reassuringly old-fashioned about watching an artisan at work and seeing pieces of fabric come to life as fashion.

Most weekends Raylee is selling dresses-- but she also has a brisk trade selling online-- with a facebook page busy with updates. In fact, Raylee uploads each item she creates to facebook so customers are able to flicker through her catalogue and make a buying decision on the go. With most of her orders though word of mouth, Floral and Spot simply sells itself with new customers asking "what are you wearing and where did you get it?".

Charlie Middleton

The Charlie Middleton line is simple, minus the bling decorations of chasing temporary trends, but instead just presenting well fashioned handmade leather goods. Ben says that using reliable materials and approaches is what people are choosing. As for getting meaningful feedback and having the ability to test new models-- it is as much a challenge to know who to pay attention to-- as it is to prevail when you are on an advantage.

Ben functions from his Bondi office weekdays and is out and about at markets most weekends-- and his workload just keeps growing. Designing handmade items like purses and tote bags takes time, and Ben's production schedule is a challenge-- some days he will sell multiple products in different colors-- then not sell the same product line for a week or so. The uncertain nature of developing handmade products on an artisan scope to meet the desires of retail sales is almost impossible to think about.

The Little Red

As Kristy has hung around at markets her merchandise offering has changed to meet what individuals are requesting. In the eight months she has worked The Little Red, Kristy began marketing cloth and fabric earrings, using brightly colored examples of fabric sourced from all over the place to make striking earrings. But as any market-goer will advise you, the jewellery industry is well and truly drenched with competitiveness and it was a side project of timber products that have sparked a lot of interest.

"Lots of other stallholders have access to these great fabrics so there was that challenge-- but also the wood items were selling well and we were getting so much encouragement from customers that it sort of naturally pulled us that way.".

The Little Red timber is sourced by Dan and together they find the patterns and shapes from all over the internet-- this is a nonstop search to find the new patterns and styles as the existing patterns become aged and customers are always wanting "new" and "different" designs. Experiments with different stains and colors and effects also add other elements and variety to the merchandises.

Art of Happiness.

"If you are in it, you are in it, no matter how much you try, or cover up or pretend it just won't work." There is a real "of course" moment immediately, as though genuine authenticity and passionate originality can not be learned, or copied or faked. You are either in or you are not. It is quite intimidating to apply this to my current project, or my own life. Very confronting and almost begs self-contemplation and that cruel reflection "do I really belong here?" And I quietly sit back as Sofan continues, sharing her observations and revealing that she is in the final stages of having the book she is writing finished and expecting publication later in 2014.

I look around and see the busy venture of stallholders and shoppers walking past with bags hanging from their arms, full of handmade products. Yes, I think I belong here. I do belong here. Sofan continues to explain her philosophy on why markets and stallholders are in revival. People are tired of the disconnect between overseas production of goods and the shopping center model of meaningless consumption once it gets here.

The move to handmade appreciation is built upon the idea "if you are a genuine creative producer it shines through, and it will be valued for a long time" instead of consume-throw-away-repeat. By producing your own product people appreciate and value it more than just another piece of plastic and this is what people at the markets are seeking-- a connection to permanence and lasting value instead of cheap disposable nothingness.

Wild Things Clay.

Being honest with your personal style does not mean being set with your actual products-- Susan moved from jewellery to homewares to meet her evolving customer profile as she moved away from online towards one-on-one at the markets.

After cutting her teeth making small jewellery pieces with a view to online selling and the realities of affordable shipping firmly in mind-- Susan found she was drifting away from what she really liked to create, as well as entering a saturated market (jewellery) filled with highly competitive, established products.

So she reset her goals and instead of making small easy to ship items, Susan moved more in to homewares and cups, plates and bowls. Selling less items but at higher prices means Susan is making the most of increased turnover, and also actually making more money for the amount of time spent working. A definite win both ways.

Fruit Hampers Delivery

Thank you, and Welcome to Newcastle's best Award-Winning Hampers.

Finding the right Fruit Hamper for delivery in Newcastle shouldn't be a hit and miss affair - you can go with a trusted local business with years of experience, a proven track record and a jealously guarded highly regarded status - or you could risk it with a flowershop or some multi-level marketing website.

There's good reason Hunter Valley Hampers are
still number one after all these years.

 When you choose your fruit basket, be mindful that handmade and hand assembled fruit hampers have that personal touch that simply isn't present when you go with a factory-style #fruit #basket business.

Simply knowing your fruit hamper has been put together by hand with your specific order top of mind means you are most likely to get exactly what you had envisioned - not just a pack and send copy that lacks meaning and personality.  That's what we do for you.

There is something about the quality and service of a handmade fruit basket that fits so well with the whole gift giving idea - it's what inspires and motivates us as fruit basket artisans.

 

Simply add ribbon, your personal message and a delivery address
and your fruit basket is ripe and ready for delivery same day across Newcastle.

You've decided to send a fruit basket and you type into the search bar fruit baskets delivery - and you have a good look at what's on offer. 

What exactly are you looking for?  Big generous baskets?  Great value for your dollar?  Plenty of fresh seasonal fruit?  Brilliant presentation and sparkling styling? 

There's more than enough reasons to choose a particular fruit hamper from the other fruit baskets - but after working in the gift delivery industry for over a decade, it's nice to know some professionals have got it covered. 

Here, we offer a behind the scenes insight into what makes a bestselling fruit basket and just exactly what it is that's lends some fruit baskets a winning style over the rest of the competition.
 

A Cornucopia of fresh seasonal fruit to tempt you

Sending a fruit basket is overwhelming a personal touch to connect with another human being - so it just makes sense you would only trust your choice to another personal family based business.

Over the years we have many new customers coming to us after having less that satisfactory experiences with other fruit hamper suppliers - and getting less than presentation quality product and service.

You know yourself when you order from a smaller firm that each and every sale is more important - and doesn't get lost in the noise and confusion of being just one order of the hundreds at a corporate headquarters.

Establishing the trust and authenticity that goes towards building a lasting relationship with your customers is something that smaller family operated businesses excel at.

So make your personal gesture to your friend or family reflect the whole personal idea and choose an independent fruit basket seller.

#PRESSRELEASE

Find Local Markets Newcastle

Newcastle's Finest Handmade Artisans

Here are some recednt interviews we have sourced from local Newcastle business people who choose to sell their handmade and artisan products at the local markets as a stallholder.  You will be both surprised and delighted to hear their stories so generously shared here for your enjoyment.

Blackbird Artisan Sourdough

Meeting handmade artisans if never dull – and Carolyn’s enthusiasm for her product, and the handmade process is obvious – but most importantly perhaps is her overall vision of connection.  Carolyn shared the whole handmade story of her bakery and how she uses local products and freshness is a priority – but the conversation led to a deeper feeling for connection.  A connection between the end consumer and the handmade producer that has been lost by the multi-layered corporate food industry, where reducing costs is the overarching determinant above everything else.

 You can read the full story at Australia's Home of Handmade Artisans for complete information.

The Little Red

 A delightful interview to see first hand how the balance between working for yourself and starting a new family always means you will be productive creatively.

In a previous life, Kristie managed a restaurant in the vineyards region, so when her now 2 year old came along, so began the genesis of The Little Red.   Though still working a couple of days a week, Kristy is trying to manage a transition across to doing her passion fulltime.  She loves being able to do her handmade work at night, or during the day and is grateful for the child friendly work/life balance, without being overly dependent on outside support or childcare.

 You're welcome to read more stories and of course share your comments online at find handmade.