Media - Feather & PECK

MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15 November 2025

feather&PECK wins Consumer Choice Award at the 2025 South Australian Premier’s Food & Beverage Industry Awards

feather&PECK has been voted the winner of the Food South Australia Consumer Choice Award (Under 15 FTEs) sponsored by Foodland at the 2025 South Australian Premier’s Food & Beverage Industry Awards Gala Dinner, held on 14 November. The award recognises the state’s most loved food and beverage businesses as chosen directly by South Australian consumers.

Co-founded by Catriona and John Byrne, feather&PECK has built its reputation on giving consumers genuine choice in how their eggs are produced, championing transparency, animal welfare, and a better food ecosystem. At a time when consumer behaviour is shifting rapidly, feather&PECK continues to respond with products and practices that reflect the values and expectations of conscious customers.

“This award means so much because it comes directly from the people who love our eggs,” said Catriona Byrne, Co-Founder of feather&PECK. “Consumers are more informed and more empowered than ever before. They’re choosing products that align with their values, and we’re proud to give them a choice that’s ethical, sustainable, and genuinely good for both people and the planet.”

The Consumer Choice Award highlights the brand’s strong connection with South Australian households. feather&PECK’s focus on responsibly produced eggs has resonated deeply with consumers who want confidence that the food they purchase supports real change.

“We’ve always believed that eggs can, and should, do good,” said John Byrne, Co-Founder of feather&PECK. “This recognition from consumers reinforces that belief. It tells us that shoppers want honesty, they want quality, and they want to back businesses that are making a positive impact. feather&PECK is built from the farm outwards; regenerative farming is central to our operation.”

feather&PECK’s win reflects a broader trend of consumers rewarding brands that champion transparency, animal welfare, and responsible farming practices. The company continues to work closely with local retailers, producers, and partners to increase access to high-welfare eggs across the state.

For Catriona and John, the award is both a celebration and a call to action.

“South Australians have spoken,” Catriona added. “They want better choices on their shelves and that’s what we provide. When they choose a feather&PECK egg, they choose a good egg that does good.”

feather&PECK eggs are available in retail outlets and markets across South Australia.

Story in The Next Crop – November 2025

Pasture-Raised Eggs: A Recipe for Regional Regeneration

The feather&PECK story is a farm first story. With a 9-year track record and multiple farms adding hens to their enterprise, it shows that sustainable agriculture isn’t just environmentally responsible—it’s commercially viable.

What began in 2016 as a cattle farming operation over two Fleurieu farms has evolved into a thriving enterprise producing more than 150,000 pasture-raised eggs weekly across seven partner farms. Mobile hen caravans move to fresh pasture each week, allowing chickens to forage whilst regenerating the soil. Guardian Maremma dogs, championed by the now retired poster boy Ollie, provide an innovative solution to predator control.

Tangible benefits include improved pasture quality, reduced carbon footprint, and increased yields across all farm enterprises. The hens work as natural land managers enhancing rather than depleting the soil. Alistair Just from Ashley Park Pastoral has produced eggs for 18-months.

“Once we rotate the hens on we use a modified rotary hoe to incorporate the manure into the soil. We then plant a 15 grain mix cover crop of different annuals and perennials including herbs, grasses, clover, radishes and even sunflowers that grow taller than the cattle. These plants build nitrogen and increase the depth of the top soil.”

Carly Bussenschutt of Marapana Farm at McHarg Creek is the newest feather&PECK farmer partner. She is a third generation Kangaroo Island prime lamb producer, an agronomist and a 2013 Nuffield Scholar. Husband Adam was raised on a broad acre cereal farm on Yorke Peninsula. They love the system of the hens and enjoy having Maremmas around. Carly says the decision to run hens was a ‘no-brainer’.

“We wanted to scale our farm without buying more land. By creating a pasture raised egg enterprise we can get more value out of our land whilst improving it.”

For farmers considering diversification, the Feather&PECK model offers a proven pathway: regenerative practices that strengthen existing enterprises and create new revenue streams. It’s agriculture that builds rather than extracts – something every regional South Australian farmer needs.

feather&PECK eggs can be found in major retailers including selected Woolworths stores, Drakes, and Foodland, alongside independent grocers, green grocers, butchers, and cafés across South Australia. The yellow-and-white checked cartons, featuring Ollie prominently, tell a compelling story that resonates with increasingly conscious consumers who care where their food comes from.