“I had never heard of it and it was absolutely to die for,” she recalls. “Kate Frost (one half of the duo behind the Pemberton-based chocolatier) was there and later we stayed down her way and went to their chocolate shop where all the magic happens.”
Luckily for the chocolatiers, the taste sensation was something Renée couldn’t wait to share with others – and she had the perfect place to do so.
Her family has run Preston Street IGA in Como for 36 years, building a loyal customer base for their focus on fresh produce and hunting down local treasures such as the delectable chocolate.
“We always try to keep our finger on the pulse in terms of good local products because it’s a real point of difference for us, especially from the big chains,” she says. “We love to hero small batch products – it might be artisan paté or crackers, or chocolate, anything that is delicious and harder to get elsewhere.”
It’s one of the reasons she has been going to Meet the Buyer™, the Buy West Eat Best trade show dedicated to Western Australian food and drink, almost since its inception in 2021. Meeting the people behind those products is also important.
Building relationships
“They are so passionate and it’s really nice to hear their story and help bring that to life,” she says. “We often get our suppliers to come into the store and do tastings so that customers can meet them, too.”
Renée also enjoys catching up with existing suppliers at the annual event, which returns to Crown Perth on Tuesday 21 October with a full suite of exhibitors.
“For example, we buy Mondo Nougat through a distributor but, thanks to Buy West Eat Best, I also met one of the family behind the business and have developed a relationship with him,” she says. “He will be in touch with me directly, even though we have a distributor, to check in and see how we’re doing, which is great.”
Buyers and suppliers also have a lot in common and can learn from each other. “At the end of the day, we’ve all got small businesses and though we might be doing different things, we have similar challenges, so there’s an understanding about what it takes to get a product out there,” she says.
In the spirit of the event, which is as much about making connections as it is finding a buyer or a new product, Renée has also encouraged one of her suppliers to showcase their products at Meet the Buyer™.
Preston Street IGA had stocked products from gluten-free bakers Cupcakes for Lucy (they do more than cupcakes) for a few years when the owner mentioned to Renée one day that he was keen to expand.
“He wanted to get his product into more stores and I suggested he consider booking a stall at Meet the Buyer™, so it’s good to hear he will be there this year,” she says.
“People feel connected to products that are produced here.”
While work commitments will keep Renée away, she will ensure that someone from Preston Street IGA attends to stay on top of all that’s new and keep building those existing relationships. It’s an integral part of the store’s offering.
“I think people want to know where things have come from. There will always be demand for imported items or things that are different to what you can get here, but people feel connected to products that are produced here,” she says.
“You can feel that just from talking to customers when you tell them about a product, or the story behind it, that it resonates with them, and they want to support local where they can.”
Meet the Buyer™ is at Crown Perth on Tuesday 21 October 2025. The exhibition floor is sold out, but buyers looking to stock their shelves with fabulous produce still have time to snap up tickets and support local.
Please note: Meet the Buyer™ is a trade and industry event only but you can still show your support for locals wherever you shop or eat out.