Aussie gourmet food retailer makes sad announcement after 34 years in business

An Australian gourmet food and kitchenware retailer has made a “sad” announcement, telling customers it is closing down with a huge sale after more than three decades in business.

The Essential Ingredient was established in 1986 and had stores in Sydney and Melbourne plus a wholesale business that supplied restaurants, hotels, cafes and retailers.

The retailer had been featured on reality TV show MasterChef and in magazines such as Gourmet Traveller.

It was one of Australia’s leading suppliers of specialty ingredients, cookware, kitchenware and recipe books employing about 60 people.

But two months ago the business collapsed and entered voluntary administration after facing challenging economic and operating conditions during Covid.

The business was unable to return to pre-Covid profitability.

The Essential Ingredient has now closed its online store and will remain operating its retail outlets in Sydney and Melbourne until stock runs out.

“Thank you for your support over the years – let’s make these last moments unforgettable,” it said on social media.

Customers were quick to share their disappointment saying they were “sad” to see the store go.

“I only just found out you were back in Sydney a few weeks ago … So sad,” one person said.

“So sad we loved using you all through the 90s,” another responded

“The source of All Good Things. I am so sad,” a person commented.

“Your Crows Nest store was so good.”

Price Waterhouse Cooper were appointed administrators in September with Robert Ditrich saying “the legacy of stock losses during the Covid closure and higher operating costs had all taken a toll on profitability.”