Craft & Co Christmas Market

You’d think, with the huge cultural setting, endless shopping stations and open mindedness of our most liveable city, you’d have zero trouble locking down on ideas for Christmas presents. But isn’t it the greatest curse that sometimes, the more you have access to, the less idea you have for what to get someone you love?

I tend to focus on the things that my fellow foodies love, and for that reason, I’ve ventured to the The Craft & Co Christmas Market on this Sunday morning.

Described as an all incorporated mecca for food and beverage lovers, the space hosts an eatery, café, bar, micro-brewery, distillery, winery, coffee roaster, educator, cheese and meat producer… do I need to go on? If you love food, you’ll love Craft & Co. The company focuses on local produce, and puts their motivation with their mouth is with a sister farm producing the fruit, vegetables, grains, hips and livestock.

The Christmas Market has been designed to support local producers, and unlike most markets, suppliers do not pay to attend. The focus is therefore on the simple enjoyment of paddock to plate.

The scent is heady; just one ingredient of the powerful sensory experience; as the air is filled with a thick combination of things like cheese, meats and alcohol. The bright, loft like space is struck with the sunshine and the clattering of stomping feet, clanging glass and scrunch of plastic wrapping makes for an exciting morning market buzz.

Victorian produce is on show, highlighting the best of state from honey to hot sauce, whiskey to wine. A curated selection of Melbourne and Victorian based non-perishables are for sale, including Silver Penny Puddings, Mork Chocolate, Books for Cooks, Red Rock Olives and Dalhousie Beechworth Preserves.

In addition to the large variety of samples and products on display, a hamper service is offered, where shoppers bundled their goods into a Christmas ready package.

The owner of Craft & Co, Paul Baggio, said that the market was a dream for a long time coming.

“Not many Melburnians realise the calibre of locally-produced and sourced products sitting on their doorstep,” he said. “By offering an intimate European-style Christmas market, we hope we can start to really showcase the fantastic offerings these bespoke producers are developing.”

“This Christmas, we want to keep pushing and promoting the wonderful offerings neighbours, right here on the fringe of inner city Melbourne are producing,”

If you missed the market, don’t fret – The Craft & Co continually carry a massive variety of specialty goods to make your Christmas magical. Pop down to Smith Street in Collingwood and find something from the farm.

Craft & Co.
390 Smith Street, Collingwood
thecraftandco.com.au