A warm summer's evening in 1969, and Anthony Barker opens a bottle of his homemade Elderberry Wine. He and Gillian sit back and toast the sun as it sets over the hills on their Geraldine farm. The wine is good... very good. And it becomes the first in an award winning range of Barker's fruit liqueurs and wines. The homegrown family business kept growing through the 1970s, and Barker's began processing fruits for more than wine. A surplus of high-quality blackcurrants in the region initiated the installation of a new processing factory on the Barker's farm, followed immediately by the successful launch of Barker's Blackcurrant syrup. A reputation for high fruit content soon saw this and the other Barker's fruit syrups become leaders in the market.

The 1980s saw a growing demand for processed fruit fillings made from natural ingredients - and this demand led to the rapid expansion of Barker Fruit Processors. They soon established a reputation as a quality manufacturer of a wide variety of local fruit products, winning national awards for both product development and presentation. The one-time fruit wine specialists now delivered the best in bakery fillings, jams, toppings, yoghurt fruits, ice cream ripples, low-moisture fillings, juice and drink concentrates, retail and food service preserves, sauces and condiments. Through continually tailoring products to suit customers' specific needs, Barker's became an industry leader. Research and development played a major role, with ongoing expansion in both laboratory space and staff numbers dedicated to product development. With a strong focus on flexible manufacturing, Barker's now produces more than 300 product lines tailored to meet the specific needs of their customers.

Michael Barker
Managing Director

BARKER'S E-BOOK 

BARKER'S BAKERY/FOODSERVICE BROCHURE