Business Champions

Farro: 3/4-6 Station Street, Moorabbin 

Local business Farro is one of our go-to choices for fantastic nutritional food as well as amazing specialty coffee. Business owner Tia is what we like to call a ‘business champion!’

With an incredible history and unwavering business innovation throughout the pandemic, we wanted to share with you her story:

“Eating well for optimal health and wellbeing has for a long time been a passion of mine. Farro exists as a means of sharing my love of healthy eating and nutrition with those who appreciate good food and the plethora of health benefits that come with a sound diet and lifestyle. Through Farro and the products we offer, we are able to promote healthy eating and we strive to have our customers feeling their best through readily available, nutritious food and beverages.

My parents fled the war in Cambodia which saw them in a refugee camp in Thailand. They eventually found their way to Australia where they had high hopes for a brighter future, yet most important, a promising opportunity for their children to thrive in life.

At the refugee camp in Khai I Dang, Thailand, was where I was born – very glamorous! Knowing and truly understanding what my parents endured, during and post war period, and what they sacrificed for their children’s future has been a huge driving force in my life, motivating me to want to work hard and succeed in all facets of life.

Adding to this, in my early teens I was unexpectedly diagnosed with an illness which left me unwell for most of my teenage years. I was in and out of hospital for over 7 years and taking copious amounts of tablets everyday to keep me “well.” When I was older and wise enough to understand what my body was going through, I decided to make a positive change to my diet and lifestyle, which ultimately paved way for the healthiest version of me. To date, I’ve not had to re-visit the hospital and I know in myself, nourishing, wholesome food was my most powerful medicine.

From there, I developed profound interest in nutrition, pursing university studies in Nutritional Medicine and Food Science.

I was determined to share this notion of “food as medicine” with everyone, which lead to the creation of Farro.  I believe it’s incredibly important for people to realise their true potential in life through optimal health. After almost a year of working various retail jobs and not feeling in any way settled nor satisfied in my career, I built up the courage to turn this idea of opening my own health food cafe into a reality, and it’s been one remarkable journey. The highs and lows of operating a business, yet immense fulfillment and gratitude in being able to work a job that I truly love and enjoy. The incredible customers we have come through our doors day to day just tops it off!

At Farro, we introduced a large range of  “Take Home Meals” very early on during the initial stages of covid, which customers could enjoy in their own home or office. Farro Take Home Meals stayed true to what we are about – fresh, nourishing and delicious food. Our Take Home Meals would virtually make up for the absence of dine in sales with current cafe restaurant restrictions in place.

We also commenced the sale of high-quality snoods/ face masks, in addition to increasing our daily selection of “ready-to-go” take away options. Our specialty coffee sales have remained encouraging; not too highly impacted by pandemic restrictions in place with customers more than happy to grab a coffee on the go. We do love our specialty coffee!

Our social media platforms have been used resolutely to connect with customers, new and old, regarding our current offerings and any other important cafe updates during this time of such uncertainty. With most people on their phones and computers at home/office, online marketing has been an advantageous focal point for the business.”

– Tia (Farro Owner)