PROFILE
Profile Sultana Sisters
While most kids were going off to kindergarten, Katerina and Ivana Blekic were “running amuck” among the grapevines, learning skills that would set them up for future success.
How long have you been in the industry? As third-generation growers, we were born and bred on the land. We both completed our degrees by correspondence so we could continue in the family vineyards and remain connected to our community. Now we work full time off farm but spend our spare time on The Sultana Sisters.
The Mildura sisters continued to work on their family’s dried fruit and wine grape block throughout their school and university studies before starting full-time jobs away from the farm for the first time in their lives.
Is your family involved too? Our grandparents, migrants from Croatia, planted their first vines on the outskirts of Mildura in the 1950s. Even though they’re in their 80s, our grandparents still work in the family vineyards alongside our parents, who work tirelessly day in and day out. Our younger brother also helps out when he’s not busy running his business.
But when farming is in your blood, it’s almost impossible to stay away. Whenever they’re not working, Katerina and Ivana are spending time building their own business – The Sultana Sisters. The young entrepreneurs launched their brand in 2018, delivering naturally dried sultanas, which they also package themselves, to a local and online market. Together they are on a mission to deliver a quality product that promotes the Australian industry, empower consumers to understand how food is produced, and showcase young people in agriculture.
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How have things changed over the years? As well as the addition of new varieties, farming practices have changed – flood to drip irrigation, and rack to vine drying and mechanical harvesting. Consumers are also showing more interest in how fruit is produced, and the industry is better at telling its stories to create a connection. What do you love about the industry? The dried grape industry is constantly evolving, and it has taught us many valuable lessons in terms of leadership
and growth through challenges. There are lots of opportunities for collaboration and to listen and learn from others – we have met people from all walks of life. It’s also been great to see more positive stories of young people in the industry. Where do you see the industry going? We will see further improvements in technology as well as efficiency and sustainability. With COVID-19, consumers are more concerned about supporting local and understanding where their food comes from. We can only see the benefits in agritourism and anything that links consumers and producers. Is there anything new or innovative that you are doing on the block or in your business? As a family, we are planting a new variety to add to the line, and this will be in production in about a year. We are also set to launch our blog, Sultana Sunday, which will give consumers an insight into The Sultana Sisters, our industry, and how produce is grown. Then, in the next six to 10 months, we have some children’s books launching – linking values and sharing industry stories and life on the land in a fun and interactive way. v
