Wonder from Down Under

In 2008, having just returned from a "walkabout," Australian expatriate Koel Thomae had an epiphany — after eating yoghurt. But this was no ordinary yoghurt. It was unlike any she had ever tasted, amazingly rich, creamy and delicious. Knowing the health food industry well, and confident a product like this would catch on quickly, Thomae convinced brothers Paul and Grant Mathewson, holders of the secret family recipe, to relocate to Colorado to start producing the yoghurt commercially.

The trio named their product Noosa Finest Yoghurt, after the picturesque town of Noosa on Australia's Sunshine Coast, whence the recipe had come. After sealing a partnership with Morning Fresh Dairy, they launched in 2010.

"Noosa elicits a taste of (my) home and it is fantastic to be able to produce and eat it locally," said Thomae.

The Australian-style yoghurt that Noosa produces is a little like Greek Yogurt, though it is much smoother and silkier. Their website cheekily admits: "We Aussies are famous for embracing other cultures, then adding our own little twist to make them our own (It's not 'stealing,' it's 'being inspired.' There's a difference!)."

Noosa is made with the finest ingredients, including milk that comes exclusively from Morning Fresh, a Bellvue, Colorado dairy in operation since 1894. Morning Fresh milk is free of artificial growth hormones and preservatives, and comes from cows that are allowed to roam on open pasture 90 days per year and are fed a home-grown diet of alfalfa and corn the rest of the time. Which is to say, they have a better diet than you do. And maybe that's the secret to why Noosa is so creamy.

As for the other ingredients, Noosa uses pure, golden clover honey from Colorado's own Beyond the Hive to add subtle sweetness to their yoghurts' mild tang. They blend in 100% natural fruit purées from the highest quality fruits they can find, and use no artificial colors, sweeteners or preservatives. They pack their finished product in clear tubs, allowing consumers a glimpse of the lusciousness inside.

"It is incredibly gratifying for me to see people in the U.S. have a similar reaction when they first taste Noosa, akin to when I first discovered it in Australia," added Thomae in her lilting Australian accent.

You can find Noosa Finest Yoghurt in the Sprouts dairy case, available in Mango, Honey, Blueberry and Raspberry.

from the October, 2011 edition of Fresh Off the Press