Is this Melbourne’s best organic butcher?
Meet Oliver Hagen, the owner of Hagen’s Organics – which could possibly be Melbourne’s best organic butcher shop in Melbourne (alongside Gary’s Quality Meats of course). With four shops under his belt and a renowned reputation for sourcing only the best quality meats, we chat to Oliver about how Hagen’s started, where they source their meat from and what makes them different from their competitors. Enjoy!
Did you know Hagen’s Organics started out as an organic fruit and veg shop, run by Oliver’s dad, Royce Hagen? In the ’80s, organic produce wasn’t readily available to the mass market but Royce decided to change all that. He began developing relationships with organic and biodynamic farmers around Victoria and soon expanded his range to include fresh organic juices and smoothies – an immediate success, and one of the first juice bars in Melbourne. It wasn’t long before customers began hassling Royce for organic meats and in 1999 with no butcher training, he took a risk and opened Hagen’s Organic Meat. The fruit and veg shop closed soon after, allowing him to spend more time on his burgeoning organic meat shop – and the rest is history!
Visit Hagen’s Organics’ own website for a sneak peek at their range, some hints and tips and of course delicious recipes.
