OUR STORY
We love to gather around a barbeque. A good fire and a great feed allows us to connect as a family, as friends, as a team and as a community. In my family, this comes from my heritage. South Sea Islanders prepare the Hāngi by burying searing hot rocks and layering the food for a day of cooking, eating, laughing and playing. This amazing tradition is my first food memory from right back in my childhood when my dad made a great Hāngi. I’ll never forget it.
In Bundaberg, we grew up in three places each with their own grill – at home, at school and on the footy field. Especially the footy field! At school and at the footy, the grill was used as a place to build community support through fundraising, a tradition that continues today. We didn’t know how important it was at the time, we were just kids who loved to play and loved the smell of that sausage sizzle, our mouths watering and yearning for that first bite.
When travelling around the world representing Australia, the team would continue the tradition of a great Australian Barbeque with Aussie tunes and a lot of laughs. It was always a real taste of home and some of my fondest memories from the sport. Now as a mentor, a coach, and a parent like so many on the sidelines of our children’s teams, I am still easily lured by the smell of this great Aussie tradition.
My role as a coach and spokesperson for the game keeps me busy, but I have always wanted to support the youngsters and the communities where our great players come from, so I have put together my own First Grade team. With a growing focus on what goes into our body and the long-term importance of reducing chemicals and food additives, we set out to create a better product with real Australian ingredients and better flavour. It was a long but exciting process and at the end of it, we had our solution…
Big Mal’s First Grade! Right down to the eco-friendly trays and the specialty glass bottles, we aim to offer a better product all-round. I’ve spent a lot of time with my mates Matthew (The Food Company) and Dean (Peppercorn Meats), to fully understand the processes involved in these products. From choosing ingredients, taste-testing and retesting, it has been an incredible journey. I am proud to see it on the shelves of community grocers and at the footy fields, raising support for teams and players to realise their dreams.
I don’t remember the first time someone called me Big Mal, but it wasn’t because I played small. The product that bears that name represents me, Big Mal – big bites and big flavours, it’s #saucesome! So, let me know what you think. Post your photos on our Facebook and Instagram or just send me an email to Media@BigMals.com.au
Remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just a bad barbeque.
Mal Meninga 2017