The first Indigenous community-owned Brumby’s opened in the Pilbara town of Tom Price in Western Australia in July.

The Martidja Banjima Group (MIB) became the first Indigenous community-owners of a Brumby’s bakery in Australia, now providing local employment opportunities while also creating delicious freshly baked goods for the wider community. MIB elder Maitland Parker says they’ve already started training staff to work in store and are planning on offering further retail traineeships to the community.

“We have employed a professional baker who has relocated to Tom Price to train our new staff members in the art of baking and running the store,” Maitland says.

“We’re also very proud to have already employed two Indigenous Apprentice Bakers.

“It’s great to provide local Indigenous employment opportunities to upskill our people so that they can take what they’ve learnt and continue their development in other areas.

“We’re also looking forward to giving back to the townspeople of Tom Price, with freshly baked bread and all the other baked goods you’d have access to in larger regional towns.”

The bakery celebrated the opening with a face painter for the kids, giveaways and a traditional smoking ceremony.

David Dinnes, general manager of Brumby’s, says partnering with the MIB Indigenous community is a great development and a first for the long-standing Australian brand.

“It’s been a long time coming and we’re proud to partner with the MIB community,” David says.

“We will continue to provide ongoing assistance to the Tom Price store through our WA field support team.”

Local resident, and Shire of Ashburton Councillor, Peter Foster says the town is buzzing with excitement at the opening of the bakery.

“It’s been a long time since the town had freshly baked bread, so you can imagine the anticipation from the community for bread, pies, sausage rolls and sweet pastries,” he says.