Hundreds of people are involved in the production and creation of the iconic Ekka Strawberry Sundaes each year. In this blog, we’d like to introduce you to a few who ensure your delectable dessert contains fresh, delicious and juicy berries.
Strawberry Sundaes are an Ekka staple, and the locally-grown strawberries added as a garnish on the treat are sourced and picked with love and heart.
One person who has been a pivotal part of the Ekka Strawberry Sundae story since the 1980s is Anna Vicenzino.
Over the past several decades, she has ensured showgoers have had fresh strawberries to top off their iconic treats – both as a grower and, more recently, sourcing the flavoursome fruit garnish.
“This is something I look forward to every year,” Anna said.
Initially, Anna and her family owned farms at Rochedale, and it was there that some of the fresh berries for the beloved ice cream treats were grown.
After her husband passed, she no longer wanted to grow the fruit. Instead, she went far and wide around south-east Queensland to source the fresh berries for the Strawberry Sundaes.
“It’s hard to know how many strawberries you’ll need each year. Normally we estimate based on the previous year’s numbers,” Anna explained.
Anna has sourced delectable berries from Ray Daniels, owner of Sunray Strawberries at Wamuran, for more than fifteen years.
“We love being able to support such a good cause through supplying strawberries for the Ekka Strawberry Sundae,” Ray Daniels said.
At Sunray Strawberries, pickers work two days on, followed by one day off to harvest the fruit crop. That means that throughout the entirety of the Ekka, the Strawberry Sundaes will be adorned with fresh, juicy berries.
In 2022, there was a record-breaking 127,000 Strawberry Sundaes sold to support life-changing medical research through The Common Good.
Profits from the Ekka Strawberry Sundaes support crucial medical research at The Prince Charles Hospital, one of Australia’s leading heart and lung hospitals.
Can’t make it to the Ekka this year, why not donate the cost of an Ekka Strawberry Sundae instead? By giving a little, you can change a lot! Donate here.
Are you interested in finding out more about the production of the beloved Brisbane treats? Click here to read five reasons Strawberry Sundaes are so special.
