Why our meals sometimes sell out and why we want to talk about it...

Every now and then, we receive feedback that looks something like this:

“We love the meals — the quality is excellent and the values really matter. The only downside is availability. The most popular items are often sold out, and it can be hard to rely on stock from week to week.”

First — thank you. Feedback like this tells us two important things at once:
that the food is doing what it’s meant to do, and that the experience isn’t always as smooth as we’d like it to be.

We want to talk openly about the second part.

Yes, availability can be frustrating — and we understand why

If you’re checking the menu regularly, planning ahead, or trying to stock up for a busy few weeks, sold-out meals can feel like an unnecessary hurdle. We get that — and we don’t dismiss it.

So rather than glossing over it, we want to explain what sits behind those moments where the cart doesn’t quite come together.

We grow carefully, by choice

We’re a small, independent business cooking out of a commercial kitchen in Brookvale. We cook in batches, we don’t outsource, and we don’t mass-produce.

More importantly, we source directly from regenerative and organic farms — many of whom grow their animals specifically for us. These are long-term, personal relationships, not anonymous supply chains. Because of that, changes to production require planning and notice, not last-minute scaling.

We could chase constant availability by growing very quickly, raising significant capital, or compromising on sourcing. But that would mean answering to pressures that don’t always align with the way we want to make food — and that’s a line we’ve chosen not to cross.

Demand isn’t predictable — especially in busy seasons

There are weeks when things tick along steadily, and others when demand spikes all at once — often around back-to-school, back-to-work periods, or when life just gets full.

Because we cook ahead and work within real physical limits (space, storage, people), we can’t always turn production up instantly. When demand jumps, the result is sometimes sold-out meals rather than food made in a rush or to a lower standard.

We know it’s not perfect — and we are working on it

We’re constantly refining how we plan, forecast, and restock. Growth is happening — year on year — but we’re committed to doing it in a way that protects quality, our suppliers, and the food itself.

That doesn’t make it any easier when your favourites are unavailable, and we’re genuinely sorry when that happens.

A few gentle ordering tips (if it helps)

While we work on improving reliability, a few things customers have found helpful:

• Click the Notify me when back in stock" button so you get first dibs on restocked meals.

• Be flexible with a couple of backup options if you’re set on ordering that week.

• Stock up a little when you can (within limits) if you know you’ve got a busy few weeks ahead.

• Sign up for newsletter updates so you don’t have to keep checking the site manually.

These aren’t solutions — just small ways to make ordering a bit easier in the meantime.

Thank you for sticking with us

If you’ve ever refreshed the menu, waited for a restock, or adjusted your order because something sold out — thank you. Your patience allows us to keep doing this the way we believe it should be done.

We’re incredibly grateful to have customers who care not just about what’s on the plate, but how it got there.

As always, thank you for being here and for supporting slow food, done properly.

💛
Til