Born and raised on the farm, Steve Sinclair’s first knowledge of the livestock industry came from his father, Rob. Steve then gained employment with one of Australia’s largest meat export companies, Tancred Bros, where he learned the ins and outs of butchery, animal health and welfare, and the business behind wholesale meats. When Tancred Bros closed in 1990, a void was left in the supply of wholesale meat. With the ideal foundation in the industry, Steve together with his wife Gerry, began their own wholesale supply chain, delivering the highest quality beef and lamb from their own farm. Within five years, Steve was supplying meat to butchers and supermarkets nationwide, and still does today. Sinclairs expanded rapidly and now produces quality livestock across five farms located in Waubra, Coghills Creek, Bald Hills, Langi Kal Kal and Hamilton. In 2005, Sinclair Meats opened its flagship store in Latrobe Street, Ballarat to offer quality meat directly to the public.

Ballan Local Butcher, formerly Salvatore Regional Butcher, was established in 2007 by the highly regarded butcher Salvatore Fusca. Salvatore’s focus was high-quality meat and customer service, providing outstanding quality, fresh-cut products and a great range of value-added products to his customers. Over Salvatore’s tenure, his range of sausages gained a following from far and wide and received many awards for their quality and unique flavour. In 2017 Salvatore Regional Butcher became Ballan Local Butcher when the Zammit Family purchased the business. The new owners, members of the Ballan and District community for over 25 years as farmers and business owners, retained a strong focus on quality and customer service. In addition to the business’s existing values, the Zammit family have also focused on selling high-quality local products, including the shop’s lamb range from the family farms.