Platter Pantry Croydon: Grazing box shop owned by Will Sparks’ sister opens on Wicklow Ave

The sister of a popular Australian DJ is chasing her foodie dream in Maroondah, with a unique offering sure to please picnic lovers in lockdown.

Sam Sparks has opened her grazing box shop and cafe, Platter Pantry, in Croydon. Picture: Kiel Egging

Grazing box lovers have a new one-stop shop in Croydon, with the sister of a popular Australian DJ opening a unique cafe and catering hybrid near the suburb’s railway station.

Platter Pantry is the creation of Sam Sparks, the older sister of DJ Will Sparks, which opened its doors on Wicklow Ave on Thursday.

Ms Sparks, 31, originally ran a T-shirt printing company before she started a grazing box catering service from home, which took off during last year’s lockdown.

She was making up to 500 boxes a week and decided to open a store where customers can order and pick up a range of grazing, charcuterie and picnic boxes.

They can also enjoy coffee, wine, cheese boards and various snacks inside the French-themed cafe which is decked out in chic furniture.

“My mother’s an artist, my brother’s a DJ, we’re all a bit creative,” she said.
“I found a passion for food … I always dreamt of creating a restaurant or a shop … and people are responding to it.”

Sam Sparks offers grazing boxes, cheese boards and other fancy items at her Croydon shop Platter Pantry. Picture: Kiel Egging

An avid cheese lover, Ms Sparks felt her selection of high-end cheeses made her offering stand out, with some sourced from France and Spain.

“There are lots of grazing box businesses out there, which is fantastic, but it’s hard to be different,” she said.

“I wanted something that would give you an experience while you eat cheese, because there’s such a story behind each one, and it’s best to have it in a place that’s beautiful.”

Ms Sparks said she was inspired to chase her foodie dream after her younger brother, known for his hits Bring It Back and Ah Yeah So What, broke on to the DJ scene and made waves as a teenager.

“He got his dream at 17, and that definitely motivated me and kept me focused on following my own and doing something creative,” she said.

“A lot of my clients are out here and I hope we can create a bit of tourist attraction when things get to normal.”