Coal River Farm boxes choc and cheese delights for loyal local customers

While his family business has found the pandemic “really tough”, Daniel Leesong said the lockdown has refocused his business to be more about human interactions and less about profits.

While his family business has undoubtedly found the pandemic “really tough”, Daniel Leesong said the lockdown has refocused Coal River Farm to be more about human interactions and less about profits.

The business owner said his family’s load has reduced by 80 per cent since the coronavirus took effect.

He said putting the word out on social media helped him sell cheese and chocolate stock he had already bought with the original intention of catering now cancelled large interstate events.

He said he was lucky he and his wife Melanie Leesong had already discussed the possibility of delivering cheese boxes to the doors of loyal customers and were “thrilled” to now put the plan into action.

(L-R) Flynn 7, Noah 11, George 11, Daniel and Melanie Leesong of Coal River Farm who are delivering cheese hampers. Picture Chris Kidd

“I’ve had a really positive social benefit from it and gotten to know our existing customers and new ones,” he said.

He said the social benefit didn’t end with deliveries, adding since the shop had become quieter, every visitor was now becoming a friend.

“The feedback’s been amazing, we’ve had some people break down in tears of happiness and others give us a smile,” he said.

“Someone even wrote a poem about us, we’ve had lots of nice gestures.”

He said in between playing games of Fortnite and video calling their friends, his children George, 11, Noah, 11, and Flynn, 7, helped pack the boxes.

“We’re optimistic we’ll get through it but it doesn’t mean it’s not going to be hard,” he said.

To order online visit coalriverfarm.com.au