On a busy catering day, Harmonie German Club pumps out 1000 German sausages in a four-hour event, and CEO Paul Berger is at no loss as to why.
“Wherever we go, whether it be a multicultural festival or a convention, we’re always the busiest food stall,” he says.
“It’s good food; it suits a broad range of people, and if you give the kids a German sausage, you know they’re going to eat it.
“Everyone loves a German sausage!”
Now the club is taking to the streets with the launch of its food truck, and early signs indicate the new venture will go off without a snag (so to speak).
Within days of putting the word out, the Harmonie Club Catering food truck received five enquiries and four bookings. Starting off with an appearance in the European Village precinct at the inaugural Festival of Speed at Thoroughbred Park, followed by Black Opal Stakes, Skyfire in March at Lake Burley Griffin and the National Folk Festival in April.
The truck will also be a regular at the club’s quarterly German Markets in Narrabundah.
Funding for the truck came from the ACT Government’s $1.5 million pool of funding to help clubs diversify revenue streams and promote sustainability, but Paul reckons the response has exceeded expectations for what was meant to be an attempt to expand the club’s horizons.
“As part of our income diversification strategy, we decided to get set up for outside catering so we can cater the way we do in a marquee without the massive hire and infrastructure costs,” Paul says.
“We had just brought Oktoberfest back to the club last year and wanted infrastructure to help with that and other events.
“It was set up to complement the club’s more traditional revenue streams, but it has really snowballed and is looking to become a substantial part of the business.”
Alongside its delicious gluten-free Kransky sausages, the club will also offer salted pretzels warm and soft from the oven in two sizes, a kind of German meatloaf called leberkäse and the ever-popular “currywurst” – a Berlin specialty featuring diced sausages served in a sweet tomato-based sauce, served with chips or bread.
“We even do vegan sausages, which is unusual for German food, but we want to have it all covered so that nobody misses out,” Paul says.
The bespoke truck was created to replicate what the club can normally set up in a marquee or tent, but with a refined process to ensure it can meet the always crazy demand for German sausages.
While it can be used to crank out bacon and egg rolls, burgers and other food truck favourites, German food will always be its specialty.
“Our food truck is here to help us do what we do best – provide good food and beverages with top-notch hospitality,” Paul says.
“We can’t wait to take that offering to the streets.”
To track the truck’s movements and find out where to get your sausage fix, visit Harmonie German Club, or for more information or to enquire about a booking, contact Harmonie German Club on 6295 9853.