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Friday, July 25, 2025
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Your regular Chronicle inside > FAMILY BUSINESS: Family is at the centre for Jerry and Kacey O’Callaghan, their four children Remy, Arlo, Eva and Luca have been raised on nutritious, organic meals and low-tox products, embodying the values that inspired their parents to create Wholefoods.
A family’s journey from garage to two thriving wholefood stores Wholefoods, founded in 2011 by Kacey and Jerry O’Callaghan, began as a passion project born from a desire for healthier living. Initially operating as Regional Organics, a home delivery service, the business evolved from a garage operation in Wangaratta to two thriving stores in Wangaratta and Wodonga. Driven by a commitment to providing high-quality organic groceries, health and wellness products, and lowtox household items, Wholefoods prioritises community engagement and empowering customers with knowledge about healthy living.
BY JORDAN DUURSMA jduursma@nemedia.com.au
After years of following a standard Australian diet filled with packaged foods, Kacey and Jerry were introduced to the world of organic living by a family who shared a powerful book about chemicals and toxins, called Changing Habits, Changing Lives by Cyndi O’Meara. Kacey said this eye-opening experience ignited a passion for healthier eating, prompting them both to prioritise their
health and transition to an exclusively organic diet, even while navigating university life as students of education and law/science. Their quest for knowledge took them abroad, where they immersed themselves in the vibrant culture of organic food during a university exchange in San Diego. They visited every Wholefoods store and co-op they could find, dreaming of the impact they could have back home in Victoria. Kacey said offering alternative options that are healthy and sustainable is a priority for them.
“We love Wangaratta and the community here, and we love being able to contribute to a healthy, thriving community,” she said. In 2013, Kacey and Jerry launched their first business, Regional Organics, a website and delivery service dedicated to providing organic groceries directly to the doors of customers from Bendigo to Bright. Although the venture did not generate profit initially, their unwavering passion for making high-quality organic food accessible to everyone fuelled their dedication.
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