What do you do when you’re left with 200 litres of cream? If you’re Pierre Issa, better known as Pepe Saya, you churn it into cultured butter. 

Pepe’s first batch back in 2009 was, in his own words, “dreadful”. But instead of walking away, he kept churning. Seventeen years later, Pepe Saya butter is served in top restaurants, stocked in premium retailers, flown business class on Qantas, and is now being produced with the Amish community in the United States.

In this episode, Pepe talks about:
How a glut of cream at Christmas started a cultured butter revolution
Changing the cultured butter game in Australia
How farmers’ markets help build the Pepe Saya brand
The evolution from market stall to home and commercial kitchens
Making a bold move into the United States
A surprising partnership with Amish dairy farmers to produce butter for the US market
Winning over chefs and building a loyal following  
Launching a new Australian milk brand

This is a story about curiousity, stubbornness, and the power of building a global artisan brand built on craftsmanship, persistence and doing things properly from the ground up. 

Subscribe or follow for more interviews with industry leaders and changemakers.

This episode is proudly brought to you by UNOX Australia, leaders in smart oven innovation for commercial and residential kitchens. Learn more atwww.unox.com.

Follow & Connect with Pepe Saya
https://www.instagram.com/pepesaya 
https://www.instagram.com/pepesayausa
https://www.instagram.com/mrspepesaya 
www.pepesaya.com.au and www.pepesaya.com 

Connect with your hosts:
Tawnya Bahr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr 
Lucy Allon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon 

Subscribe to our newsletter: https://straighttothesource.com.au/community 

Follow Straight To The Source: @straight_to_the_source

Find out more about Straight To The Source: https://straighttothesource.com.au

What do you do when you&rsquo;re left with 200 litres of cream? If you&rsquo;re Pierre Issa, better known as Pepe Saya, you churn it into cultured butter.&nbsp;
Pepe&rsquo;s first batch back in 2009 was, in his own words, &ldquo;dreadful&rdquo;. But instead of walking away, he kept churning. Seventeen years later, Pepe Saya butter is served in top restaurants, stocked in premium retailers, flown business class on Qantas, and is now being produced with the Amish community in the United States.
In this episode, Pepe talks about:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">How a glut of cream at Christmas started a cultured butter revolution</li>
<li aria-level="1">Changing the cultured butter game in Australia</li>
<li aria-level="1">How farmers&rsquo; markets help build the Pepe Saya brand</li>
<li aria-level="1">The evolution from market stall to home and commercial kitchens</li>
<li aria-level="1">Making a bold move into the United States</li>
<li aria-level="1">A surprising partnership with Amish dairy farmers to produce butter for the US market</li>
<li aria-level="1">Winning over chefs and building a loyal following&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Launching a new Australian milk brand</li>
</ul>
This is a story about curiousity, stubbornness, and the power of building a global artisan brand built on craftsmanship, persistence and doing things properly from the ground up.&nbsp;
Subscribe or follow for more interviews with industry leaders and changemakers.
This episode is proudly brought to you by UNOX Australia, leaders in smart oven innovation for commercial and residential kitchens. Learn more at<a href="https://www.unox.com/au_au/"> </a><a href="http://www.unox.com">www.unox.com</a>.
Follow &amp; Connect with Pepe Saya
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/pepesaya">https://www.instagram.com/pepesaya</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/pepesayausa/">https://www.instagram.com/pepesayausa</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mrspepesaya">https://www.instagram.com/mrspepesaya</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="http://www.pepesaya.com.au">www.pepesaya.com.au</a> and <a href="http://www.pepesaya.com">www.pepesaya.com</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Connect with your hosts:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Tawnya Bahr: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Lucy Allon: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Subscribe to our newsletter: <a href="https://straighttothesource.com.au/community">https://straighttothesource.com.au/community</a>&nbsp;
Follow Straight To The Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/">@straight_to_the_source</a>
Find out more about Straight To The Source: <a href="https://straighttothesource.com.au/">https://straighttothesource.com.au</a>

Welcome to the Straight To The Source podcast, where leadership meets the future of food.

Hosted by two of Australia’s most respected food industry voices, Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon, the Straight To The Source podcast connects you directly with the changemakers shaping how we grow, source, and experience food.

With decades of experience spanning the kitchen, dining room, and boardroom, as chef, restaurateur, consultants, and educators, Tawnya and Lucy bring an insider’s lens to the challenges and innovations driving the industry forward.

From producers pioneering regenerative practices to hospitality leaders reimagining what sustainability means on the plate, each episode explores the strategies, stories, and leadership mindsets transforming the global food landscape and ensuring a thriving, sustainable food future for generations to come.

Get ready for bold ideas, honest conversations, and the kind of insights that move industries forward.

Follow, comment, and hit that bell for more Straight To The Source episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube.

To stay up to date, follow Straight To The Source on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Welcome to the Straight To The Source podcast, where leadership meets the future of food.
Hosted by two of Australia&rsquo;s most respected food industry voices, Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon, the Straight To The Source podcast connects you directly with the changemakers shaping how we grow, source, and experience food.
With decades of experience spanning the kitchen, dining room, and boardroom, as chef, restaurateur, consultants, and educators, Tawnya and Lucy bring an insider&rsquo;s lens to the challenges and innovations driving the industry forward.
From producers pioneering regenerative practices to hospitality leaders reimagining what sustainability means on the plate, each episode explores the strategies, stories, and leadership mindsets transforming the global food landscape and ensuring a thriving, sustainable food future for generations to come.
Get ready for bold ideas, honest conversations, and the kind of insights that move industries forward.
Follow, comment, and hit that bell for more Straight To The Source episodes on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/straight-to-the-source/id1610058270">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1FwFeGJI0wp15O9KiDn28c?si=20a9b788479446c7">Spotify</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@straighttothesource7730">YouTube</a>.
To stay up to date, follow Straight To The Source on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight.to.the.source/?hl=en">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/straighttothesourcefoodtours">Facebook </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/straight-to-the-source/">LinkedIn</a>.