Bendigo butcher wins 7 awards after opening gluten-free safe space
Mal Johnstone opened a butcher shop guaranteeing 100% gluten-free meat after his own coeliac diagnosis and won seven awards at the Victorian Meat Excellence Awards.
When Mal Johnstone was diagnosed with coeliac disease, he and his wife Cheryl faced the daily struggle of finding food guaranteed safe from gluten. Most shops stock only small ranges of suitable options.
They decided to open Top Paddock Meat and More in White Hills, Bendigo, ensuring everything sold is completely gluten-free. No wheat products enter the shop at all, so customers know there is zero risk of cross-contamination.
The butcher is gluten-free accredited through Coeliac Australia. When customers walk in expecting a tiny selection, they are surprised and delighted to find a full range.
The shop has been hugely successful at the 2026 Victorian Meat Excellence Awards, winning seven of nine categories including two champion trophies for Greek lamb and barbecue sausages.
- White Hills, Bendigo
- Shop location
- Seven of nine categories
- Awards won
- Greek lamb and barbecue sausages
- Champion trophies
- Coeliac Australia
- Accreditation
Why it mattersIt shows how a personal health challenge can spark a business that solves real problems for thousands of others.
AustraliaCoeliacs across Victoria now have a dedicated, award-winning butcher where they can shop without worry.
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