H I S T O R Y

John and Helen West moved with their 2 daughters Viki and Sharan to the 1056 acre property known as 'Jo-Len" in 1982. The property is situated 65km north east of Chinchilla in Queensland.

The West family have 23 years experience as organic cattle and small crop farmers. Due to the limited availability of good quality pure pumpkin seed oil in Australia, the family imported in 1998 a small quantity of the famous Styrian pumpkin seeds to grow enough for personal use only. Due to the high interest from friends and neighbours, it was decided in 2002 to start the family company Pepo Pty Ltd, to be able to produce enough oil for sale so that everyone could benefit from this wonderful, nutritious, tasty oil.

The highly valuable properties of Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil has been kept a secret for at least 300 years, so the knowledge of pumpkin seed oils existence has been very limited outside of Austria and Slovenia. To let the Australian public know of the first pumpkin seed oil produced here in Australia, Pepo started marketing The Green Oil at farmers markets in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast, in April 2004. The response was fantastic! In 18 months The Green Oil has been made available in 50+ Gourmet Deli's, Health Food Stores and Natural Therapy Centres throughout Qld, NSW and Vic.

With the ongoing development of other pumpkin seed products besides pumpkin seed oil, the directors deceided to change the company name to the more fitting 'Australian Pumpkin Seed Company' at the end of 2006. The name change helps to signify the companies new direction into becoming the major pumpkin seed product dealer in Australia.

We named our brand The Green Oil for two reasons; firstly the oil is dark green in colour, secondly the company endeavours to produce the oil as "Green" as possible, by using organic and biological farming methods. There is no damaging impact on the environment to grow the pumpkins or produce the oil. No waste is created as all parts of the pumpkin and vine can be used. No artificial colours, flavours or preservatives are used in the final product. The seed is not genetically modified. (we do not support GE - Genetic Engineering. To learn more about GE (genetically engineered) foods, go to: www.greenpeace.org.au/truefood)

Pumpkin seed oil has been known through out history as a very nutritious oil being first produced in Styria (Austria) some 300 years ago. Pumpkin seed oil is full of nutrients including zinc, niacin, iron, folate, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese, vitamin E, carotenoids, phytosterols, essential fatty acids and selenium which has been respected and valued for hundreds of years. So valued was this special oil, that a legal edict was declared in March, 1773, by the Austrian Royal Court to the Styrian Provincial Government stipulating that: "This healthy oil is unique and much too precious for using it in tasty meals and therefore should rather be used as a medicine. So it shall not be used as a culinary delicacy anymore but shall be collected and distributed only by the apothicaries (chemists)." The main treatment use for pumpkin seed oil was in supporting the urinary and reproductive area of the body especially the prostate and enhancing the libido. Further studies into the nutritional benefits of pumpkin seed oil is continually being carried out.

Please Note: Our gently roasted dark green pumpkin seeds are the biggest, greenest and best pumpkin seeds you will ever taste!

THE WEST FAMILY

A frequent question we get asked is "how did you get into this business?"... John West grew up on a farm in Slovenia (yes he changed his name) where they grew special pumpkins, extracted the seed by hand and took them to the local factory to have the oil extracted. Little did he know that all the knowledge he gained would help him become the first producer of pumpkin seed oil in Australia, with his own family, some 40 years later. Each member of the West family have their own areas of the running of Pepo Pty Ltd to focus on, however each of us does a little to a lot of everything and anything that needs doing. We are all farmers attending to the many jobs on a farm: driving tractors, feeding chooks, working in the vegie garden or orchard, fixing the never-ending bits of machinery that break down, picking pumpkins, harvesting pumpkins, feeding pumpkins to the cows, worrying about when its going to rain next.... And then we go into the other side of the Pepo business: cleaning and drying seed, processing, producing, packaging, labelling products, sales, distribution and general business management. We certainly have learnt a lot in the last 5 years! Our mission is to introduce all Australians to the wonderful flavour of pumpkin seed oil and this special varity of pumpkin seed. Thank you to everyone who has given us words of encouragement and for all your support.

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