FAMILY owned business Manjimup Truffles is currently producing top quality French black truffles thanks to business owner and self-proclaimed King of Truffles Al Blakers.
The Truffle King invested huge amounts of money planting a number of oak and hazelnut trees 12 years ago and is now looking at selling the successful business so he can retire.
“I used to sit up on the hill among the trees with my dogs and wonder if I had done the right thing,” Mr Blakers said.
“It was a huge outlay and a big risk, but it has really paid off now.”
Mr Blakers has succeeded in ensuring Manjimup is the world’s biggest truffle producer outside of Europe, with his farm providing 95 percent of the ‘black gold’ that Manjimup provides to the world.
The secret to his success is one that he is not too willing to share.
“I have been very successful with the inoculation of the truffle fungus onto the tree roots, which is a trade secret that I will have to pass on to whoever ends up purchasing the business,” he said.
“Once the trees are planted the truffles spread all over the ground. There is no rhyme or reason as to why it has been so successful down here, but it has made me very happy.”
Mr Blakers started out planting just five acres of truffles and has since expanded to a total of 25 acres of trees. He also has another 40 acres available to be planted if the need ever arises.
Currently the business is able to produce hundreds of tonnes of the black gold and is supplying top quality black truffles to the world’s best restaurants in countries including Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, France, Italy and the USA as well as Australia.
“I am hoping to do 150-200 kilos a week this coming season,” Mr Blakers said, “I will have a better idea about how good this years crop will be at the end of June, but it is looking like I will pull out about 1500 kilos this year.”
With truffles selling wholesale at about $1400 per kilogram, it is looking like a prosperous year for Mr Blakers.
Retirement plans are now on the drawing board for the 58-year-old due to poor health and the desire to enjoy a future doing the fun things in life such as racing cars and going fishing.
“Unfortunately I have a nerve disorder that is just getting in the way of me being able to hunt for the truffles with my dogs. This is why I am looking at selling up, so if someone wants to pay what I want for it then I will take it and go off and retire happily.”
