Thousands of businesses are welcoming a mounting number of customers, commuters and tourists with open arms.

After the Victorian government rolled out a $200 million stimulus package to revitalise businesses last month, it seems that the latest federal budget has ticked many of the boxes in the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s submission, including funding for freight infrastructure, tourism, hydrogen technologies and regional economies as well as tax cuts and reduced regulatory burdens for small and medium businesses.

“We know, from speaking and listening to our 50,000-strong network of businesses across Victoria, that these are the areas that will help turbocharge our local recovery from the pandemic and set us up for success,” CEO Paul Guerra said.

Guerra also highlighted that the Business Recovery and Resilience Mentoring Program has already provided support to over 3000 businesses and offered around 12,000 mentoring sessions in the midst of the pandemic.

Despite the uncertainties of the past two years, many Victorian entrepreneurs have turned the state’s lockdowns into an opportunity for professional and personal development.

Last year, marketing manager at Abruzzo Lab, Mara Rasulo, laid the foundations for her business, The Italian Picnic.

She was in Italy for four months at the time, as Australia’s international borders were still closed.

Hailing from the southern Italian region of Basilicata, Rasulo has lived in Melbourne for years.

She believes Australia has a wealth of opportunities for those who are willing and eager to seize them.

And that’s exactly what she did.

“We Italians are famous for our picnics,” she explained.

“I began to think about designing an Italian-style picnic experience.

“The forced stay in Italy prompted me to work on the business project.

“My aunt sewed themed tablecloths, napkins and cushions, while I collected objects that best represent Italy and created two different menus that could accommodate a range of needs.

“This new business is giving me the right push to respond to the uncertainties that all businesses face nowadays; it’s a challenge, but so far, it’s been going well.”

A set-up by The Italian Picnic

Fellow migrant Alessandra D’Angelo has also risen to the challenge, opening Melbourne’s first vegan Italian restaurant, Funghi e Tartufo.

Having arrived in Australia 13 years ago with her children, the Palermo native opened her first restaurant, Osteria Italiana, which served Italian cuisine from four menus: contemporary, vegan, gluten-free and low FODMAP.

“I realised that we should all do our part,” she said.

“I became a vegetarian and established Funghi e Tartufo with Renato Franciamore, a childhood friend that I’d extraordinarily reunited with right here in Melbourne.

“When you make such a niche choice there’s always a margin of risk, but so far the response has been exceptional.

“The worst of the pandemic has passed, when we suddenly had to close and we couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Now, there’s hope and optimism; I can see it in my diners’ eyes.”