Sunfresh Marketing has accepted an award and a grant of $50,000 for their idea submitted to the “Big Ideas” initiative formed by the Queensland Government and AI Industries.To enhance the fledgling industry and promote high quality produce grown in Australia Sunfresh will develop a range of native finger lime products for food service and retail markets both domestically and internationally.The dried lime product can be stored at room temperature for years or reconstituted with water. The drying process will also aid in gaining entry to some countries that would otherwise require strict import protocols.Markets have been identified both Internationally and domestically for products to be developed by Sunfresh’s innovative idea. Sunfresh Marketing Coop Ltd is a grower-owned marketing business that grows, packs and markets sub-tropical fruits. The business was established in 1995, initially focusing on avocados but has now expanded the range to include other fruits such as mangos, lychee, citrus, custard apple and stone fruit. Sunfresh markets Australian grown product locally, nationally and is a major exporter of Australian Avocado to specific international markets.

Click Here to see the Sunfresh Big Ideas Media Release

Sunfresh would like to thank our sponsors and growers who attended our information night at the Apple Tree Creek Hotel on the 17th February. Chris from VISY was able to provide growers with a bit of insight into the carton board business and what products are available. Cecil from LabelPress gave a great talk on some new technology becoming available and a look at the current products on the market. Eric from Superpak was there and gave some history of our relationship and some information on their services and outlook for the coming season. Evan our Grower Liasiion was in the area for a couple of days prior and was out and about visiting our members and also some new faces to Sunfresh. The season is starting to build up in the Bundaberg Childers area and Sunfresh is looking forward to another successful year.

Peter (LP), Judy (Sunfresh), Wayne (VISY), Tom (Sunfresh), Cecil (LP)

Sunfresh would like to thank our sponsors VISY, LABELPRESS  and all the growers who attended our information night held at the Mareeba International Club on December 2nd. The night was a great success where  growers socialized and were able to learn of new opportunities for their marketing, packaging and labeling. Judy, Mark, Evan, Tom and Anthony attended representing Sunfresh and the Mareeba growers put the team to the test with some interesting questions and discussions. Presentations by both VISY and LabelPress were very informative and also prompted some questions and discussions about their products. The night was a great success for the group and Sunfresh plans to conduct more of these types of services in your areas in the coming year. Look forward to seeing you there.

Growers and Packers in the Mareeba and surrounding districts are invited to attend the Fruit Growers Information Night hosted by Sunfresh Marketing on Thursday the 2^nd of November 2010. Guest speakers from sponsors such as VISY and LabelPress will be attending to provide Growers with presentations on their products and services. The information night is to be held at the Mareeba International Club and light foods and refreshments will be provided. If you would like to register your interest please contact Evan on 0437 020140.

Tablelands Advertiser Media Release – Today’s Farmer, Friday, November 26, 2010

“Excerpt taken from Talking Avocados page 22 to 25 Spring 2010″

Sunfresh Marketing Co-op is a Primary Industry Co-operative that was etablished in July 1995 as a grower/packer organisation to market avocados and other sub-tropical fruit for growers in the South East of Queensland. For Over ten years the company has demonstrated its commitment to develop and grow exports by establishing strong international partnerships in Thailand and other South East Asian countries. This has led to market growth, in store promotions and oppurtunity to have input into managing the avoacado category at retail level. The penetration of South East Asian Markets and in particular Thailand is crucial to the continued growth of avocado exports from Australia. Promotions to increase consumption of Australian Avocados in Thailand has been led by Sunfresh and supported by Avocados Australia and Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL), and has had outstanding results to date. During this time the demand for Australian avocadosin Thailand has increased from 10 tonnes to the current 200 tonnes per annum.

Click here to view Talking Avacado Article Spring 2010

Excerpt taken from Good Fruit and Vegetables November 2010 pg 12

“Exporters, growers, industry and national and state government agencies have been working together to develop sustainable, competitive supply chains for our avocados.”

“This work will grow the existing 4 million, 1290-tonne Queensland avocado export market.”

Mr Mulherin said through targeted market research and training of importers and retailers, they were now ensuring quality avocados are delivered to consumers worldwide.

“Last year Sunfresh and the Bligh Government successfully delivered the first commercial sea containers of Queensland avocados to the UK and Thailand, with fruit arriving in perfect condition.

“This achievement was the result of post harvest trials and market development work conducted by the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI), which illustrated the viability of shipping product to these markets,” he said.

“Since then, Sunfresh has significantly contributed to the major growth in Australian avocado exports to Thailand over the past three seasons”.

  Click here to read article from Good Fruit and Vegetables November 2010

Anyone can export fruit to an approved international market! However, no one will make the extra effort to ensure that the fruit is presented on the shelf in that retail market in A1 condition – except Sunfresh.

The Thailand market has been the focus of export market development for Sunfresh for the past 5 years.  During that time, the demand for Australian Avocados has increased from a mere 10 tonnes per annum to the current 400 tonnes per annum – and this is no accident.

Promotions to increase consumption of Australian Avocados in Thailand have been led by Sunfresh and supported by HAL on several occasions in that time, with outstanding results.  The major focus and pivotal to the success is a strong and trusted relationship with a major importer in Bangkok who insists upon, and acknowledges that Sunfresh is the most reliable Australian supplier of quality fruit.

To further enhance the good name of the Sunfresh brand, by ensuring that quality fruit are best presented in Thailand at retail level, Sunfresh has embarked on another “first” for the industry by hosting hands on managers from major Bangkok and Bangkok based retail stores at their Sunshine Coast base for quality control training.  This is to be conducted by highly professional Queensland Department of Primary Industries Staff (DEEDI) at their state of the art Research Centre at Nambour.  This program is also supported by HAL through its R&D Grants program.

During September, the Thais will experience the Avocado cycle from nursery to plantation, picking to packaging, transport to terminal, the Rocklea markets and retail outlets in SE Queensland.

 As part of Sunfresh’s innovative approach to advertising and marketing, we are heading to Farm Fantastic Caboolture. Over the 16^th- 18^th of July in partnership with Suncoast Limes, Sunfresh will proudly participate as an exhibitor at the largest outdoor farming trade expo in Australia. Our site is strategically planned undercover and close to one of the main entry/exits. Food and drinks are close by so we will be amongst the thick of it. Its ideas such as exposing the Sunfresh brand to 30,000 plus fresh faces over 3 days that keeps our co-op at the top. We look forward to running into our members at this exciting horticultural/agricultural event. So please stop by site 24 in the Patterson Marquee.

See You There!

 A Big Thankyou

Sunfresh would like to thank Daniel and Linda Tabone from Suncoast Limes for such a successful event. The stall was non stop over the three days and was regularly the bottleneck in our section of the marquee. Thankyou to the Growers that stopped by Farm Fantastic and we look forward to attending next year.

Avos arrive in the UK

Fresh Aussie avocados have arrived in the UK straight from the trees around Childers, Queensland as part of a ground breaking exercise in fresh fruit export by innovative Sunshine Coast marketers Sunfresh Marketing Cooperative. 

More than 20 tonnes of avocados from five local growers were packed at the new SuperPak facility at Childers before embarking on a 36-day sea journey to Felixstowe in the UK. 

Sunfresh Chairman Tom French was ‘excited and optimistic’ when the container doors were opened. 

‘This is an absolute triumph, not only for Sunfresh, but for the Australian avocado industry,’ he said. 

‘We’re delighted with the condition of the fruit and we have every confidence the quality will meet the stringent demands of the EU consumers,’ he added. 

‘It has taken us more than two years and a major resource investment to establish our entry into the EU and UK markets. 

‘Despite it being a long journey, it is well worth the effort as it has created history for the Australian avocado industry.’ 

Sunfresh is well known as a pioneer in the development of avocado exports and have been successfully air-freighting fruit to Asia for more than 10 years, however they felt more could be achieved.

‘We believed it was time to take on a bigger challenge and accept the risks of European export in an effort to take surplus product off the domestic market to ensure prices remain sustainable for growers in periods of oversupply,’ French said. 

‘UK and European consumers will be enjoying our clean and green fruit while Australian growers get the benefit of a stable income and the confidence to continue to invest in and expand the industry,’ he said.

‘We learned a lot from our 2008 static trial and were confident it could be recreated successfully when it came time for the ‘real’ journey,’ French said. 

Once the container was opened in Felixstowe the fruit was carefully assessed by the importers, Halls International, surveyors from the shipping company, Maersk, and officers from Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries. 

It was then ripened carefully under controlled conditions and distributed to major chains throughout the UK and Europe. 

Halls International Director, Paul Devlin said, ‘The wholly natural process to keep the fruit clean and green and sound on arrival has been an outstanding success.’

This $2.2 million state of the art facility is a significant advancement in the Australian avocado industry and Sunfresh is a proud partner.

Read the media release and media brief.

For more information visit www.superpak.net.au