Sunfresh News

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

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