What was it all about?

The 2025/26 retail quality and education programs for Australian summerfruit and cherries demonstrated the value of ongoing retailer training, in-store quality monitoring and best-practice handling education. 

Delivered nationally across 800 Woolworths stores, the programs aimed to improve fruit presentation, quality, storage and retail staff knowledge, while supporting stronger consumer experiences and sales outcomes. 

Across both categories, repeated store visits, staff engagement, educational resources and back-of-house training materials contributed to improved retail execution and highlighted opportunities for continued industry investment in retailer education. 

Summerfruit component

• The summerfruit program involved four visits to 800 Woolworths stores between November 2025 and February 2026, providing retailer training, quality audits and education on best-practice storage, handling and display of Australian stonefruit. The program also delivered eLearning resources, back-of-house posters and reporting tools to support staff learning and compliance.
• Results showed significant improvements in both fruit presentation and quality during the season. Good-quality displays increased to 83 per cent, compared with 72 per cent the previous year, while good-quality fruit increased to 81 per cent, up from 73 per cent. Display standards improved across successive visits, suggesting that regular engagement with retail staff helped strengthen handling and merchandising practices.

Cherry component

• The cherries program visited 800 Woolworths stores an average of three times between November 2025 and January 2026. The initiative focused on improving retailer knowledge of cherry quality, handling, merchandising and temperature management through in-store engagement, educational resources, back-of-house posters and training tools.
• The program delivered strong improvements in storage compliance and fruit quality outcomes. Back-of-house refrigeration compliance increased to 92 per cent, up from 89 per cent the previous season, while 79 per cent of front-of-store displays maintained chilled conditions. Good-quality displays reached 79 per cent, and fruit quality improved throughout the season as a result of improved handling and storage practices.
• Consumer research conducted as part of the program reinforced the importance of delivering consistent quality at retail. Shoppers identified fruit quality as a key purchasing factor, and many reported they would purchase cherries more frequently if quality improved.

Together, these programs demonstrated that ongoing retail education and quality monitoring can improve product presentation, quality outcomes and retailer compliance with best-practice handling standards. By supporting better in-store execution, the initiatives are expected to help reduce quality-related losses, improve shopper confidence and satisfaction, and strengthen demand for Australian-grown summerfruit and cherries.