What was it all about?

This investment aimed to leverage the strength, size and positioning of the horticulture industry through partnering with retailers to increase the demand and consumption of fresh produce. This approach has the potential to provide maximum consumer reach and significant cost efficiencies.

Through industry consultation and discussions with retailers, this project has identified key issues and opportunities along with recommendation on which opportunities should be pursued further. Detailed interviews were completed with major retailers (Coles, Woolworth’s and IGA-Fresh) and key independent Retailers (Harris Farms, Norton Street Grocer and Scicluna’s), as well as an industry workshop to identify which opportunities were most important to the horticulture sector.

The following recommendations have been made:

1. Auditing harmonisation: To harmonise the different Quality Assurance certifications required by retailers in order to minimise the need for growers to require multiple audits to satisfy different retailers.
   
   
2. Horticulture course: To work with a university/TAFE/college to develop a merchandising course that is formally accredited and meets the needs of the horticultural retail industry, to improve skill sets and provide a clear industry career path.
   
   
3. Joint working groups: Align the needs of industry and retailers through workshops discuss key issues and opportunities. These would be held with the key industry members and individual retailer stakeholders and target category-specific deliverables.