Completed project
Banana industry benchmarking (BA22009)
This program successfully re-established a confidential benchmarking process for Australian banana growers and generated practical business insights to support farm decision-making.
Completed project
Consumer demand spaces for horticulture (MT21003)
Publication date: December 13, 2021
Delivery Partner: Kantar Insights
© 2026 Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited.
In 2022, this investment identified and prioritised opportunities for the horticulture sector to engage consumers and build demand across the domestic market for fruits, nuts and vegetables.
The framework delivered will support growers and the wider horticulture sector in their decision-making on ‘where to play’ and ‘how to win’ when seeking to engage Australian consumers, with 31 industry-specific reports available that take a ‘deep dive’ into each commodity.
Key insights delivered by the research included:
Six consumer needs drive all consumption choices:
Taste and convenience are an expectation for all consumption areas.
Meal occasion has the next biggest influence on choice; While the six needs pillars are the primary drivers of commodity choice, the next most predictive factor that determines consumer choice for fresh produce is meal occasion (for example, breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert or snack).
Advantages can drive growth in key territories by leveraging distinctive characteristics of fruit, nuts and vegetables to drive consumer choice.
Poor quality is the biggest barrier to growth; Consumers cite poor quality as the most significant barrier to choosing fresh produce. Overcoming specific quality barriers is a necessity for most commodities to realise growth opportunities.
Industry-specific reports for each of the below commodities are available, including insights on ‘where to play’ and ‘how to win’.
This multi-industry project was a strategic levy investment in multiple Hort Innovation Funds
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