Queensland's largest carrot producer has entered the pre-cut market in a bid to discover new Asian markets.
When the owner of Kalfresh, a vegetable producer in Fassifern Valley, saw that food waste was at 15-30 per cent, he invested in a $3 million processing line to value-add the seconds for the pre-cut bagged vegetable market.
The company has about 1500 acres of crops including carrots, onions, green beans, and pumpkins.
MD Richard Gorman needed to come up with a range of products that got through 'non-tariff barriers' to allow the company to trade into China. A lack of biosecurity and health protocols had hampered his previous efforts to open up trade access.
The line was the result of Gorman's decision to invest in an all-female team who could brainstorm ways to use seconds in the pre-cut bagged vegetable market.
The team, which had decades of experience in corporate and government jobs, included a business consultant, a banker, a Walkley award-winning journalist, an events manager, and a teacher.
Commissioned to solve the problem of vegetable waste, they researched consumer trends, designed the packaging, planned an advertising campaign and signed Woolworths up for a trial.
The trial was a success, and Woolworths now stocks the Just Veg range of carrot shred, circles and sticks in QLD, NSW and Victoria, with plans to expand to other states.
You can hear more about key issues affecting the food processing industry at FoodTech Qld. The three-day event aims to bring together food and beverage manufacturers from the Queensland region. Running from 26-28 June at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, it includes a line-up of interactive sessions covering trending topics. You can register for FoodTech here.
