A small greengrocer might take a week to move one box of peas in the pod, but according to Kensington Fruit & Vegies in Melbourne, hand-shelling them daily can move four boxes a week without trouble.

“Marketer of the Year” Award - Finalists announced!

PMA Australia-New Zealand and Produce Plus Magazine are delighted to announce the five finalists for the Marketer of the Year Award 2012, the newest accolade for the Australasian fresh produce and floral industries.

The top five finalists are Helen Hill of Achacha Fruit Management, for her marketing of the Achacha; Adelaide Produce Markets, for their ‘Burst of Freshness’ campaign; Luke Westley of Horticulture Australia Limited, for his work on the ‘Aussie Apples’ campaign; Sarah McRae of Freshmax, for her work on the ‘Mahana Red’ campaign; and Mitolo Group, for their marketing of Carisma potatoes.

In this, its inaugural year, the Marketer of the Year Award attracted an impressive list of entries from all points of the value chain across Australia and New Zealand. The award recognises outstanding achievement over the past year in the marketing of fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers in Australia and/or New Zealand.

“We have been very pleased by the strength and scope of the entries we’ve received for the first year of the PMA-Produce Plus Magazine Marketer of the Year Award. The entries demonstrate the high level of skill in the industry in Australia and New Zealand, and the increasing sophistication of the fresh fruit, vegetable and floral market here,” said Produce Plus Magazine editor Tom Bicknell.

CEO of PMA Australia-New Zealand, Michael Worthington, added: “From the nominations, it does make you realise how much great work goes on to promote fresh produce and we are very glad to be able to recognise the top marketers in our industry.”

PMA and Produce Plus Magazine would like to congratulate this year’s finalists, and thank all our nominees for their impressive entries.

The winner of the PMA-Produce Plus Magazine Marketer of the Year Award 2012 will be announced prior to the conference gala dinner at the PMA Fresh Connections conference and trade show on 27 June 2012.

A report on the five finalists will feature in the upcoming Winter 2012 edition of Produce Plus Magazine, which will be distributed to all delegates attending PMA Fresh Connections in Melbourne on 26-28 June. An in-depth interview with the winner will follow in the Spring 2012 edition of Produce Plus Magazine.

Find out more at www.produceplus.com.au and www.pma-anz.com.

 
Finalists

 - Helen Hill, Achacha Fruit Management (Achacha)
 - Adelaide Produce Markets (Burst of Freshness)
 - Luke Westley, Horticulture Australia Limited (Aussie Apples)
 - Sarah McRae, Freshmax (Mahana Red)
 - Mitolo Group (Carisma)

Holman Fresh and Gayndah Packers held their Gaypak Family Picnic in the Melbourne Markets on 30 April. The picnic was part of Gaypak’s ‘Meet the Gaypak Family’ promotion, which offers independent retailers a chance to win A$2,000 for creating an eye-catching citrus display in store.

The New Zealand Feijoa Growers Association will be distributing recipes in Australia ahead of the first shipment of New Zealand feijoas of the season to hit the Australian market next week. The fruit will be available in supermarkets and high-end fruit stores in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

All Good Fair Trade bananas on sale in organic grocer Harvest Wholefoods in Auckland.