Aussie produce platform launched for overseas retailers

Staff at retailers across Asia will soon undertake training on a platform being launched by Australian growers through Hort Innovation.

The Aussie Oranges e-learning platform, developed under the horticulture trade banner Grown in Good Nature, takes about 10 minutes to complete. Users will garner information about Australian citrus varieties and health benefits, handling, storage and display tips.

The platform will be displayed at Asia Fruit Logistica for the first time, giving buyers and retail representatives the chance to interact with the e-learning module at the Grown in Good Nature stand.

Retailers will be provided with the e-learning module for staff when they enter into a partnership to sell Australian oranges, with incentives for teams to participate in the training.

Troy Agosti, Hort Innovation Trade Development Manager, said the resource will be an engaging tool for supermarket and grocery chains to educate staff and consumers about Australian produce.

According to Agosti, retailers were interested in knowing more about the right way to care for Australian produce, so Hort Innovation worked with growers and training providers to come up with the platform.

In coming months, it will be rolled out through retailers in Mandarin, Japanese and Thai languages, and will be followed by grape and avocado versions.

Other attractions will feature on the Grown in Good Nature stand at Asia Fruit Logistic, including a customised Aussie Avocados arcade claw machine offering plush avocados.

Visitors to the stand will also be able to sample guacamole and avocado olive oil, with fresh Aussie orange juice created through a mechanical squeezer.

From across Asia, importers will have the opportunity to speak to horticulture industry representatives from across Australia at the event, providing growers the chance to get more produce into key markets.

According to the Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook, Australia exported close to 420,000 tonnes of fresh fruit in 2021/2022 at a value of more than $1.2bn.