David Harris

Harris Market Farms founder David Harris

With students across Australia returning to the schoolyard, Harris Farm Markets has launched an ambitious campaign to sell 1m pieces of fruit this week.

The Sydney-based independent fruit and vegetable retailer is selling selected lines of bananas, citrus and apples for A$0.20 to help fill school lunchboxes.

Harris Farm Markets founder and owner, David Harris, said the company had done its homework, and believed its target is within sight.

“I think we can (sell 1m pieces of fruit this week), some think we can’t – either way, it will be a very interesting week for our company,” Harris said.

“Everyone seems to understand that a piece of goodness in the lunchbox for A$0.20 is extraordinary value.”

Harris Farm Markets director of buying and marketing, Tristan Harris, said the idea for the campaign came straight out of the company’s textbook.

“In the past we have run individual prices on some of our lines and with school returning we thought it was a good way to return some value to our customers,” Tristan Harris said.

“It’s a targeted campaign, not a chance to move excess fruit.

“It’s a simple line, 20 cents for a piece of fruit, and judging by the reception we have had so far, consumers are relating to it.”

The campaign started on Tuesday (16 July) and finishes on Monday.