Latest news stories from Produce Plus
News updates for the fresh produce business in Australia and New Zealand.
Bioengineered purple tomato rolls out across Australia
Purple Bliss launched in Victorian independent grocers this month with plans in place for Queensland and New South Wales sales
N&E Innovations secures funding for food waste tech
Singapore startup raises US$1.7mn in Series A funding, which will support the launch of post-harvest shelf-life extension innovation
Elijah Etri crowned the 2026 Mango Monarch at Brisbane Markets’ annual Mango Auction
Fundraising event raised A$82,000 for charity partners Redkite and The Lady Musgrave Trust, while generating significant media exposure for Queensland’s fresh produce industry
Hectre opens multi-million dollar Auckland laboratory
Lab will be used to develop Hectre’s next-generation Arc camera, designed to identify internal fruit quality
Costa China celebrates ten years of growing in Yunnan
The Australian-headquartered company has expanded its berry production in China from 25ha to around 600ha
Conversations
Fruitbox 116 · Mark Landini, Landini Associates
Sydney-based retail consultant explains how supermarkets can reconnect with customers through better design, storytelling, and a renewed focus on food
Fruitbox 108 · Carlo Magni & Louise Beard, Forward Insight
Chris, Carlo and Louise consider the consumers of tomorrow, the choices they will make and how we can develop fresh produce that will appeal to them
Fruitbox 101 · Alex Garcia-Devis, GlobalGAP
Chris speaks with Alex about the scarcity of water in some of the world’s key production regions, and what this means for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry
VentureFruit appoints X Fruit as New Zealand licensee for Tutti apples
X Fruit joins partners including FruitFutur in Catalonia, Worldwide Fruit in the United Kingdom, Copefrut in Latin America and Joy Wing Mau in China
Mountain Blue named Coles Fresh Produce Supplier of the Year
Blueberry supplier recognised for its varietal offering and efforts to extend the blueberry supply window
Perfection Fresh admits to engaging in cartel conduct
Leading Australian fresh produce company breaches competition laws while supplying fresh vegetables to Aldi
Silal Group signs blueberry deal to expand UAE production
Silal has entered into a partnership with IQ Berries’ Middle East agent Ayla Berries to introduce premium varieties suited to UAE conditions
Wickham Freight Lines debuts solar-charged refrigerated trailer unit
Queensland-based transport giant becomes inaugural customer of Protran Solutions’ battery- and solar-powered refrigeration technology
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Victorian opposition commits to Melbourne Market sale in election promise
Coalition says market will be transferred to industry in the same vein as Queensland and Western Australia
Hawke’s Bay orchards sold for NZ$18mn in wake of Kiwi Crunch administration
Orchards sold pending approval from the Overseas Investment Office
Piñata Farms launches far north Queensland harvest with fresh new-look label
Bright new “hello sunshine” label the first major branding update in five years
Next-gen bananas another step closer after breeding barrier falls
Yelloway claims significant breakthrough with removal of sterility roadblock in Cavendish propagation
Garry Langford retires as INN general manager
Rowan Little has been appointed as new general manager of international fruit breeding organisation
Paddock to Pantry sets goal to become third-largest NZ grocery retailer
Independent grocer announces plans to open more than 20 new stores over the next five years
Fruit Logistica 2027: Know what matters next
Event brings global expertise from business, science, policy and practice to Berlin, with more than 130 sessions and over 200 experts across five stages
Recent study finds religious values could motivate consumers to purchase “ugly” fruits and vegetables
Findings open up new avenues to promote sustainable food consumption
Zespri welcomes India-New Zealand FTA
Increased tariff-free quota and reduced tariffs offer more opportunity for New Zealand kiwifruit in India
India confirms import quotas for NZ apples and kiwifruit
New rules set out phased increases in preferential import quotas from 2027, with tariffs cut to 25 per cent for apples and zero for kiwifruit