Leading exporter says demand consistently outweighs supply for high-quality Australian citrus
Leading Australian citrus and mango exporter, Nutrano Produce Group, is heading into the new export season with renewed confidence in the quality of its citrus offering, following back-to-back seasons of industry-wide struggles.
“We are very excited about the overall quality this year,” says export manager Mathew Roberts of the Nutrano crop. “It’s definitely going to be better this year than it has been for the last few years.”
Improved quality provides a good opportunity for Nutrano to further establish its export markets. “This is the year to put our best foot forward,” Roberts says. “It’s exciting to be able to maintain our consistently high quality throughout the season.”
In June, Nutrano was named Hort Innovation Exporter of the Year at Hort Connections. “We are honoured to be recognised for our contribution to Australia’s horticulture industry and our dedication to exporting quality citrus and mangoes worldwide,” Roberts said upon accepting the award at the Hort Connections gala dinner.
The company’s vertically integrated supply chain allows it to service customers across the globe exporting citrus and mangoes into key markets in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the US, Canada, New Zealand and more.
“Our citrus exports have strong demand in North America and across the Asian markets,” Roberts says. “We’re anticipating a strong season ahead.”
According to Roberts, the Australian citrus industry is yet to reach its full potential and demand is continually growing. “Australian fruit has an excellent reputation internationally,” he says. “It’s exciting times for Australian growers as there’s a lot of opportunity out there for Australian citrus.”
Boosting branding
As part of this season’s marketing efforts, Nutrano is set to invest in underpinning its brand presence in its export markets. “We’re really proud of what we grow, and we know that we have a good product, so we will put more promotion into our own brands, on the shelf going forward,” he says.
This push towards brand promotion comes as Nutrano has set up pre-packing facilities in both its main sheds allowing the company to create branded packs. “The Sunwest brand and Abbotsleigh are already strong, and we will definitely see more focus on these brands this season.”
A lot of the promotion will focus on marketing Australia as Nutrano’s country-of-origin. “We want people to know where it comes from,” Roberts says. “Australia has a very strong citrus industry and while I’m a little bit biased, I think it’s probably the best in terms of quality.”
Consumers aren’t always discerning about specific farms or brands, but they often associate Australia with quality, according to Roberts.
“If someone has a good experience with our product, they’ll come back and buy it again, and that’s where Australia’s advantage is,” he says. “You know they will come back and buy it again because Australian growers do such a great job.”
