While supermarkets are still overcoming supply chain issues, your local fruit and veg shop has an abundance of fresh, quality produce which is hand‐picked daily from the Brisbane Markets. Like Fourth generation fruiterer and A Better Choice! retailer Robert Sayle Jnr, many fruit and vegetable retailers have continued working long hours and overcome staff shortages of late to keep shelves full.
“We are a small, local, family‐owned business, so we have been able to adapt to the challenges of the recent COVID outbreak very quickly,” said Robert Sayle Jnr.
“Our staff have been going the extra mile to continue providing a high quality of service to our customers.”
Robert says that in addition to his dedicated staff, sourcing his produce from the Brisbane Markets gives him the extra benefit of removing the step in the supply chain where produce is stored in a warehouse for lengthy periods of time.
“The day we buy it, it is delivered straight to our store. Fresh, quality, hand‐picked produce,” said Robert.
“From the farmers to the wholesalers, our transport and ourselves are all independent, are local and family owned, everyone pitches in to get the job done.”
The Brisbane Markets is home to Queensland’s only central fruit and vegetable market and is the state’s most important centre for the marketing and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables. It records annual trade in excess of 700 million kilograms of produce including a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Robert’s store, Harvest Markets at Yamanto, offers home delivery and click and collect services, as well as home‐cooked meals and gourmet salads prepared by Head Chef Debbie Doolan. This has meant he has been able to easily adapt to the increase in customer demand for these services with lockdowns and isolation requirements since the start of the pandemic. However, the last two years have not been without their challenges for many independent retailers.
“The independents need the support of their local community now more than ever.”.
Local, independent fruit and veg shops provide customers with a better choice of quality, freshness, and service. They give customers the opportunity to shop as close to home as possible while supporting their local community.
About A Better Choice!
The A Better Choice! program supports over 500 independent retailers and wholesalers across the country who supply more than half of Australia’s fresh produce each year. In Queensland, the A Better Choice! program is run by Brismark and supported by the Brisbane Markets. More information about A Better Choice! including retailers and wholesalers can be found by visiting www.abetterchoice.com.au
Media contacts:
Karen Tilke, Business and Service Delivery Manager, Brismark Phone: 0417 207 233 or Email: [email protected]