As the sky high prices for vegetables in Australia tumble by 60, 70 % or even up to 90%, Harris Farm Markets Co-CEO Tristan Harris predicts further savings over Spring due to the company’s commitment to Best in Region by Best in Season. Strawberry prices are the latest to slide – 3 months ago strawberries were $10/250g punnet and today at Harris Farm Markets they have 3 punnets for $4.50 – so $1.50/punnet.
The vast majority of strawberry farms were massively hit by La Nina over the last year; but over the last month weather has been great and so the farmers are recovering and the stock is flush. So Harris Farm put the prices down.
“This is where seizing what’s in season, and local, shows up in real savings at the cash register,” said Tristan Harris.
“Lettuce for example, has gone from $10 to $3, representing a 70% decease; Silverbeet has gone from $8 to $3 meaning it is over 60% lower; beans from $40 to $3, over 90% lower; corn has dropped from $4 to $1.50, a saving of over 60% and Broccoli has gone from $12 to $3, representing a 75% saving. This is all a result of Harris Farm championing what’s in season, and it’s the best way to do business,” he said.
“There is also value in mushrooms, herbs, strawberries & sweet delight tomatoes amongst others, with flood impacted areas such as the Sydney basin now flush with great quality crops. It’s time to support these growers who have had a really tough time.”
“We anticipate even more price relief over coming weeks.”
“Our guiding principle is that when nature gives us more, our customers will pay less; when it’s in season, we seize it; we give a fair go to those who grow, and for that wonderful range of bumpy veg (imperfect picks), we bump down the price. This has always been our commitment, it’s not new, but it is important we educate people, because the providence of produce matters.”
He said transparency in 2022 was important.
“In an increasingly hyper-sensitive price-driven economy, we want to show the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind our products and their pricing, and to encourage customers to embrace value, with values.
“There’s a difference between buying an avocado from Harris Farm Markets and buying one anywhere else. It’s the same difference in buying eggs… The difference is that Harris Farm Markets maintains a very real commitment to the farmers and producers behind our shelves of fruit and veg, and a promise that low costs aren’t provided at all cost, because ultimately that cost will be to the farmer.”
He continued: “Why are sweet delight tomatoes great value this month? Because there’s a bumper crop. Why are these carrot cheaper than usual? Because there’s loads with delicious bumpy bits but they are just as perfect on the inside. Why is our fresh guacamole affordable and delicious? Because we bumped out the middleman and make it ourselves with a tonne of love and the best avos in the country (from Toowoomba BTW),” he said.
“Treating farmers fairly is a no-brainer for us. Our suppliers aren’t strangers – they’re our partners. We expect a lot from them, so a fair go is the least we owe.”
“We know what it takes to grow a great crop, raise a happy herd or develop a new product that reduces waste. It’s these relationships that make it possible for us bring you the best that nature has to offer at a price that’s fair for all. That’s value with values.”
“For example, to the farmers whose crops we buy in full, we are unique in that we offer a ‘total crop solution’. Rather than buying just the largest or prettiest produce, we buy the lot – every piece of fruit off the tree, or veg in the ground as we do with avocados from Toowoomba Balmoral Orchards,
“This way our farmers don’t get stuck with half a harvest that they can’t sell. Yes, it makes it harder for us to manage but it’s the right thing to do, by farmers and by the environment.”
He said their focus on animal welfare and ethical farming practices had not waned, in fact was increasing.
“Harris Farm Markets has not sold a cage chicken egg in the last five years – something we are very proud of and happy to celebrate – and we love working with farms like the family-run Pirovic Farm on the NSW Central Coast, our supplier since 1982!!
Harris Farm Markets continues to shine the light on Imperfect Picks.
“Imperfect Picks is Harris Farm Markets’ seasonal range of fruit and vegetables that might not look perfect from the outside but are as full of flavour as ever on the inside,” said Harris. “Our Imperfect Picks program helps reduce the astonishing statistics that *25 per cent of Australian crops currently never leave the farm gate because they are a bit, well, unattractive, and do not meet the visual specifications of some supermarkets and consumers.”
“It means that every time you buy an Imperfect Pick, you are helping us take more from our farmers, you are helping reduce food wastage, and importantly, you are saving up to 50 per cent!”
“In the past six years we have saved more than 28 million kilograms of fruit and vegetables from going to landfill as a result of our Imperfect Picks range. This equates to approximately 100,000kg of perfectly good fruit and vegies per week. At each store and at our online shop, we have doubled the Imperfect Picks range which gives Aussie shoppers a wider variety of products to select from and makes a huge impact in preventing food waste.”
He said he was immensely proud of the community work done, especially over the past few months.
It’s been a tough time; the pandemic was devastating and then floods wiped out whole areas our customers and farmers call home.
“Because we can, we did. During the pandemic we were giving away 1,000 boxes of fruit & veg a day to vulnerable people who couldn’t’ come to our shops. This year’s inflationary pressures has seen us continue to donate pallets of fresh vegies every week to Ignite store in western Sydney, and pallets of vegies to Ukrainian refugees.”
“During the floods in the Northern Rivers we donated truck loads of vegies to the people of Mullumbimby and Lismore and delivered fresh fruit to Brisbane’s flood army. Being a business doesn’t stop us being human. This is what Value with Values is all about.”
WHAT’S IN SEASON THIS WEEK:
- Berries are in-season! Blueberry and strawberry crops from northern NSW and Queensland are increasing and prices are starting to ease.
- Queensland strawberries are fully flavoured and the weather remains.
- All citrus is well supplied, as are apples and pears.
- Navels are now at their best and keeping well.
- There is an excellent line of Kanzis Applies in store this week.
- Vegies are the real winner as earlier flood impacted crops are now starting to flush, especially in the Sydney Basin. Tomatoes, lettuce, zucchini, imperfect eggplant, midi cos lettuce and broccoli are all stand outs.