What JH Leavy & Co does

JH Leavy & Co is a Brisbane-based fresh produce marketing and distribution company that has operated continuously at Brisbane Markets in Rocklea, Queensland since 1907. The company sources, conditions, stores, sells, and distributes fruit and vegetables from Australia and New Zealand to wholesale buyers operating from Brisbane Produce Market, major retail chains (Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Costco, and IGA via HARPS certification), independent retailers, and food service operators. The business also markets a portfolio of exclusive sub-brands including Brak Pak tomatoes, mangoes, and butternut pumpkins from Bowen, Queensland; Mr Kiwi and Darling Kiwi kiwifruit from New Zealand; Darling Avocado and Mr Avocado from New Zealand; Red Earth Farms rockmelons and honeydews from South Australia; and Blue Cow Citrus from Gayndah, Queensland. Its core infrastructure includes over 4,500 sqm of refrigerated floor space across nine temperature zones with capacity for more than 1,500 pallets, supported by Thermfresh cooling systems, Humicool humidity-controlled cold rooms, five ripening/fast-cool rooms, and eight sealed loading docks that maintain unbroken cool chain from receipt to dispatch. Quality assurance is delivered through iAuditor and Muddy Boots inspection systems, and the company holds SQF food safety certification, HARPS harmonized retailer produce scheme certification, and DAWR registered export establishment status. JH Leavy generates revenue primarily through transaction fees and margins on the marketing and sale of produce, plus service charges for warehouse, ripening, conditioning, logistics, labelling, and QA services, with terms governed by Australia's Horticulture Code of Conduct. Following its June 2016 acquisition by Global Fresh Australia Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of New Zealand-based Darling Group, the company operates as part of a vertically integrated Australasian horticulture network that spans growing, post-harvest services, distribution, and marketing across kiwifruit, avocados, blueberries, and citrus, with Peter Tighe remaining as CEO at the time of acquisition.

Name

JH Leavy & Co

Legal name

J.H. Leavy & Company

Website

https://jhleavy.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

JH Leavy & Co is a Brisbane Markets-based fresh produce marketing and distribution company, founded in 1907 and now part of Darling Group, sourcing and distributing Australian and New Zealand fruit and vegetables to wholesalers, major retailers, and food service operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce Wholesaling and Distribution

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Produce Wholesale (Fruit & Vegetables) (AFAIABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retail Program / Category-Managed Produce Wholesale (Grocery-Focused) (AFAIACAJ), Specialty & Gourmet Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAI)

Keywords

• Fresh produce wholesale
• Fruit vegetable distribution
• Cold chain logistics
• Produce marketing services
• Retail produce supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Rocklea

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Marketing and Sales: The company sources, conditions, stores, sells and distributes fruit and vegetables from Australasia and beyond. Revenue is generated through the marketing and sale of produce to wholesale buyers, retail chains, and food service operators, with service charges for warehouse and logistics services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

JH Leavy & Co is a fresh produce wholesaler and marketing company that sources, conditions, stores, sells and distributes fruit and vegetables from Australasia. It combines wholesale trading, refrigerated warehousing, ripening and conditioning services, quality-assured distribution, and exclusive brand marketing for grower partners including Brak Pak, Mr Kiwi, and Darling Avocado, serving retail chains, wholesale buyers, independent retailers, and food service operators across Australia and New Zealand.

Product overview

JH Leavy & Co. is a fruit and vegetable marketing company that operates as a single integrated platform combining wholesale trading, warehousing, logistics, and marketing services. The company markets produce through multiple sub-brands including Brak Pak (tomatoes, butternuts, mangoes), Mr Avocado/Darling Avocado, Mr Kiwi/Darling Kiwi, Red Earth Farms, and Blue Cow Citrus. Core services include temperature management, ripening and conditioning, fast cooling, storage, distribution, transport and logistics, labelling, QA inspection, and marketing and sales. The company was acquired by Global Fresh Australia Pty Ltd (subsidiary of Darling Group) in 2016 and maintains operations at the Brisbane Markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brak Pak: Leading brand supplying Gourmet Tomatoes, Butternut Pumpkins, and R2E2 Mangoes. Exclusively marketed by J. H. Leavy & Co. from Bowen, Queensland.
• Mr Avocado
• Mr Kiwi
• Red Earth Farms
• Blue Cow Citrus
• Darling Avocado
• Darling Kiwi

Products and services

• Brak Pak Tomatoes Premium gourmet tomato brand sourced from the Brackley family in Bowen, Queensland, supplied exclusively by JH Leavy & Co. Volume exceeds 400,000 10kg cartons of gourmet tomatoes per season.
• Brak Pak Butternut Pumpkins Butternut pumpkins sourced from the Brackley family in Bowen, Queensland, with the season running from July to November. Exclusively marketed and distributed by JH Leavy & Co.
• Brak Pak Mangoes R2E2 mangoes sourced from Bowen, Queensland, with the season running from late November to January. Exclusively marketed and distributed by JH Leavy & Co.
• Mr Kiwi (Darling Kiwi) Kiwifruit Kiwifruit brand supplied from Global Fresh New Zealand (Mt Maunganui and Auckland packing regions), exclusive to JH Leavy & Co. for Queensland, and available from April to November each year.
• Mr Avocado (Darling Avocado) Hass Avocados Premium Hass avocados supplied from Global Fresh New Zealand, Katikati area, Bay of Plenty Region, available from September to March. Exclusively distributed by JH Leavy & Co.
• Red Earth Farms Melons Premium rockmelons and honeydews grown and packed by the Pfeiler Family in Sunlands, South Australia, with the season running from late November to early May. Distributed by JH Leavy & Co.
• Blue Cow Citrus Premium citrus brand packed at the Bayntun family packing shed in Gayndah, Queensland, including Imperials, Novas, Taylor Lees, Hicksons, Honey Murcotts, and lemons. Season runs from March to September.
• Temperature Management and Cold Chain Warehousing Services Climate-controlled warehousing and cold chain management from farm gate to retailer using Thermfresh cooling systems, Humicool humidity-controlled cold rooms, and sealed loading docks with dock levellers to maintain optimum temperature and produce condition for all varieties of fruit and vegetables.
• Ripening and Conditioning Services Ripening services for avocados and other produce using state-of-the-art ripening rooms with controlled processes to deliver specified ripeness levels on demand for food service and retail customers.
• Fast Cooling Services Automated fast cool rooms using Humicool technology to rapidly reduce produce temperature and execute controlled ripening to meet customer specifications.
• Cool and Dry Storage Services Refrigerated storage service across nine different temperature zones, with over 3,000 square metres of cool and dry storage, suitable for short-term to long-term holding of fresh produce.
• Produce Distribution Services Daily distribution to major markets in each capital city in compliance with regulations governing major chain stores and independent retailers, connecting the Brisbane Markets warehouse to wholesale, retail, and food service customers across Australia.
• Transport and Logistics Services Optimised transport solutions designed for efficient movement of produce in controlled environments to maximise quality during delivery to wholesale, retail, and food service customers.
• Labelling and Barcoding Services Complete labelling and barcoding services providing customer-specific labels with all required details and destination specifications, supporting compliance with major retail chain requirements.
• QA Inspection Services 360-degree QA inspection service from receipt to dispatch using iAuditor and Muddy Boots software, providing real-time quality control and a comprehensive quality assurance service for suppliers and customers.
• Produce Marketing and Sales Services Over 100 years of experience in warehousing, marketing, and sales of top quality fruit and vegetables, building national and international brand profiles for grower suppliers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400,000 10kg cartons of gourmet tomatoes managed per season exclusively through retail distribution
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Global Fresh Australia Pty Ltd (Darling Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2016In June 2016, the business of J.H. Leavy & Co was sold to Global Fresh Australia Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of New Zealand based Darling Group. The combined businesses operate under Global Fresh Australia Pty Ltd, trading as J.H. Leavy & Co. The partnership provides access to Darling Group's nationwide customer network, maximizing opportunities across wholesale, retail chain and food service sectors. Peter Tighe remains as CEO of the new business.
• Brak PakcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Brackley family from Bowen, Queensland has been supplying J.H. Leavy & Co for over 20 years. J.H. Leavy & Co exclusively manages national marketing and distribution of Brak Pak tomatoes, jap and butternut pumpkin, and mangoes. Volume exceeds 400,000 10kg cartons of gourmet tomatoes per season.
• Mr Kiwi / Darling KiwimajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMr Kiwi brand launched in 2015 is exclusive to J.H. Leavy & Co for Queensland. Kiwifruit supplied from Global Fresh New Zealand, packed in Mt Maunganui and Auckland regions, available April to November.
• Mr Avocado / Darling AvocadomajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDarling Avocado is a premium brand supplied from Global Fresh New Zealand based in Katikati, Bay of Plenty. Hass avocados available September to March. J.H. Leavy markets this under Mr Avocado branding.
• Red Earth FarmsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Pfeiler Family has a long-established relationship with J.H. Leavy & Co. Red Earth Farms grows and packs rockmelons and honeydews in South Australia (Sunlands). Season runs late November to early May.
• Blue Cow CitrusmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBlue Cow Citrus is the premium brand from the Bayntun family packing shed at Gayndah, Queensland. Citrus season runs March to September including Imperials, Novas, Taylor Lees, Hicksons, and Honey Murcotts.
• Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR)coreOthersJ.H. Leavy & Co is a registered export establishment with the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, enabling the company to handle produce for export markets.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Goodwill Trading Pty Ltd: Goodwill Trading is an Australian fresh produce wholesaler/distributor with national reach across retail chains and food service, mirroring JH Leavy's multi-segment customer approach. Both companies operate in the Australian wholesale-distribution layer between growers and major retailers.
• T&G Global: T&G Global is a New Zealand-headquartered fresh produce marketer and distributor (apples, berries, citrus, tomatoes) with global reach — directly comparable to Darling Group's wholesale/marketing arm of which JH Leavy is part. The two compete for NZ-origin produce distribution into Australia and for shelf at Australian retailers.
• Moraitis Fresh: Moraitis Fresh is an Australian fresh produce wholesaler and packer supplying major retailers and food-service operators, with comparable scale to JH Leavy and similar supply-chain and cold-chain infrastructure. They serve overlapping buyer segments and compete on similar produce categories.
• Pinata Farms: Pinata Farms is an Australian grower and marketer of tropical and specialty produce (pineapples, mangoes, strawberries, melons) that overlaps with JH Leavy in mangoes (Brak Pak R2E2s) and honeydew/rockmelon categories. Both serve the same major retailer base through proprietary brand programs.
• Fresh Produce Group (FPG) Brisbane: FPG Brisbane is a directly comparable fresh produce wholesaler operating out of Brisbane Markets in Rocklea, sharing the same trading floor and overlapping supplier/buyer relationships with JH Leavy. The two compete head-to-head for wholesale buyers, retail-chain supply, and food-service accounts across Queensland.
• Mackays Marketing: Mackay's is a Brisbane Markets-based fresh produce wholesaler operating at the same trading location as JH Leavy, with comparable customer mix (wholesale buyers, retail chains, food service). It is one of the closest direct competitors for stall-floor share on the Brisbane Markets sales floor.

Broad incumbents

• Driscoll's Australia: Driscoll's is the global market leader in berries and operates an Australian marketing and growing operation that supplies the same major retailers as JH Leavy. While narrower in category (berries), it competes for the same branded-produce shelf space and uses a similar grower-marketing-exclusive model.
• Costa Group Holdings: Costa Group is Australia's largest integrated grower-marketer of fresh produce (citrus, berries, bananas, tomatoes, avocados), serving every major retailer. Overlap with JH Leavy is in produce categories (tomatoes, citrus, avocados) and in supplying the same major retailer base, though Costa owns the growing assets and is far larger.
• Perfection Fresh Australia: Perfection Fresh is one of Australia's largest fresh produce brand marketers and distributors, owning proprietary grower brands and supplying national retailers. While significantly larger and broader in scope, it competes with JH Leavy for shelf space at Coles, Woolworths and Aldi and operates with a similar branded-produce marketing model.
• Zespri International: Zespri is the world's largest marketer of kiwifruit, operating a single-desk global marketing model that overlaps directly with the Darling Kiwi / Mr Kiwi brand that JH Leavy distributes in Queensland. Both serve kiwifruit into Australian retailers and Asian export markets under branded programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jhleavy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company-beta/15211420
• Instagraminstagram.com/darling_group
• Facebookfacebook.com/jhleavyau

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about JH Leavy & Co