What Australian Produce Partners does

Australian Produce Partners is a B2B fresh produce marketing intermediary that connects a network of North Queensland growers with Australia's major grocery retailers and selected Asian export markets. The firm markets and distributes bananas, avocados, papaya, citrus, and lychee, sourcing from partner operations including Howe Farming Group, Barama, Nourish Banana, CTR Banana, Alcock, Leadwood Farming, Horsford Farming, LMB Farming, Coolio Farms, and Laurelgold. Its retailer-facing book includes Woolworths, Coles, and Harris Farm Markets, with dedicated account managers for the major domestic accounts and overseas buyers, while export relationships extend to Hong Kong through partners S&F Produce Freco HK and Wing Kee.

Name

Australian Produce Partners

Legal name

Australian Produce Partners

Website

https://ausproducepartners.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Australian Produce Partners is a B2B fresh produce marketing intermediary connecting North Queensland growers with Australia's major retailers and Asian export markets. The 9-person firm markets bananas, avocados, papaya, citrus, and lychee on a transaction-fee model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce Distribution

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Produce Distribution (CRAOABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Import / Export Produce Wholesale (Cross-Border Trading) (AFAIACAH)

Keywords

• Fresh produce marketing
• Produce distribution services
• Avocado packing
• Banana ripening
• Fresh produce quality assurance

Headquarters

HQ city

North Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Marketing and Sales: Australian Produce Partners acts as a produce marketing company that assists Australian fresh food producers to produce, package, distribute and promote quality fresh produce both Nationwide and overseas. They facilitate transactions between growers and major retailers, providing services including packing, ripening, and quality assurance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Australian Produce Partners is a fresh produce marketing company that partners with Australian fresh food producers — primarily family-owned farms across North Queensland — to produce, package, distribute, and promote quality fresh produce (avocados, bananas, papaya, citrus, lychee) to major retailers nationwide and to overseas markets. The company provides packing, ripening, quality assurance, and industry support services to its grower partners, and supplies retailers such as Woolworths, Coles, and Harris Farm Markets on a 52-week-per-year basis.

Product overview

Australian Produce Partners is a fresh produce marketing and distribution company that operates as a unified platform connecting Australian fresh food producers with major retailers nationwide and overseas markets. The product portfolio consists of five primary produce categories (Avocados, Bananas, Papaya, Citrus, and Lychee) supported by four core service offerings (Packing Service, Ripening Service, Quality Assurance Services, and Industry Support). The company partners with growers strategically located across multiple growing regions in North Queensland and maintains long-standing relationships with Australia's largest retailers including Woolworths and Coles, enabling supply of fresh quality produce 52 weeks of the year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Avocados Avocados marketed by Australian Produce Partners, including Hass, Shepard, and Maluma varieties sourced from farms in the Atherton and Bundaberg regions of Queensland. Available year-round with peak volume between March and November, supplied to major Australian retailers and select Asian export markets.
• Bananas Cavendish bananas sourced from recognized growers in Far North Queensland, harvested 52 weeks of the year. Warm and humid weather provides ideal growing conditions in the Tully, Innisfail, Atherton Tablelands, and Lakeland Downs regions, with Queensland accounting for the majority of Australian banana production.
• Papaya Organic red papaya sourced from the Innisfail region in Far North Queensland. Grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilisers, or genetically modified organisms, providing a sweet and juicy tropical fruit with a soft texture.
• Citrus Citrus fruits including Eureka Lemons (available June to September) and Afourer Mandarins (available July to October), sourced from orchards in Far North Queensland.
• Lychee Tropical lychee varieties including Erdon Lee, Fay Zee Siu, Baitaying, and Chompogo, sourced from the Mareeba area and Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland. Peak season falls in December and January.
• Packing Service Full packing service for Far North Queensland avocado growers, offered in collaboration with Howe Farming Enterprises at the modern Walkamin facility. Includes agronomy and scouting support, dry matter monitoring, packing, ripening, and sales to retailers, following a paddock-to-plate approach.
• Ripening Service Ripening service provided by an experienced team using facilities with internationally assessed energy-efficient technologies, ensuring supplier product reaches consumers in optimal condition. The team continually assesses new ripening technologies worldwide, particularly energy-efficient initiatives.
• Quality Assurance Services Quality assurance resources based in farming areas and ripening centres provide rapid feedback on product quality. Australian Produce Partners uses an internally developed QA System that notifies stakeholders of any potential issues by text and/or email, supporting the goal of Zero Food Loss from farm to retailer.
• Industry Support Industry support service in which Australian Produce Partners is actively involved in industry associations and undertakes global travel to keep abreast of new developments across agricultural products and practices. Strong relationships with major retail partners help ensure growers receive the best price for their produce.

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero Food Loss goal in supply chain from farm to retailer through agile use of data and information

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Howe Farming GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecond-generation family-owned company growing bananas, avocados, lychees and citrus. Owns numerous farms strategically located across the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland. Employs over 450 staff including seasonal workers. Largest private employer on the Tablelands. The group is a key supplier for Australian Produce Partners' lychee, citrus, bananas and avocados. Collaboration includes Far North Queensland Avocado packing service at Walkamin facility.
• Barama (Abbott Family)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily-owned organic farm in Innisfail, Far North Queensland growing organic bananas and papaya. Made the switch from conventional to organic production 20 years ago. Won Queensland Farmers Federation 2022 Reef Champion Pesticide Stewardship Award. Owned by Jenny, Robert, Matt, Ben, Naomi & Kate Abbott.
• Nourish Banana CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird generation banana farmers Jade Buchanan & Luke Horsford with four banana farms around Innisfail. Known for environmental practices and sustainable farming. Next generation already involved in daily operations.
• CTR Banana GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFourth generation banana farming family near Tully. Greg's grandfather grew bananas as early as 1938. Family consolidated operations to Mareeba after Cyclo Yasi in 2011, now farming three farms.
• AlcockcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily banana farming operation. Kerry Alcock started with three-acre farm at age 14, later expanded and moved to Far North Queensland in 1979. Now manages four banana farms around Innisfail region with two of his four children.
• Leadwood FarmingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFourth generation family-owned and operated farm in Far North QLD, approximately 90km SW of Cairns. Produces and packs premium avocados, limes and macadamias in Mutchilba and Dimbulah. Supplies Shepard Avocados.
• Horsford FarmingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree generations of banana farmers starting with John Horsford in 1965 on a 6-acre block in Mena Creek. Now Lance, Michael and Kris continue the family passion growing premium bananas on the original farm plus two additional farms.
• LMB FarmingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird generation farming operation started by the Buchanan family in the 1950s with 30 acres of Cavendish bananas. Now Craig Buchanan operates LMB Farming with partners, grown to 1400 acres in Innisfail region with over 100 valued employees.
• Coolio FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperated by Michael Coulson in Walkamin North QLD, growing Avocados, Lady Fingers and Custard Apples. Maintains Freshcare, Harps, Great Barrier Reef and Eco Certification. Supplies Shepard and Hass Avocados.
• LaurelgoldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAvocado farm at Mount Garnet on Southern part of the Atherton Tablelands, 600m above sea level. Established by Rohan Collins and family in 2019, producing some of the earliest fruit of the season. Also grows premium bananas in Innisfail since 1983.
• WoolworthscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Australian retailer with long-standing relationship for supply of fresh quality produce including bananas, avocados, citrus, lychee year-round. Brad Harvey serves as Woolworths Category and Account Manager.
• ColescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Australian retailer receiving supply of bananas, avocados, citrus and lychee. Piet Fontyn serves as Coles Category and Account Manager.
• Australian Banana Growers' Council (ABGC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry association for Australian banana growers. Australian Produce Partners is an active member.
• Australian Avocado Growers' FederationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry association for avocado growers. Australian Produce Partners is an active member.
• Horticulture Innovation AustraliaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHorticulture industry body. Australian Produce Partners is an active member.
• Fresh Produce AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFresh produce industry association. Australian Produce Partners is an active member.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Costa Group: Australia's largest vertically integrated fresh produce company, growing, packing, and marketing bananas, avocados, berries, citrus and mushrooms to the same Woolworths/Coles customers. Most directly comparable Australian peer by product mix and retail customer overlap, though at much larger scale and publicly listed.
• Dole plc: Global fresh produce grower-marketer with significant banana and tropical fruit operations supplying Asia-Pacific retailers. Comparable product overlap in bananas and tropical fruit, but at vastly larger international scale with vertically integrated assets.
• T&G Global: New Zealand-headquartered global fresh produce grower-marketer with significant Australian operations across apples, tomatoes, and citrus. Comparable by category-management and major-retail orientation, but operates at much larger international scale.

Direct peers

• Mitolo Group: Australian family-owned fresh produce grower-marketer focused on potatoes, onions, and carrots, supplying major retailers nationally. Comparable by Australian family-owned intermediation model and retail-channel orientation, though different category mix.
• Fresh Select: Australian fresh produce marketing and distribution company focused on broccoli, leafy greens, and value-added vegetables to major retailers. Comparable by Australian intermediation/Category Management business model though with vegetable rather than tropical produce focus.
• Perfection Fresh: Australian family-owned fresh produce grower-marketer supplying major retailers with a multi-category portfolio. Closest direct peer to APP by business model—intermediary marketing layer connecting growers to national retailers across fruit and vegetable categories.
• Nutrano Produce Group: Australian fresh produce grower, packer, and marketer operating across citrus, tropical, and berry categories with major-retail distribution. Comparable by intermediation role and tropical produce mix, though Nutrano is more vertically integrated than APP.
• Pinata Farms: Australian pineapple, mango, and tropical fruit grower-marketer with national retail supply. Comparable product overlap in tropical fruit categories and shared Woolworths/Coles customer base, with a similar family-farming partnership model.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/australian-produce-partners

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Australian Produce Partners