The Tropical Fruits Inc

What The Tropical Fruits Inc does

The Tropical Fruits Inc is a not-for-profit, incorporated community association established in June 1988 in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia, serving as the premier regional LGBTIQ community group in the Northern Rivers region. The organization provides social infrastructure for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer community through an annual membership program (Full at $35 AUD/year, Concession at $20, and Free for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islanders), a calendar of recurring community events (AGM, Easter Party, Pride Party, Fruitopia Fair Day, Hard Labour, QUIVR x Fruits, Christmas Party, New Year's Festival), and access to a permanent clubhouse, 'The Fruit Bowl,' purchased outright by the organization in 2011 (reportedly a first for a regional LGBTIQ group in NSW).

The entity is self-funding and largely volunteer-run: governance rests with a nine-member Management Committee (four office bearers plus five Extra Ordinary Members) elected annually at the AGM, supported by a small paid staff team of two — a General Manager (Alex Torney) and Accounts Officer (Greg 'Forte' Smirnovs). Operational delivery is distributed across 12+ subcommittees and advisory groups covering Finance, Events, Communications, Risk & Grievance, Queer Black Fruits, Fair Day, Bush Fruits Landcare, Fresh Fruits (youth), Trans and Gender Diverse, Lesbian Caucus, Business Liaison, and Climate Adaptation.

The revenue model blends subscription-style membership fees, transaction-based event ticket sales (ticketed via Humanitix), donations and fundraising (including a dedicated Erif Benham Memorial Land Fund, established 2009, seeded with 5% of annual net profit), and a nascent merchandise line sold via a Square storefront. The clubhouse sustained flood damage in February 2022 and a rebuild campaign is active. The organization holds no parent company, no external institutional investors, and operates exclusively across the Northern Rivers region of NSW.

Name

The Tropical Fruits Inc

Legal name

Tropical Fruits Inc

Website

https://tropicalfruits.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Tropical Fruits Inc is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit LGBTIQ community association founded in 1988 in Lismore, Northern Rivers NSW, providing membership, recurring events, and a permanent clubhouse for the regional queer community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lismore, NSW

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees provide recurring revenue. Full membership costs $35 per year, concession membership (for Disability, Health Care, Pensions, Seniors and Students) costs $20 per year. Free membership is offered to Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islanders.
2. Event Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from discounted tickets to Tropical Fruits events for members. Events include Annual General Meeting, Easter Party, June Pride Party, Fruitopia Fair Day, Hard Labour, QUIVR x Fruits, Christmas Party, and New Year's Festival.
3. Donations and Fundraising: The organization accepts donations toward the Erif Benham Memorial Land Fund, established in 2009 to secure a permanent home for the LGBTIQ community. Donations collected at events, through post, in person, and direct debit. The fund receives 5% of annual net profit plus fundraising event proceeds.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store selling branded items through square.site platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Tropical Fruits Inc runs an annual LGBTIQ community membership program (Full $35 AUD, Concession $20 AUD, Free for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islanders) that grants voting rights at the AGM and access to discounted event tickets. It organizes a year-round calendar of community gatherings (AGM, Easter Party, Pride Party, Fruitopia Fair Day, Hard Labour, New Year's Festival) and operates the Fruitbowl, a permanent community-owned clubhouse providing meeting rooms, workshop space, office space, and storage. The organization also sells branded merchandise and runs fundraising campaigns, including the Erif Benham Memorial Land Fund.

Product overview

The Tropical Fruits Inc is a not-for-profit community organization established in 1988, serving as the premier LGBTIQ community group in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, Australia. Rather than a technology product company, it offers community services including an annual membership program ($35 Full / $20 Concession), diverse events throughout the year (AGM, Brokeback Bunnies, Pride parties, Fruitopia Fair Day, New Year's Festival), and access to its clubhouse 'The Fruitbowl.' The organization also operates a merchandise store and manages the Erif Benham Memorial Land Fund for securing a permanent community home. The organization is self-funded, independent, and volunteer-driven with a nine-member elected committee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tropical Fruits Membership Annual membership program for individuals in the LGBTIQ community, priced at $35 AUD Full or $20 AUD Concession (Disability, Health Care, Pensions, Seniors, full-time Students); Free membership for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islanders. Members gain voting rights at the AGM and discounted tickets to Tropical Fruits events. New members require nomination by an existing member and apply via Zoho Forms.
• Tropical Fruits Annual Event Calendar Year-round calendar of community events for LGBTIQ members and the broader public, including the Annual General Meeting, Easter Party, Brokeback Bunnies, June Pride Party, Fruitopia Fair Day, Hard Labour, QUIVR x Fruits, Christmas Party, and New Year's Festival. Ticketed through Humanitix with member discounts applied.
• The Fruitbowl (Clubhouse) Permanent, community-owned clubhouse providing office space, meeting rooms, workshop space, and storage for the LGBTIQ community in Northern Rivers. Available for booking by members for meetings, workshops, and small events. The physical address is kept confidential for member privacy.
• Branded Merchandise Store Online merchandise store selling Tropical Fruits branded merchandise items, hosted on the Square platform at tropicalfruitsinc.square.site. Provides an ongoing revenue stream and brand-visibility channel for the organization.
• Erif Benham Memorial Land Fund Internal fundraising vehicle dedicated to securing a permanent home for the Northern Rivers LGBTIQ community. Receives 5% of annual net profit plus proceeds from designated fundraising events. Aims to develop a multi-purpose venue with performance space, meeting rooms, clubhouse, sculpture garden, and storage.
• Donation Program Donation program accepting contributions toward the Erif Benham Memorial Land Fund and the Australian Cultural Fund campaign for clubhouse rebuild. Channels include collection at events, post, in person, and direct debit.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is Australia's flagship LGBTIQ festival and community organization. It is comparable to Tropical Fruits as a peer producing major pride events and serving the LGBTIQ community, but at a national/international scale in Sydney versus Tropical Fruits' regional Northern Rivers footprint.
• Thorne Harbour Health: Thorne Harbour Health (formerly the Victorian AIDS Council) is a major Australian LGBTIQ community health organization. It is comparable as a peer community/advocacy organization serving the LGBTIQ population, with a broader health-services mandate versus Tropical Fruits' social/events focus.
• ACON: ACON is Australia's largest LGBTIQ community health and inclusion organization, headquartered in Sydney. It is comparable to Tropical Fruits as a peer community organization serving the same LGBTIQ demographic, but operates at a much larger scale with a broader health, advocacy, and inclusion mandate across NSW.
• LGBTIQ+ Health Australia: LGBTIQ+ Health Australia is the national peak body for LGBTIQ health organizations. It is comparable as a peer organization serving and advocating for the Australian LGBTIQ community, with a national health-policy mandate versus Tropical Fruits' local social/events focus.

Direct peers

• QLife: QLife is Australia's national LGBTIQ peer-support and referral helpline, operated in partnership with LGBTIQ Health Australia. It is comparable as a peer organization delivering services to the same LGBTIQ community, though focused on phone/chat support rather than events and venues.
• Twenty10 (GLCS NSW): Twenty10 is a NSW-based LGBTIQ youth and homelessness support service based in Sydney. It is comparable to Tropical Fruits as a peer NSW LGBTIQ community organization running youth programs (analogous to Fresh Fruits), community events, and member services.
• Minus18: Minus18 is an Australian charity dedicated to LGBTIQ youth, comparable to Tropical Fruits' Fresh Fruits youth subcommittee. Both organizations run events and community-building for young LGBTIQ Australians, though Minus18 operates nationally and focuses specifically on youth.
• Pride Foundation Australia: Pride Foundation Australia is a national LGBTIQ giving circle and grantmaker. It is comparable as a peer organization within the Australian LGBTIQ community ecosystem that Tropical Fruits operates in, particularly relevant given Tropical Fruits' active fundraising campaigns and Land Fund.
• Switchboard Victoria: Switchboard Victoria is a Victorian LGBTIQ peer-support, advocacy, and community organization. It is comparable to Tropical Fruits as a peer Australian LGBTIQ community organization delivering services and events to the same demographic, though focused on Victoria.

Regional players

• Queensland Council for LGBTI Health: Queensland Council for LGBTI Health is a regional peak body for LGBTIQ health and wellbeing in Queensland. It is comparable to Tropical Fruits as a peer regional community organization, though operating across Queensland rather than in NSW's Northern Rivers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61566352185325
• Instagraminstagram.com/tropicalfruitsinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-tropical-fruits-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Tropical Fruits Inc