Kalafatis Fresh
Goulburn Valley, VIC
Third generation farm now growing to meet demand for organic pears and plums
Almost 70 years ago a young migrant from Greece arrived in Australia with a dream, from which grew Kalafatis Fresh Produce, a recipient of a Woolworths Organic Growth Fund grant of $500,000 for organic pear and plum production.
Kalafatis Fresh Produce Pty Ltd was established in the early 1950s near Shepparton, Victoria. Today, the company has more than half a million fruit trees across more than 800ha of orchards, and employs more than 80 permanent staff and in excess of 300 casual employees during the harvesting season.
The business' largest supplier is Woolworths, a relationship that has spanned more than five decades with Kalafatis Fresh supplying pears and plums to Woolworths.
“We applied for the grant because we want to be at the forefront of potential growth markets in Australian fresh produce and we see the beginning of a long-term investment in organic fruit production as the key to being a sustainable supplier of a range of products to Woolworths into the future” said Jimmy Kalafatis.
The funding will go towards the purchase of orchard infrastructure for the purpose of setting up for the production of organic pears and plums, with the correct infrastructure imperative to maintaining a sustainable organic growing system.